Amazing Parker Women: Part 2
By Danielle Woodruffe
With August 26th being National Women’s Equality Day, we sat down with some amazing Parker women. We’re celebrating their career and personal achievements, some of them were pioneers in their fields.
Charlotte Rosen, Parker at Stonegate Resident
You’ve had two careers that were very different. Tell us about them.
“I lived in Manhattan and owned a store with my husband on Third Avenue and 76th Street. I inherited the store from my uncle. It was one of the oldest thrift shops in the country, but it was not a charitable one. It was a high-end thrift boutique. Later in life, I worked for the FBI as a transcriber.”
What are some of the highlights of your career?
“At my store, I served celebrities such as Kirk Douglas, Henry Fonda, Ava Gabor, Shelley Winters and Frances Hutt, the wife of former NY Governor Thomas Dewey. While working with the FBI, I received top security clearance. They told us when we were sworn in, ‘You are not joining a company, you are joining a family. If ever you find yourself anywhere in the U.S. or the world, in trouble and you need help, you call us.’ I thought to myself, ‘My gosh, what a company.’”
Do you have any interesting stories?
“When I applied for a job with the FBI, I had no idea I was interviewing. The first question from the head of the department was ‘Do you like to do crossword puzzles?’ I had no idea who she was. My job was to listen to telephone wire taps and transcribe many undercover deals and prostitution rings. With one transcription between FBI agents, I thought that, ‘it’s so hard to just put words down when they’re so emotional.’ Having been in theatre I wrote, ‘with sarcasm dripping from his lips.’ The agents reading the transcription said, ‘We have never read a focus group and laughed and really understood what was going on like the way you typed up that conversation.’ So they gave me two days off as a reward.”
What advice would you give women today?
“Do what you love because if you love it, you’ve got to do it. If you don’t like your job you’re miserable. I loved my job so much I couldn’t wait for the weekend to be over to get to work.
Charlotte Rosen, business owner and FBI employee is a pioneer in women’s equality and #WithIt.