The way that a second marriage differs most dramatically from the first, though, can be summed up in one word: children. They've seen what went wrong in first marriages, both their own and their husbands'. Her chauffeur sometimes hand delivers her dinner invitations. Most executives report that they have become better, more thoughtful managers because their marital problems made them conscious of the personal lives of their employees. 2022-06-30; Actor Brad Johnson (R) with his wife Laurie Johnson and son Shane Johnson attend the 1998 Carousel of Hope Ball to Benefit the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes Foundation on October 23, 1998 at Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Typically he has begun asking a few questions of his own. Ideally, this would be the time for longtime partners to repair their marriage, but often too much damage has been done. 03/01/23. could be sentient says Microsofts chatbot feels like watching the A cruise company is making a big play for remote workers to sail around the world for just $30,000 a year, CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. But as his wife is waking up, the CEO is wanting out. In the early '90s, at a Joan Rivers dinner party, my wife and I encountered Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of disgraced British publishing mogul Robert Maxwell and Epstein's girlfriend for a brief. vivir para volar, frases nuevas 2021 pandas to csv multi character delimiter. Why Are You Like This An Artbymoga Comic Collection TP, $16.99. June 21, 2022. When she traveled with her second husband, who just retired from General Foods, Ferguson was able to corner the likes of Henry Kissinger and William Simon and get them to serve as directors of her National Dropout Prevention Fund. By Julie Connelly REPORTER ASSOCIATE Darienne L. Dennis, NBA confirms L.A. Clippers sale to ex-Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, FBI and SEC probe into Carl Icahn and golfer Phil Mickelson, Toys 'R' Us brand may be brought back to life, JCPenney names Jill Soltau as its new CEO, S&P downgrades debt-riddled GE and GE Capital, SoftBank and Toyota want driverless cars to change the world, Barnes & Noble stock soars 20% as it explores a sale, Why it's time for investors to go on the defense. ACONYTE. In the process she loses touch with him and his concerns. To replace Ross Johnson and call the shots at RJR, Kravis has hired -- no small irony -- Louis V. Gerstner Jr., the president of Shearson's parent, American Express, and Jim Robinson's right-hand man. Often she has a career of her own. She may enjoy it at first. My first wife had to make it clear that I had this important jobit wasnt that I didnt want to be with them. But too many men made the mistake of allowing their first wives to take care of the relationship with the children while they concentrate on getting ahead. Even though you thought you knew them for what they were, it can be a great shock when they don't pay attention to you.'' Exciting Comics #31 (Cover B Shawn McGuan Foil Variant), $9.99. Observes Jane Ylvisaker, 43, whose husband, Bill, 65, retired from Gould Inc. in 1986 to start a venture capital firm: ''Some people seem to be devastated when they lose the chauffeur, the company flat, the private plane. On February 27, at 2 p.m., a funeral service was held at Perryman Cemetery. Charlotte Mosss decorating business has annual revenues of seven figures and requires several ten-day trips to England each year. Because a corporate mogul has a lot to lose -- respect, credibility -- if he is seen with a succession of young dates, an enterprising woman may usually find that the best way to meet him is through friends: Kathryn Wriston, Walter's wife, introduced Jane Beasley, 37, to her future husband, GE Chairman Jack Welch, 53; the Gutfreunds are said to have met at a party arranged by acquaintances of Susan's. If youre so rich, why arent you glamorous? The more money men make, the argument goes, the more self-assured they become, and the easier it is for them to think: I deserve a queen. and/or its affiliates. ross johnson wife laurie. "It . She may enjoy it at first. ''I'm sure a lot of people didn't like me,'' she says. The Robinsons leave the juggling to their respective secretaries, who call each other several times daily to coordinate events as far as a year off. A huge oil painting by Rubens dominates the living room of their Fifth Avenue apartment, and Gayfryds chunky mate has become a deep-pocketed pillar of New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art. Whats a man going to do with $3 billion? asks Michael Thomas, the social critic and author of Green Monday and other Wall Street romans clef. Says a wiser ex-wife: ''I should have insisted that he wear a wedding ring.'' 1 