He believed that with access to opportunity, hard work, a quality education and safe neighborhoods, there is nothing we cant achieve.. Gardner served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army during World War II and later earned a bachelors degree from Chicago Teachers College (now Chicago State University) and a masters degree from the University of Chicago under the GI Bill. Mr. Gardner, the former CEO of Soft Sheen Products Inc., and his wife, Denise, are marketing a line of products designed to restore growth to damaged hair and relieve flaky scalps -- conditions caused by braiding and overuse of chemical-based dyes and relaxers, like the ones Soft Sheen made its fortune selling. See Photos. Guy Peyrelongue, president and CEO of Cosmair Inc., L'Oreal's U.S. subsidiary, said L'Oreal approached Soft Sheen, which has about $95 million in sales. tag: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', 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. targeting: { Our purpose in this world wasnt to make money, wasnt to build a gigantic factory and hire a lot of people, Mr. Gardner said. Mid-1980s-90s: Second-Generation Gardner Leadership. Soft Sheen founder Ed Gardner meets with Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel over lack of blacks in construction jobs, Hair discrimination laws: A reprieve from the crime of knowing and loving ourselves. Its founders, Edward and Bettiann Gardner, began the business when they became aware that there was a decided lack of hair care products formulated for people of color. The overall slowdown in sales was compounded by increased competition within the industry. I feel blessed to have had Ed Gardner as my father. 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. }); EVENTS Gary Gardner. He taught for several years in Chicago Public Schools and was also an administrator. Throughout the decades, Eds faith in God and humanity, and his belief in the power of the written word to stop the violence, persisted. He taught me how to engage people with humanity and humility., Gardners daughter, Terri, said: My father saw the untapped potential of his community. As a side job, Gardner would personally deliver the products out of the back of his car to beauty salons on Chicagos South Side, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The increased consumer use of gels, sprays, and moisturizers, in tandem with the continued sales growth of the Care Free Curl and Optimum Care lines, elevated Soft Sheen's sales to $87.2 million in 1989. url: 'honoring,the,legacy,of,a,great,chicagoan,and,black,business,giant,edward,g,gardner,passes,away,at,98', The company produces embroidery application softtware for the craft and industrial market. Gary Gardner, President, Soft Sheen Products Inc., 1993 Elizabeth Garrett, Professor of law, deputy dean for academic affairs, Univ. ]); But about six months ago, Namaste began an aggressive marketing campaign for its Organic Root Stimulator products that included advertising in Essence, Ebony and Jet magazines. of Chicago Law School, 2000 Ronald G. Garriques In 1964, at age ten, Gardner began working for the family business, Soft Sheen Products, Inc., packaging hair care items with his younger sister in the familys home in Chicago. At about the time Soft Sheen and L'Oreal began courting, Mr. Gardner was already in business for himself, introducing his high-end line of products without much fanfare. He was 98 years old. He was my father, my hero, my teacher, said Gary Gardner, one of Mr. Gardners four children. We see them around but we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Please check your email for confirmation from us. Principal Competitors: Alberto-Culver Company; Carson Inc.; Massimo Enterprises Inc.; Revlon, Inc. Outside of their business, the Gardners remained staunch community activists being actively involved in Harold Washingtons mayoral campaigns for example and together were members of several organizations including the Chicago Urban League and Chicago United. 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. New products, new innovations and new ideas propelled Soft Sheens remarkable success, yet, while keeping an eye on his business, his heart was always with the people especially the youth. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', Popularized by recording artist Michael Jackson, the wet-looking, loosely curled style required a whole host of hair care products to achieve and maintain. With this war chest, he mounted a campaign that registered more than 200,000 voters. Gary Gardner. By May 1997, Soft Sheen had released two new lines, Mizani and Hair Werks, that were designed exclusively for use in salons. "Today our presence is almost all over the world, with the exception of people of African descent, who have very specific needs in terms of hair," Peyrelongue said. 130 E. Randolph St. 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. Gardners death was confirmed by his children in a statement. 