Cosmetologist Chicago, owners and producers of America’s Beauty Show is celebrating its 100th anniversary as an organization of and for salon professionals. As the 2012 ABS approaches Paul Dykstra, executive director of Cosmetologists Chicago and CEO of America’s Beauty Show, and Frank Gironda, president of Cosmetologists Chicago, spoke with MODERN SALON’s Jan Hillenmeyer about the association’s past and future and what we can expect at ABS 2012.
PAUL DYKSTRA: A small group of salon owners came together in 1912 to form the Chicago Hairdressers & Wigmakers Association. Their goal was to support and help each other build a better beauty profession and business. One hundred years later, that small group is today’s 9,000-member Cosmetologists Chicago (CC). I’ve heard so many anecdotes of the association’s accomplishments in my 25 years with Cosmetologists Chicago and yet CC’s goals remains the same: The members are all about giving back and helping make the beauty profession stronger.
MS: COSMETOLOGISTS CHICAGO IS BEST KNOWN FOR ITS OWNERSHIP AND PRODUCTION OF AMERICA’S BEAUTY SHOW. HOW DOES THE ASSOCIATION PLAN FOR THE SHOW EACH YEAR?
PD: Cosmetologists Chicago’s ownership of America’s Beauty Show makes it a very unique organization. Each year the management team and I take our direction for each aspect of the show from working cosmetologists who are members of CC. We don’t decide what we think members want; we listen and act Read More…