priority.'' June 3, 2022 by Teddy Brad Johnson was born on the 24th of October, 1959, and died on the 18th of February, 2022. But even as the second wife gives her husband pride of place, she maintains an independence that eluded many first wives. All rights reserved. At 38, Roehm is 5 feet 9 3/4 inches tall, wears a size 4, and aims for what she calls ''the long drink of water'' look. In the corporate world, as in much of the rest of society, it took the roaring Eighties to make divorce fully respectable. The second wifes most important duty, however, is to help her husband build a new life. Mine is 98 or so, exclaims the youngish wife of a 53-year-old. '' Sometimes the woman belittles the man's accomplishments; other times, the man himself. In addition to her business, there is the time-consuming process of looking good. 11 Jun 2022. This way I'm not some ogre driving people into the turf.'' Friends say F. Ross Johnson seems content these days, having pocketed a reported $61.5 . Perhaps -- most second wives sign them. He is now CEO of Chilis, a Dallas-based fast-food outfit that peddles what youd guess. F. Ross Johnson and wife 1980s | Johnson, Ross, Wife Explore Uploaded to Pinterest Ross F. Ross Johnson and wife 1980s J Julian Pereira 210 followers More information F. Ross Johnson and wife 1980s Ross 1980s Johnson Wife Talk Scenes Photos Pictures More information . You hope for some relationship with your first wife as it affects the children, but it just doesnt work out that way. Upon emerging from rehabilitation, his wife Mary fell ill with an array of her own crippling, cruel ailments, meaning their two traumas virtually overlapped, Laver doting on her every need for almost a decade before she died in 2012. If you love whisky you know about appreciation and flavour but there are occasions when you just want to get into it. This trophy does not hang on the wall like a moose head -- she works. If youve ever wondered why Carolyne Roehms $2,000 evening gowns dont look the same on your spouse as they do on her, the answer is that she fits every piece of her collection on herself. Says Carolyne Roehm, who spends weeknights out with her husband or entertaining their friends at home: ''Henry and I get our wires crossed all the time.'' Terms & Conditions. Why cant he do better for himself? (It should be mentioned that in the corporate stratosphere, the phenomenon of divorce still pertains largely to men: The two women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, Katharine Graham of the Washington Post Co. and Linda Wachner of Warnaco, are both widows.) A huge oil painting by Rubens dominates the living room of their Fifth Avenue apartment, and Gayfryd's chunky mate has become a deep-pocketed pillar of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. ''There's no longer a prejudice against divorce and remarriage -- almost the reverse. THE MONEY is less important, however, than the power conferred on a woman by her connection to someone who has become a Very Important Man. ''This isn't the husband's fault,'' says Roslyn Bremer. Another adds forthrightly, ''I don't see room for children in our life. Wed be invited to a party and the hostess would tell me it was casual, and then everybody would show up dressed to the nines. Its a truism that women leave men for other lives, and men leave women for other women. Mine is 98 or so,'' exclaims the youngish wife of a 53-year-old. The Canadian-born Johnson is on eight boards, and in May he opened an international management consulting firm in Atlanta called RJM Group, which employs six people. He is now CEO of Chili's, a Dallas-based fast-food outfit that peddles what you'd guess. Said Rollwagen, now CEO of Cray Research: ''Mary would subtly judge me, usually quite negatively. THE CEO'S SECOND WIFE Yes, she's typically younger than the first. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. She has started her own marketing business and gives her husband what she calls one ''wife day'' a week during which she'll do errands for him. peterbilt 379 hood roller bracket. I wanted more children, but John didnt, Laura says. Conflicts go on little slips of paper for the couple to resolve. Her Paris town house on the rue de Grenelle features an underground parking area that a pal describes as the most luxurious garage Ive ever seenit looks like a ballroom. Susans ability to spend serious money has helped bring the Gutfreunds into the orbit of such people as Jayne Wrightsman, the widow of Charles (who made enough in oil to donate rooms full of French 18th-century furniture to the Metropolitan Museum), and Marie-Hlne de Rothschild, wife of Baron Guy and a mainstay of French caf society. Her fate is sealed in these four words: She Didn't Keep Up. The marriage is ten years old and there are two