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. WebPeople named Gary Gardner. tude.cmd.push(function() { Like every other event involving a red carpet these days, the White House Correspondents Association Dinner has become yet another opportunity to use a moment of image-making to generate conversation and influence public opinion. In the early 1980s Mr. Gardner founded Black on Black Love an organization tailored towards curtailing violence in Chicago. tag: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', The Gardners claim Namaste's growth occurred through listening to the needs and desires of customers for healing hair care products that reminded them of nourishing household remedies. } Mr. Gardner told the Chicago Citizen that he and Mrs. Gardner are blessed to have been honored for their many contributions over the years. From a young age, his four children, Gary, Terri, Guy, and Tracy, along with his wife Bettiann, were intricately involved in the business. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Chicago State University, https://www.csu.edu/foundation/donate.htm. 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. Their interim leader Terri Gardner, however, was no mere figurehead. Edward G. Gardner, a breakthrough businessman in the beauty industry and co-founder of Soft Sheen Products, has passed away, reports the Chicago Sun-Times. 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. He made his own way.. ", The White House Correspondents Association Dinner Best Dressed. She developed new packaging options that helped retailers better manage their inventories, and upgraded the company's computer system to facilitate electronic customer communication. In September 2012, at the age of eighty-seven, Edward Gardner led over a thousand demonstrators protesting the lack of Black workers on local construction crews. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; Impressed with Terri Gardner's leadership abilities, the Soft Sheen board of directors asked her to fill the president and CEO positions on a permanent basis. Edward G. Gardner was a humanitarian, a philanthropist, and a successful businessman, who loved the city of Chicago and Chicago loved him in return. He taught me how to build, how to fix things, how to drive, and how not to drive. But he says while the couple were busy making their imprint, they had no idea they affected so many people. Early in 1998, they began talks with French-owned cosmetics company, L'Oreal S.A. L'Oreal--which operated in 150 countries and had a collection of brands that included Maybelline, Redkin, and Lancme--needed a portal to the ethnic market. Career Soft Sheen will become a division of Cosmair while L'Oreal will expand its ethnic research and development activities to Chicago. In India, where 42 million women have the disease, cultural stigmas can make the delay even longer, Why Is My Dog Shaking? Copyright 2023 inkl. Mr. Gardner was the marketing guru behind Soft Sheen's Care-Free Curl in the mid-1980s and the revolutionary relaxer products that followed. In fact, he created a nonprofit organization called Black On Black Love to address violence. He taught me to garden. tude.cmd.push(function() { The product itself offered styling flexibility and a unique 'moisture retention complex' that conditioned the hair and protected it from heat styling and chemical processing applications. In 1996, the Gardners established an ]); Soft Sheen finished 1997 with sales of $94.5 million. Soft Sheen's research and development staff were to be included as part of the new facility. According to CBS News, a private family service is planned. window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; } Gary Gardner. learn how over 7,000 companies got started! div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', In 1987, Soft Sheen moved to compensate for diminishing domestic sales by expanding its presence in overseas markets. 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. On the side, he would deliver hair care products out of the back of his car to South Side beauty salons. Ed Gardner was a well-known and admired businessman. Copyright (c) 2022 Company-Histories.com. By the late 1980s, the company was one of the largest Black-owned beauty brands in the country. Principal Subsidiaries: Dyke & Dryden, Ltd. (U.K.; 66%); Soft Sheen Products, Ltd. (Jamaica); Soft Sheen International. ]); kw: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', He melted wax in one of the pans, said one of Mr. Gardners four children, Terri Gardner. Ed Gardner was a well-known and admired businessman. Get the best business coverage in Chicago, from breaking news to razor-sharp analysis, in print and online. Pet Experts Reveal How to Help. While Mr. Gardner worked the field and perfected new hair products, Mrs. Gardner ran the operations of their budding business by balancing books and purchasing supplies. . Soft Sheen's already exponential sales growth got a further boost in the 1980s from the widespread vogue of the 'Jheri-curl' hairstyle. targeting: { Soft Sheen was founded in 1964, in the basement of a home on the south side of Chicago. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', With the backing of L'Oreal, it was expected that Soft Sheen would grow rapidly in the coming years. He donated tens of thousands of dollars to causes that sought to end gun violence; to that end, he helped create the nonprofit organization Black On Black Love. Dismayed by the level of violence in the community, in the 1980s he created the non- profit organization, Black On Black Love. By Stefano Esposito Updated Mar 22, 2023, 10:28am PDT Pocket Missing Crain's in print? WebGary Edward Gardner, American manufacturing executive. He rallied his troops.. Although his Organic line isn't as widely distributed as Soft Sheen's products, it is being sold in beauty supply stores and professional salons nationwide, including industry leader Sally Beauty, owned by Melrose Park-based Alberto-Culver Inc. One Sally operator says he increased the store's monthly order of Organic products from 84 items to 336 in just four months -- and still sells out within two or three days of delivery. Simultaneously, his wife Denise resigned from her position as vice-president of marketing. B.E. About A private family service is planned. WebGardner began mixing hair and beauty products for blacks out of his basement during the 1940s. 