See Photos. She developed new packaging options that helped retailers better manage their inventories, and upgraded the company's computer system to facilitate electronic customer communication. Terri Gardner. Soft Sheen Products Inc., a relatively small Chicago-based company, will help its new parent fill that hole. Popularized by recording artist Michael Jackson, the wet-looking, loosely curled style required a whole host of hair care products to achieve and maintain. WebSoft Sheen was sold to hair care giant L'Oreal for over $100 million (US). CHICAGO PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNOUNCES PLANS TO OPEN TWO NEW LOCATIONS IN MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENTS, AND FUNDING FOR A NEW BRANCH IN WOODLAWN, Cubs Adbert Alzolay Helps Distribute Food at Advocate Health Cares Food Farmacy Day, REP. 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Betty and Ed Gardner celebrate their street dedication ceremony with members of the Illinois legislature and Chicago City Council. Targeting these 'Generation Y' consumers--which research showed to be an underserved segment of the market--Soft Sheen went for an innovative, fresh look and feel in its product packaging and ad copy. Upon assuming her position, she almost immediately began making significant changes in the company's operations. Throughout his ownership of the company, he continued to offer exclusive products for his beloved salon customers. Gary Gardner The popularity of Care Free Curl drove revenues up at an almost unbelievable pace, from $500,000 in 1979 to $55 million by 1982. Last month he signed a law to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64, despite months of strikes, One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites, Philippines, China to discuss fishing rights in South China Sea-Marcos. The product wasnt exactly an overnight success but after taking advice from hairstylists and others in the industry, Gardner was able to eventually tweak the formula to perfection. Terri had previously served as Soft Sheen's executive vice-president of advertising, as well as president of Brainstorm Communications, the company's ad agency. Edward Gardner passed away peacefully Monday March 20, 2023, surrounded by family, and loved ones. Gardner Alvin Bragg, Manhattan district attorney leading Trump case, says rhetoric wont intimidate office, Video shows sheriffs deputies and hospital workers pinned Irvo Otieno to floor before his death, I agree to storage of my email according to, WATCH: Brittney Griner delivers remarks to the media, OPINION: The College Boards secret apology, Harry Belafonte mourned by entertainment world, Biden, Obama, Carolyn Bryant Donham, at center of Emmett Till death, dies, FIRST PERSON: For this Black mom, Ralph Yarl could have been her son. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. Education Bachelor of Science, University Illinois, Chicago, 1975. It acquired 66 percent of Dyke and Dryden, Ltd., a London-based manufacturer of ethnic hair care products and the largest black-owned business in Europe. Instead of flowers, donations to Chicago State University can be made here. page_type: 'article', Registry of Corporate Directors. By the middle of 1995, Soft Sheen's stalled growth led the Gardners to begin questioning the wisest course of action for the company's future. Its an entrepreneurial quality that allowedhim to create a business despite the challenges of institutional and individual racism. In 1964, he left a career as a popular teacher and assistant principal to L'Oreal, which had a reputation for heavy investment in research and development, expected its new Chicago center to be operational by the year 2001. } Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Agreement. Namaste's seven-item line -- priced from $7 to $13 -- includes fertilizing serum, fertilizing balm, hair "mayonnaise" and carrot oil. The entrepreneur created Soft Sheens first Hair and Scalp conditioner. She agreed in March 1996. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. To boost sales, she doubled the company's advertising budget, and began developing new television commercials. L'Oreal S.A. is an international cosmetics company with $10 billion in annual sales, but the one hole in its portfolio has been products for people of African descent. Our purpose in this world wasnt to make money, wasnt to build a gigantic factory and hire a lot of people, Mr. Gardner said. Jones adamant Wallabies can be best in the world. url: 'honoring,the,legacy,of,a,great,chicagoan,and,black,business,giant,edward,g,gardner,passes,away,at,98', Beauticians would tell him what they liked, didnt like or what they wished they could buy. Gardner also took steps to revive the company's languishing product development department, hiring a new vice-president of science and technology. Ed Gardner Chicago: Family of Edward Gardner url: 'honoring,the,legacy,of,a,great,chicagoan,and,black,business,giant,edward,g,gardner,passes,away,at,98', In a November 1996 interview with Drug Store News, she promised that consumers would see new Soft Sheen products in the stores in the first quarter of 1997. 