News Alert

Spa industry members impacted by the recent Midwest floods and California wildfires can turn to at least two organizations for help. The Day Spa Association (DSA) and the International Medical Spa Association (IMSA) have launched initiatives to help recent natural disaster victims. Members can post messages to ask for assistance, and spa professionals can also volunteer support and resources on the DSA website, dayspaassociation.com and the IMSA website, medicalspaassociation.org. Both organizations are also soliciting donations from product companies and distributors to help rebuild facilities and replace inventory. The companies committed to helping the effort include New Life Systems, Telli Industries, Belvedere USA and The Strawberry Hill Group. “As a major industry support organization, we are extremely concerned about our members, but also for all spas in these areas, their livelihood and those of their employees,” says Hannelore Leavy, executive director of DSA and IMSA.

CND has named Jerry Sisti as the company’s creative director. Sisti is responsible for the direction and development of all visual communication involved with CND marketing initiatives. Most recently, Sisti served as creative director for the prominent advertising agency, Campbell Mithun and Primus Advertising. He is a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology. “Jerry brings a broad scope of experience, as well as award-winning art direction and design skills,” says Jacquie Johnson, CND senior vice president of marketing and communications.

CND has also appointed Barry Holmes as vice president of North American Sales. He most recently served as vice president of sales for L’Oreal Professional. Holmes received a degree in business management from Corcord University. “Barry is a dynamic personality with the ability to build and motivate high-performance teams,” says John Heffner, CND president and CEO. “He is a tremendous addition to the North American Sales Team.”

Laura Culver Edgar has assumed position of interim CEO for the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB). Edgar previously served as the Board’s chief operating officer. She will take part in leading new initiatives geared toward education and community relations. The specific focus includes state and government relations, regional school outreach, expanding state disciplinary databases and a Center for Excellence program. “With these and other initiatives, we continue to foster the highest national credential and standards in the massage and bodywork field as a pathway to licensure and certification,” says NCBTMB chair Donna Feeley. “Our dedication to uphold that standard of excellence is illustrative of our commitment to enhance the profession we all care so deeply about.”

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Dana Perdue is the new director of education for CosMedix Perdue oversees the Inspiration Through Education program for CosMedix and Results RX brands. Before joining CosMedix two years ago, Perdue worked as a dermatological nurse and skin care specialist. She also has executive level experience in marketing and public relations. “Dana’s vast skin care knowledge and expertise will help us uphold our commitment to excellence by offering unparalleled cosmeceutical insight, resources and service to clients,” said CosMedix co-presidents Bettylou McIntosh and Flo McRae in a joint statement.

CosMedix has appointed Judy Pittman and Greg Kasparian as regional sales managers. Pittman oversees sales for the West Coast, while Kasparian covers the East Coast territory. Pittman has more than 20 years of sales management experience, and has previously worked for Christian Dior Perfumes and the Estée Lauder Companies. Kasparian has extensive sales and branding experience, cultivated by a recent tenure at Dermalogica. “They each bring with them a wealth of sales management experience and vast dermatological knowledge that will position us to grow market share,” said CosMedix co-presidents Bettylou McIntosh and Flo McRae in a joint statement.

Empire Education Group has named Carl Bridges chief academic officer and vice president of education. Over the past 20 years, Bridges has earned numerous honors in education. He has conducted professional seminars on teaching, organizational behavior and leadership. Bridges’ previous positions include vice president of education for Lincoln Enterprises and vice president of academic affairs for Career Education Corporation. He holds a doctorate in education from Northern Illinois University. “The commitment we have to providing the highest quality education possible in the field of cosmetology is what sets Empire apart, and that’s why we couldn’t be more pleased about the appointment of such an accomplished educational leader,” says Franklin K. Schoeneman, CEO and chairman.

The sense of touch served as inspiration for the recent remodel of Juvenex Spa in New York. The facility's updated aesthetic blends soothing textures and warm tones. Uneven, smooth stones line the bottom of the spa’s three soaking pools, where clients can soak in cold rose petals, hot lemon or warm ginseng. The lobby has been updated with light-colored onyx tiles that simulate ‘a woven welcome mat.’ The shower area conjures an ‘earthy Moroccan oasis’ with rich colored tiles.

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