'This past year, we took some time to tend to our operations and our physical plant to make sure that we were efficient,' she said, adding, 'For 1997, we will have some major new product introductions. Although there was no change in ownership, the company's decision-making process did result in a change in leadership. only a slight increase over 1996, despite new product introductions and improvements in operational efficiency. In the fall of 1997, the company launched Alternatives, a line of relaxers and styling products designed for younger women who varied their hairstyles from day to day. As an activist and civic leader, Gardner raised $300,000 with Soft Sheens resources 40 years ago, according to a news release. He was 98 years old. Black Enterprise is a black-owned multimedia company. Frizz Free was the first frizz control product made specifically for ethnic women by an ethnic hair-care products company. His enterprise still isn't widely known, even among ethnic hair care industry executives and consultants. Unfortunately, those challenges never went away in spite of his tremendous business success.. cat: 'fashion-beauty', He was the embodiment of the hard-working, family-focused, responsible Black father. based on Chicagos South Side, evolved into one of the nations largest Black-owned businesses. His survivors also include two other children, Guy and Tracy, his wife, seven grandchildren and a great-grandson, the Sun-Times reports. 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. 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. I looked up to him Gary Gardner stated on Wednesday. Two of the company's early products were Soft Sheen Hair & Scalp Conditioner and Miss Cool Five Minute Fast Set, a quick-setting lotion that eliminated the need for sleeping in rollers. Dyke and Dryden distributed its products in the United Kingdom and in Africa, giving Soft Sheen solid entry into a market of approximately 440 million potential customers. Edward G. Gardner, co-founder of Soft Sheen Products and beloved philanthropist, dead at 98 Mr. Gardner donated tens of thousands of dollars to causes that sought to end gun violence and helped create the nonprofit Black On Black Love. The planned research and development center was almost certain to result in substantial innovations in ethnic hair care products and a steady flow of new product introductions. If he wasnt at work, he was home with family. Son of Edward George and Betty Ann (Gueno) Gardner. Our purpose in life was to do all we possibly can that God (put) us here to do to make life better for all human beings. 'We saw a strategic partner with muscle through which we could fulfill our vision for the company,' she said. It took 15 years for the business to thrive, but the company that began in 1964, would eventually expand across the Midwest and then the nation perhaps best known for the product, Care Free Curl. "My father saw the untapped potential of his community. Beloved Chicago philanthropist Edward Gardner, the co-founder of Soft Sheen Products hair care company, died Monday at age 98, CBS News reports. Ed Gardner proudly walked arm-in-arm at the front of the line with his long- time colleagues, Manford Byrd, Lerone Bennett and Timuel Black. In early July 1998, Soft Sheen announced that it had agreed to be acquired by L'Oreal's New York-based U.S. subsidiary, Cosmair Inc. Jones adamant Wallabies can be best in the world. All rights reserved. Gary Gardner, scion of the family that built one of Chicago's most successful minority-owned businesses, has emerged with a new venture in ethnic hair care products that appears to have struck pay dirt. WebSoft Sheen was sold to hair care giant L'Oreal for over $100 million (US). To ensure that the company did not outgrow its capabilities, Gardner deliberately decelerated. "I'm very comfortable that this organization is capable of helping Soft Sheen meet the vision that we set years ago.". Finally, we can read about how these great companies came about with Company Histories.. Edward Gardner passed away peacefully Monday March 20, 2023, surrounded by family, and loved ones. Soft Sheen started as a garage-based business and grew to an international empire that influenced how people all over the world beautified themselves. The company expected its global expansion to drive sales up to $150 million by the middle of the 1990s. playerId: '4c4274f6-883d-4331-88d6-3a01a54156b9' He believed that with access to opportunity, hard work, a quality education and safe neighborhoods, there is nothing we can't achieve." tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Terri Gardner. Soft Sheens Edward G. Gardner showed what Black life could be He built his family a beautiful home on the South Side of the city and co-founded a business that provided steady employment so others could do the same. After over 30 years of business, the Gardners sold Soft Sheen Products to LOreal. As the years went by, the Gardners continued to work hard and Soft Sheen flourished. Last year, the $80-million Chicago-based company was sold to French cosmetics giant L'Oreal SA for an estimated $100 million-plus. According to CBS News, a private family service is planned. In early 1996, Gary Gardner resigned from his post as Soft Sheen president. After pan-bashing, France's Macron faces Labour Day protests. SistersInc. