Martha Stewart

Martha Kostyra was born August 3, 1941 in Jersey City, New Jersey.  When she was ten years-old, she babysat for the children of New York Yankee baseball players Mickey Mantle, Lawrence (Yogi) Berra and Gil McDougald.  As a teenager, Martha began modeling.  She appeared in television commercials and magazines.

Martha's mother taught her how to cook and sew.  Her father passed along his passion for gardening.  Martha learned all about canning and preserving from her grandparents.

While an undergraduate at Columbia University, Martha met Andrew Stewart, a student at the Yale University Law School.  They married in July 1961 and she became Martha Stewart.

Martha and her husband purchased and restored an 1805 farmhouse near Westport, Connecticut.  During the restoration, her "panache for decorating became apparent."  

Martha started a catering business in the basement.  She later opened her own gourmet food store.

Martha's first of many cookbooks, Entertaining, was published in 1982.  She also authored many newspaper columns, magazine articles and made numerous television appearances with such as Oprah Winfrey and Larry King.

Her magazine, Martha Stewart Living, was launched in 1990.  Twelve years later, it had a circulation of 2 million copies per issue.  

In 1993, Martha Stewart began a TV program, based on her magazine.  In 1995, New York Magazine called Martha Stewart "the definitive American woman of our time."

In 1997, Martha Stewart "was able to secure funding to purchase the various television, print and merchandising ventures related to her brand and consolidated them into Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia (MSLO)."  On October 19, 1999, MSLO went public and by the end of the day Martha Stewart became the first, self-made American woman billionaire.

On December 27, 2001, Martha Stewart sold all of her shares in ImClone Systems Inc.  She maintained the shares were sold based on a pre-determined sell price.  

On December 28, 2001, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  announced it would not review ImClone's application for its cancer drug.  The value of Imclone's stock dropped 18% in value that same day.  

On June 4, 2003, Martha Stewart was indicted on federal charges based on the sale of her ImClone stock.  Federal prosecutors claimed she sold the stock based on a secret insider tip (illegal) and lied to cover it up.  

On March 5, 2004, Martha Stewart was convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of an agency proceeding and making false statements to federal investigators.  She was sentenced to 5 months in prison.

On March 15, 2004 (16 years ago today), Martha Stewart resigned from the Board of Directors of MSLO.  

On October 8, 2004, Martha Stewart entered the Alderson Federal Prison Camp in rural West Virginia.  Even the definitive American woman is not above the law.