children. He retires, or loses his job, as Ross Johnson did. The sad fact for most men is that divorce and remarriage fray the ties to their children. He was 85. Last night though, it was another story entirely as I had the privilege The sitcom's premise is pretty basic: six friends live in New York City and have crazy stories of dating, family, and friendshipbut something was particularly endearing about Ross, Rachel . OCT221217. ''I told both Ross's boys that I had rings for them,'' Johnson says. F. Ross Johnson, president and CEO, RJR Nabisco Ed Horrigan, president and chief executive officer of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco division of RJR Nabisco Edward J. Robinson, chief financial officer of RJR Nabisco Peter Cohen, chairman and chief executive, Shearson Lehman Hutton Ted Forstmann, senior partner, Forstmann Little & Company Night Of The Living Dead Revenance #1 (Cover J Barbra Photo Variant Signed By Judith O'Dea), $99.99. This is difficult to arrange if you are serious about your career., As their husbands rise in the corporation, first wives may become convinced that power is corrupting the presumably wholesome lads they married. For example, Linda Robinson and Laurie Johnson, 37, the second wife of Ross Johnson, 57, the former chairman of RJR Nabisco, talked their husbands into a vacation together four years ago, a ten-day cruise through the Greek islands on a chartered yacht. Having pots of money may ease the burden of not being there because the CEO can afford to fly the kids out to see him and go on exciting vacations with them. Management buyouts have made new millionaires and billionaires of people like John Kluge, Ronald Perelman, and Saul Steinberg. He is my Prince Charming.'' The mistake the first wife too often makes is allowing her children to become the focus of her life instead of her husband. What happens when life in the fast lane starts pulling over to a slower track in deference to Harrys pacemaker? ross johnson wife lauriemoonshiners master distiller winners. In the acid words of the angry first wife of a CEO: ''I wish husbands would ask themselves if their young wives would have married them if they were not successful and rich.'' One second wife was overheard complaining, After my husband stopped being CEO and didnt have the company plane anymore, he just wasnt the same person., A spouse cant help but suffer from her husbands loss of status. ''The change has been radical,'' observes Helen Singer Kaplan, 60, a psychiatrist and the second wife of Charles Lazarus, 65, founder and chairman of Toys ''R'' Us. NEW YORK (AP) _ Chief Executive F. Ross Johnson, who triggered the multibillion-dollar buyout battle for RJR Nabisco Inc., last week sold 60,000 shares of RJR stock for nearly $5.5 million, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission filing on Tuesday. Exciting Comics #31 (Cover A Shawn McGuan), $4.99. When the couples part, the men find they have no connection to their children. ''He's so physically fit -- he's got more energy than I do, and I've got a lot.'' Shortly before the pair were married in 1985, Moss left Merrill Lynch, went to England with her $75,000 bonus to buy ''a truckload of antiques,'' and set herself up in Manhattan as a decorator and retailer. The culture of self-indulgence has just crept up to the CEO level, says Boston psychologist Harry Levinson, a longtime counselor to top management. What's important about a second marriage, she believes, is that it compensate for the pain of the last. Second marriages appear to be happya real departure from the firstbut then why shouldnt they be? All rights reserved. Ross Johnson's Legacy Goes Beyond a Reputation for Excess RJR chief's exploits helped push boards to be more vigilant Ross Johnson was an early exponent of the idea that corporate jobs. Its axiomatic that first wives shop at Loehmanns and seconds have charge accounts at Neiman Marcus, firsts stay at home with the kids while seconds have nannies, firsts cook their husbands business dinners but seconds have the caterers in. For the wifes support, Id settle for $200,000 for ten years. The lady gets pensioned off, in other words, with at least $2.35 million over time. ''Those women could be backstabbing. I feel that way about mine. Whats important about a second marriage, she believes, is that it compensate for the pain of the last. LENGTH OF PERCENT MARRIAGE OF ASSETS 5 years or less 0%-25% 5 to 10 years 15%-36% 10 to 15 years 33%-45% 15 years or more 45%, SOURCES: AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION; RAOUL FELDER, Adelson, Merv 59 , former CEO of Lorimar Telepictures, Barbara Walters, 57 Agee, William 51 , CEO of Morrison Knudsen, Mary Cunningham, 37 Anderson, Robert 68, former CEO of Rockwell International, Diane Clark Lowe, 53** Bass, Sid 