'Going forward, this opportunity will magnify Soft Sheen's success on multiple levels,' she observed. Soft Sheen started as a garage-based business and grew to an international empire that influenced how people all over the world beautified themselves. "My father saw the untapped potential of his community. } The slowdown was largely due to a consumer trend toward shorter and drier hairstyles, which required fewer styling products. Click here to get the full experience on your screen. (L to R) Back row: State Rep. Marcus Evans (33), Alderman Michelle Harris (8) and State Sen. Jacqueline Collins (16). He was my father, my hero, my teacher, said Gary Gardner, one of Mr. Gardners four children. The overall slowdown in sales was compounded by increased competition within the industry. The 27-year-old Gary Gardner had been involved with Soft Sheen since its earliest days, when he and his siblings helped their parents by filling shampoo bottles. After over 30 years of business, the Gardners sold Soft Sheen Products to LOreal. Copyright 2023 inkl. The Gardners' company, Evergreen Park-based Namaste Laboratories LLC, is the first producer to target this highly specialized ethnic market through both salons and retail stores. Throughout the decades, Eds faith in God and humanity, and his belief in the power of the written word to stop the violence, persisted. By May 1997, Soft Sheen had released two new lines, Mizani and Hair Werks, that were designed exclusively for use in salons. In 1996, Gardner stepped down from her position as president of Brainstorm Communications when she was appointed president of Soft Sheen Products, Inc., succeeding her older brother, Gary E. Gardner, who resigned to start his own ethnic hair care company, Namaste Laboratories. targeting: { If there was a violent event where someone was at the hospital and needed help, he would write a check to that family, Gardners son, Gary Gardner said, the Sun-Times reports. Soft Sheen scored another success in the late 1980s, when it introduced Optimum Care, a relaxer kit that allowed salon stylists to straighten and condition hair at the same time. He was born with the inner vision to see the world differently, but more importantly, to see and make a difference to what he saw, said another of his children, Gary Gardner. He often stated his primary reason for establishing Soft Sheen Products, Inc., was to create employment opportunities for young Black and Brown men and women. Soft Sheen was founded in 1964, in the basement of a home on the south side of Chicago. He helped elect the citys first Black mayor, Harold Washington, in 1983 loaning the Washington campaign his creative staff as well as helping fund a voter registration campaign. The house in which he died Monday was two houses down from the home where he grew up, his family said. Soft Sheen's research and development staff were to be included as part of the new facility. learn how over 7,000 companies got started! Log In. He taught me how to engage people with humanity and humility., Gardners daughter, Terri, said: My father saw the untapped potential of his community. Michael L. Pfleger of St. Sabina Church said the Gardners warned of the impending violence in Chicago years agobut their pleas fell on deaf ears. He served in the Army during World War II and later took advantage of the GI Bill to get a bachelors degree at Chicago Teachers College, now Chicago State University, and a masters in education from the University of Chicago. ". Analyst Ken Smikle, of Target Market News, said of Soft Sheen: "The industry has changed so radically that if they don't accept a sale offer now, the company's legacy may very well just be lost to the future completely. In 2007, after 16-year-old Blair Holt was shot and killed while riding the bus home from school, Ed Gardner purchased thousands of dollars worth of billboards with messages about Black-on- Black Love. Black Men XCEL page_type: 'article', Peyrelongue and Gardner are unsure of the impact on employee rolls. James Gunn names decisive factor in Marvel re-hiring after Guardians of the Galaxy 3 sacking, Director was fired and rehired on the hit Marvel franchise, Fauci says the general public somehow didnt get his messaging that the vulnerable are really, really heavily weighted toward the elderly, Did we say hat the elderly were much more vulnerable? Gary Gardner described the goings on in the family kitchen as somewhere between a science lab and a cooking experiment.. By Mary Mitchell Mar 22, 2023, 5:23pm PDT Pocket Gardners death was confirmed by his children in a statement. With this war chest, he mounted a campaign that registered more than 200,000 voters. INFORMATION }); EVENTS Gary Edward Gardner (born August 22, 1954), American In 2000, Ed converted an 84,600 sq.

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