The saga of the American success story, the spread and dominance of American business enterprise, was once defined by the phrase: The Self- Made Man. This perception faded as corporate ensembles took over the engine of commerce. The occasional Bill Gates still emerges to reaffirm the dazzling impact that a single entrepreneur of vision can have, but, for the most part, success stories have become corporate success stories.

Her effort evolved into the creation of a major fashion firm which has grown by leaps and bounds in the last several years. The creations of the firm are ubiquitously displayed on the pages of most of the top magazines. Her efforts have also brought her admiration and recognition for her leadership in many top charitable, political and educational undertakings. She has earned many prestigious design and fashion awards, including such honors as her recent selection as one of the Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World.

Mary Green’s internationally recognized lingerie firm specializes in silk undergarments combining the beauty of the finest Chinese silk with her own creativity and design sense, a blending that has become her hallmark. The firm also reflects her highly-toned sense of community and global responsibility and is committed to sustainable practices benefiting its workers, the community and the environment.

Founded by her in San Francisco over two decades ago, her women’s line, Mary Green, became so successful that, in 1985, she extended her collections to include a men’s line known as Mansilk. During the course of her business, Mary Green has become a hands-on vital force in undergarment fashions. The high quality luxurious designs have become noted for bringing to the world of lingerie a vast and spectacular array of new colors, color combinations, prints and designs rarely found in this fashion genre. Mary Green’s elegant and romantic items have become a wardrobe staple for some of Hollywood’s most recognizable celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Courtney Cox Arquette, Bo Derek, Kim Cattrall and Jessica Biel. Her line was recently featured on “Sex and the City”, was worn by Kate Hudson in “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days” and by Brittany Murphy in “Uptown Girls.” The Mary Green and Mansilk lingerie are also a favorite subject of the top fashion magazines. The designs have been featured repeatedly in Elle, In Style, Cosmopolitan, Allure, Lucky, O Magazine, Marie Claire, Glamour, Redbook, Self and Essence. The Mary Green Camisole was chosen by In Style as one of “The Best Camisoles” and her thongs in Marie Claire’s “Best of the Best” feature. In addition, Rolling Stone magazine nodded Mansilk with “Boxer Shorts of the Year.”

With Mary Green’s business savvy and sense of ethical entrepreneurship, what had started as a small business has grown into a modest empire that counts over seven thousand vendor locations around the world, reps all over the United States. Canada and the EEC as well as twenty five employees at its San Francisco headquarters. The knitted silk long johns that she designed and produced in China, pioneered a revolution in innerwear, and pioneered trade between China and the United States in the days immediately following the opening of relations between the two countries. By working with factories in China, Mary Green has helped to improve working standards for her workers, and has specifically empowered women by creating executive positions for them in the manufacturing of her goods. With her great spirit and sense of the world, Mary Green has also authored a book, “How To Be An Importer and Pay For Your World Travel,” still considered the finest source for beginning import undertakings.

In addition to her business, Mary Green has been a force in both civic and political causes. Her activities have ranged from environmental causes to extensive work with children and with education at all levels. In politics, she has extensive activities at the highest levels of the political arena.

She is joined in her charitable, environmental, educational and political activism by her husband, whom she met and married after initiating and achieving her own entrepreneurial success. The couple’s homes include a 150 year old historic San Francisco estate. They often travel the world in pursuit of their philanthropic activities and the rigors of the exciting business that is Mary Green.