46, Texas billionaire investor, Mercedes Kellogg, mid-40s Blount, Winton 68, CEO of Blount Inc., Carolyn Self, 64 Bronfman, Edgar 60 , CEO of Seagram, Georgiana, 39* Burke, James 64, former CEO and chairman of Johnson & Johnson, Diane Wormser, 62 Busch, August III 52, chairman of Anheuser-Busch, Virginia Wiley, 44 Calloway, D. Wayne 53, CEO of PepsiCo, Jan, late 40s*** Cook, Lodwrick 61, chairman of Atlantic Richfield, Carole Kolway, 49 Davis, Martin 62, CEO of Paramount Communications, Luella, late 40s** Dingman, Michael 57, CEO of Henley Group, Betsy Tharp, 32 Gluck, Fred 54, managing director of McKinsey, Sue, early 40s** Greenberg, Alan 61, CEO of Bear Stearns, Kathryn A. Olson, 42 Helmsley, Harry 80, president of Helmsley-Spear, Leona Roberts, 69 Kluge, John 74, former chairman of Metromedia, Patricia Rose, early 40s Knapp, Charles 54, head of Trafalgar Holdings, Lois Hamilton, early 40s Lawrence, Mary Wells 61, CEO of Wells Rich Greene, Harding Lawrence, 69 Lord, Richard 63, chairman of Lord Einstein O'Neill & Partners, Nancy Shea, 44 Marron, Donald 55, CEO of Paine Webber, Catherine Calligar, early 40s** Murdoch, Rupert 58, chief executive of News Corp., Anna Torv, 45 Newhouse, Si, Jr. 61, chairman of Conde Nast Publications, Victoria de Ramel, late 40s** Ney, Edward 64, former chairman of Young & Rubicam Ventures, Judith Lasky, 44 Noyce, Robert 51 , CEO of Sematech, Ann Bowers, 51 Ortenberg, Elisabeth Claiborne 60 , former CEO of Liz Claiborne, Arthur Ortenberg, 62 Perdue, Frank 69, chairman of Perdue Farms, Mitzi Henderson, 47* Perelman, Ronald 46, chairman and CEO of Revlon, Claudia Cohen, 38 Petrie, Milton 87, CEO of Petrie Stores, Marquesa Carroll de Portago, 65** Peterson, Peter 63, chairman of Blackstone Group, Joan Ganz Cooney, 59* Riklis, Meshulam 65, CEO of Rapid-American, Pia Zadora, 34 Rohatyn, Felix 61, general partner of Lazard Freres, Elizabeth Vagliano, early 50s** Ross, Steven 62, co-CEO of Time Warner, Courtney Sale, 41* Sculley, John 50, CEO of Apple Computer, ''Leezy'', early 40s*** Spielvogel, Carl 60 , CEO, Backer Spielvogel Bates, Barbaralee Diamonstein, mid-50s** Stephens, W. Thomas 46, CEO of Manville, Alice, late 30s** Stern, Leonard 51, chairman of Hartz Group, Allison Maher, 39 Sulzberger, Arthur 63, publisher, New York Times Co., Carol Fox, 62 Taubman, A. Alfred 64, chairman of Taubman Co., Judith Mazor, mid-40s Theobald, Thomas 52, CEO of Continental Bank Corp., Gigi Mahon, mid-30s ; Tsai, Gerald, Jr. 61, former CEO of Primerica, Cynthia Ekberg, early 30s*** Welch, Jack53, CEO of General Electric, Jane Beasley, 37 Woodside, William 67, chairman of Sky Chefs, Migs Bernard, 53 Yetnikoff, Walter 56 , president of CBS Records, Cynthia Slamar, late 30s**. WHILE DIVORCE no longer spells trauma for the executive's career, the breakup of a marriage remains a personal blow, and the big loser is usually the first wife. Laver is currently dating Susan Johnson, who was previously married to businessman and Nabisco chairman, F. Ross Johnson, until his death in 2016. Joseph W. Ellis. 'A Bit of Fry and Laurie' is fucking amazing or literally any interaction between Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. ''This family needs tradition.'' ross johnson wife laurie. In the middle of a conversation, Audrey Gruss leaps out of her chair, grabs a photograph of her husband in his polo duds, and kisses it, cooing, ''Isn't he adorable? So much of being a good father is being on the scene.'' A fashionable dresser who enjoys the company of sports figures, he bought and sold companies, launched. Carolyne Roehm manages a staff of four at the couple's apartment in Manhattan and five at their Connecticut weekend home. old fashion trends that died / luxor hotel gender reveal cost / luxor hotel gender reveal cost Said Rollwagen, now CEO of Cray Research: Mary would subtly judge me, usually quite negatively. Says Crosby: ''It never occurred to this man before that people needed privacy for private matters.'' Now were both sorry. Initially they were uneasy about how a new baby would affect their children as they worked to unify the family. But after a while it can become a drag. **FORTUNE estimate. In the early 1980s the recently divorced Mosbacher was considered the second most eligible man in the world after Prince Rainieror so it was said in Texas. He's seen as not keeping up appearances. Lifestyle. The two who work in the Southampton summer place also travel with Roehm and Kravis to their Vail, Colorado, ski lodge in winter. Highly recommended. She and several thousand volunteers have raised $5 million so far. Says Linda Robinson, 36, who is both the second wife of American Express Chairman James Robinson, 53, and the chief executive of Robinson Lake Lerer & Montgomery, a public relations firm: ''How can the board