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { pos: 'right_rail_3', 1995 sales were about $94 million, considerably short of Gardner's expectations. Warning of exceptionally low staffing levels as nurses strike, NHS services across England facing major disruption after nurses walk out in 28 hour strike over pay, Bangladesh journalists living in fear after PMs enemy of the people remark, Reporters say even seemingly innocuous stories are putting them at risk of assault, intimidation and police action under the Digital Security Act, Macron Faces Labor Day Protests over Divisive Pension Law, France's President Emmanuel Macron faces more nationwide protests on Monday as he seeks to steer the country on from a divisive pension law that has sparked anger, pan-bashing and social unrest. We never got the wax out of the pan. They are marketed under various brand names, including Alternatives, Baby Love, Care Free Curl, Frizz Free, as well as Sportin' Waves, Wave Nouveau, and Optimum Care. He got teased a lot, Terri Gardner said. I feel blessed to have had Ed Gardner as my father. Contact Gardner, the co-founder of the hair care company Soft Sheen Products Inc., died Monday surrounded by family. Had America and those in power listened to the Gardners we wouldnt have the murder in our streets that we have right now, if theyd listen to your voice. Dallas/Fort Worth Area. With amusement rides, bowling, mini-golf and an interactive learning center, the complex boasted the only roller coaster in Chicago at that time. 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. Mr. Gardner was a well-known philanthropist and activist. The pioneering Gardners saw the opportunity to offer better products to people of color and, taking matters into their own hands, began experimenting with shampoo and pomade 'recipes.'. Gardner owner of Soft Sheen Products, Inc. Photo provided by the Salient Group, Inc. Edward Gardner passed away peacefully Monday March 20, 2023, surrounded by family, and loved ones. The New Regal Theater brought major acts like Gladys Knight and newcomers like Kanye West and Tyler Perry to audiences on the citys South Side. 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. Son of Edward George and Betty Ann (Gueno) Gardner. Gardner and his wife Bettiann founded the company in 1964. He was 98 years old. kw: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', Mr. Gardner persevered, later moving to his garage in the West Chesterfield neighborhood, and by the 1980s, owning one of the largest and most successful Black hair care companies in the United States, Soft Sheen Products. In July 1998, L'Oreal announced that it planned to open a specialized research and development center in Chicago dedicated to ethnic products, the only such R & D center in the world. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', cat: 'fashion-beauty', In fact, he created a nonprofit organization called Black On Black Love to address violence. He was 98. Gardners charitable contributions were in the tens of thousands of dollars to fight gun violence. "Gary and Denise have found another category where there is a tremendous need, another major niche," says Lafayette Jones, president and CEO of industry consulting firm Segmented Marketing Services Inc. in North Carolina. Throughout his ownership of the company, he continued to offer exclusive products for his beloved salon customers. 'Going forward, this opportunity will magnify Soft Sheen's success on multiple levels,' she observed. 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. KELLY, SENATORS DUCKWORTH, DURBIN INTRODUCE TWO BILLS TO INCREASE YOUTH EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, Cook County Commissioner Monica Gordon Gives Employers Incentive to Hire Formerly Incarcerated Individuals, CONGRESSMAN DANNY K. DAVIS VOWS TO FIGHT TO KEEP SUPPORT SYSTEMS INTACT WHILE REPUBLICANS SLASH BENEFITS IN DEBT CEILING PROPOSAL, Treasurer Pappas to participate in Cities Summit and share digital knowhow with leaders from the Western Hemisphere, The Black Hollywood Education & Resource Center Announces 30th Anniversary of Sistas Are Doin' It For Themselves Short Film Showcase and Virtual Film Festival, ComEd Invests $963 Million with Diversity-Certified Suppliers in 2022, MAYOR LIGHTFOOT JOINS CITY OFFICIALS FOR A JOINT RIBBON-CUTTING AND GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY FOR 43 GREEN, Dions Chicago Dream launches Feed the Dream fundraising competition. . Although the company gave no official reason for the resignations, industry insiders speculated that they were due to disagreement over Soft Sheen's future course. 2023 The Citizen Newspaper Group, All Rights Reserved. Education Bachelor of Science, University Illinois, Chicago, 1975. As the oldest, I think I spent the most time with him as a child. Peyrelongue and Gardner are unsure of the impact on employee rolls. The company also began selling its products in foreign markets. (Provided) Edward Gardners early efforts at making Black hair care products started in the family kitchen, with his
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