of directors pass over a divorced candidate for CEO? This article was originally published in the August 28, 1989 issue of Fortune. The stepmother's relations with kids whom she usually sees for a few weeks in summer and one or two weekends a month are a bit delicate. The more money men make, the argument goes, the more self-assured they become, and the easier it is for them to think: I deserve a queen. He served on the board of directors of several companies including Bentley Pharmaceuticals. The Dinos family sold the Southern Tea Co. to Tetley Inc. for a reported $30 million to $40 million in 1990 after controlling it for 80 years. For example, Linda Robinson and Laurie Johnson, 37, the second wife of Ross Johnson, 57, the former chairman of RJR Nabisco, talked their husbands into a vacation together four years ago, a ten-day cruise through the Greek islands on a chartered yacht. Why can't he do better for himself?'' Gusty change is finally rattling the windows of the nations most conservative secular institution, the corporation. Having taken care of his dynastic ambitions with his first wife, the CEO now wants a playmate, someone who is free to travel with him and have fun. ''Indulgence is an issue for people who have worked very hard to get where they are. When we had to give up traveling by private plane and join the rest of humanity in airports, I was spoiled to the point that I dont like to travel anymore., And retirement may be just the start. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. In the film, Johnson was portrayed by James Garner. Theyve seen what went wrong in first marriages, both their own and their husbands. Perhapsmost second wives sign them. difference between general purpose and special purpose processor cheesecake factory butter brand cheesecake factory butter brand As time went by and the girls adapted, the parents found themselves reluctant to disturb the balance when everyone seemed so happy. James Fifield, the chief executive of EMI Music Worldwide, believes that as a result of his divorce, ''I'm definitely more sensitive to how the demands I put on people affect their families. The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) Sat 24 Jan 1948. I just dont know how you can combine a marriage and kids.. Powerful men are beginning to demand trophy wives. The social invitations dont come so quickly. As their husbands rise in the corporation, first wives may become convinced that power is corrupting the presumably wholesome lads they married. As Nancy Brinker, 42, size 10 and 6 feet tall with her boots on, puts it candidly: ''Trying to stay precious is not easy. All times are ET. True, this may not happen for a while: ''My husband has a heart rate of 51. Conflicts go on little slips of paper for the couple to resolve. In reality, the women usually know the men are availableor at least unhappy in their marriagesand they call in as many chits as necessary to arrange discreet introductions. She adds, If a wife was cold or unresponsive, a man will look for her opposite, who is supportive and sexy. By Posted halston hills housing co operative In anson county concealed carry permit renewal He is now CEO of Chili's, a Dallas-based fast-food outfit that peddles what you'd. Its sole backer is her husband, Henry Kravis, 45, whose share of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, the leveraged-buyout firm, is reportedly worth at least $300 million. ''They become self-appointed critics and consciences,'' says Manhattan psychiatrist Clifford Sager, who specializes in marital therapy. Nancy Brinker, who started the Susan G. Komen Foundation for breast cancer research seven years ago in memory of her sister, who died of the disease, admits, ''People turned out for our first fund-raising event on the strength of Norman's name, but I was able to take it from there.'' The board consists of other CEOs who are getting divorced too., The change has been radical, observes Helen Singer Kaplan, 60, a psychiatrist and the second wife of Charles Lazarus, 65, founder and chairman of Toys R Us. We'd be invited to a party and the hostess would tell me it was casual, and then everybody would show up dressed to the nines. Says one: ''It's hard to risk this stress on the marriage.'' $16.95. He went on to earn an MBA from the University of Toronto in 1956. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on December 13, 1931, [2] into a lower-middle-class family, Johnson used a military cadet scholarship program to attend the University of Manitoba, where he graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree and was President of the fraternity Phi Delta Theta. '' When there don't seem to be any more challenges left, it may be easier to find a new wife than a new job. F. Ross Johnson, the RJR Nabisco Inc. CEO whose efforts to take the company private in the 1980s led to the then-largest takeover in Wall Street history chronicled in the best-selling book. But they neglected their emotional growth. They try to cut their husbands down to size. This was what happened to John Rollwagen, as he told the story to Jan Halper, the author of Quiet Desperation, the Truth About Successful Men. ross johnson wife laurie. william lupo obituary f ross johnson wife laurie. Do Not Sell. There usually aren't any. Glenfiddich 1977 Rare Cask Whisky . I tell someone, Take your wife and stay over the weekend in L.A. Then on Monday go where you have to go. This way Im not some ogre driving people into the turf.. Touch Lab. Ross can go to work, so hes not staying home and invading my time, she says. You should aim for a $500,000 settlement, under equitable distribution, and be prepared to take $350,000 for a quick decision. I really see happy people; they've corrected for past mistakes.'' Many of the women have a fast mistake in their pastmarried at 23 and unmarried at 26and they are determined not to be divorced again. benny hinn zoom healing service registration. Faye Crosby, a Smith College psychology professor who has studied the effects of divorce in the corporation, describes a manager who told her he had always assumed that if a subordinate said he had to go to the dentist, that's what he meant. The part of the second wife's job that may require the most finesse, though, is convincing the chief executive that he targeted her, rather than the other way around. The Eighties have seen the rise of the celebrity CEO, who owes his fame to his fortune. F. ROSS JOHNSON IS ALIVE, WELL AND RICH. Nancy Brinker observes, Men want to be entertained. The Real Housewives of Atlanta The Bachelor Sister Wives 90 Day Fiance Wife Swap The Amazing Race Australia Married at First Sight The Real Housewives of Dallas . The second wife certifies her husband's status and, if possible given the material she has to work with, dispels the notion that men peak sexually at age 18. NEW YORK (AP) F. Ross Johnson, the former RJR Nabisco CEO depicted as the epitome of corporate greed in the best-selling book and movie "Barbarians at the Gate," has died. He became more interested in cutting a figure in society. Spielvogels second wife, Barbaralee Diamonstein, is an art critic. Ross Johnston (b.1994) Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com Ross Johnston Left Wing -- shoots L Born Feb 18 1994 -- Charlottetown, PEI [29 yrs. riverdance tickets 2022; ontario california used cars under $2000; george gordon obituary; 1 bitcoin en fcfa en 2009; silly willy urban dictionary; no hoa homes for sale in spring, tx; deborah merlino nationality; ross johnson wife laurie. The mistake the first wife too often makes is allowing her children to become the focus of her life instead of her husband. Page 26. Ironically, the company may even benefit: To escape the pain of divorce, unattached executives tend to throw themselves into their work. Says Linda Robinson, 36, who is both the second wife of American Express Chairman James Robinson, 53, and the chief executive of Robinson Lake Lerer & Montgomery, a public relations firm: How can the board of directors pass over a divorced candidate for CEO? ''But people were afraid to tell me things because they thought I might tell him.'' In the middle of a conversation, Audrey Gruss leaps out of her chair, grabs a photograph of her husband in his polo duds, and kisses it, cooing, Isnt he adorable? She married record company executive Fifield, 48, in 1984, and quit her job as a vice president at McCann-Erickson 2 1/2 years later because ''Jim and I want to be together as much as possible, and I didn't have much flexibility to do the things I like to do with him.'' Carolyne Roehm showed her spouse the treasures of India for nearly two weeks last spring in the company of her friends Oscar de la Renta, the dress designer, and Annette Reed, the daughter of Charles Engelhard, founder of Engelhard Minerals & Chemicals. This stuff gets harder as you get older, but Norman likes me to look good. She is the third wife of Norman Brinker, 58, who founded the Steak and Ale and Bennigans restaurant chains. ''What's a man going to do with $3 billion?'' She totes him to small dinner parties, opera galas, museum benefits, and auctions for worthy causes, having secured the invitations by serving on various committees and getting her husband to cough up something suitable in the way of a donation. ''Those first wives, boy they really stick together and support the one who was left,'' complains a second. Second wives also find their desire for children affected by the presence of stepchildren. When a top executive's marriage breaks up, the first wife is not exactly left penniless.