WebSoft Sheen was sold to hair care giant L'Oreal for over $100 million (US). Disagreement or no, Gary Gardner retained his seat on the board of directors, while the company installed his sister, Terri Gardner, as interim president and CEO. With this war chest, he mounted a campaign that registered more than 200,000 voters. Subscribe to Newsletter His survivors also include two other children, Guy and Tracy, his wife, seven grandchildren and a great-grandson, the Sun-Times reports. Another of her initiatives involved restructuring and consolidating the company's warehouse operations, a move that increased on-time shipments and improved service levels. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Many are mourning the loss of Edward Gardner, a Chicago titan in business and philanthropy. "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. cnx.cmd.push(function() { 1-877-812-1590, Companies scramble to keep abortion off annual meeting agendas, With WWE deal, Ari Emanuel doubles down on contact sports, Gunman kills three at Michigan State; suspect found dead, Sponsored Content: Food insecurity set to grow as emergency SNAP benefits end, Outcome Health execs convicted in federal fraud case, The Most Powerful Women In Chicago Business. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', He was 98. 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. He melted wax in one of the pans, said one of Mr. Gardners four children, Terri Gardner. '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. He was 98, his family said. According to Terri Gardner, One of my dads greatest qualities was his perseverance. 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. } By Stefano Esposito Updated Mar 22, 2023, 10:28am PDT Pocket Throughout the decades, Eds faith in God and humanity, and his belief in the power of the written word to stop the violence, persisted. Mr. Gardner, the son of a warehouse worker and a seamstress, had to overcome much in his early years. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { tude.cmd.push(function() { He taught me how to engage people with humanity and humility., Gardners daughter, Terri, said: My father saw the untapped potential of his community. Namaste's seven-item line -- priced from $7 to $13 -- includes fertilizing serum, fertilizing balm, hair "mayonnaise" and carrot oil. The gentle, conditioning Optimum Care quickly became the industry's best-selling relaxer. WebTen-year-old Gary Gardner, Soft Sheen s future president, mixed Soft Sheen Hair and Scalp Conditioner and demonstrated it at trade shows. 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. 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. 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. In addition to battling the soft market and growing competition, Soft Sheen was also struggling with internal problems. At some point during his tenure as a salesman, Mr. Gardner learned that Black salons were unhappy with the limited supply of beauty products available to the African American consumer and therefore decided to take matters into his own hands. Its an entrepreneurial quality that allowedhim to create a business despite the challenges of institutional and individual racism. Privacy Policy That drove him to anger, said Gary Gardner. pos: 'right_rail_1', He was my father, my hero, my teacher, Gary Gardner said in a news release. WebThe 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. The company sells its products to salons, beauty supply houses, and such retailers as drug stores and department stores. Peyrelongue and Gardner are unsure of the impact on employee rolls. Click here to get the full experience on your screen. Gardner also took steps to revive the company's languishing product development department, hiring a new vice-president of science and technology. Gary Gardner. 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.'. In early 1996, Gary Gardner resigned from his post as Soft Sheen president. He also taught me how to make mistakes. In part, this effort resulted in the election of Harold Washington as Chicagos first Black mayor. The company had also lagged in product development, not introducing a major new product for more than two years. Dismayed by the level of violence in the community, in the 1980s he created the non- profit organization, Black On Black Love. 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. We bring news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and entertained. One of her first moves was to purge Soft Sheen's product line of unprofitable products and package sizes, eliminating 40 of the company's 250 SKUs. Son of Edward George and Betty Ann (Gueno) Gardner. BLACK ENTERPRISE is the premier business, investing, and wealth-building resource for African Americans. pos: 'right_rail_2', Meanwhile, Gardner continued giving Soft Sheen a makeover, with many of her efforts focused on improving customer relations. Son of Edward George and Betty Ann (Gueno) Gardner. 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. Sign Up. Soft Sheen Products officially launched in 1964 while Mr. Gardner was still an assistant principal at a local school. div_id: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', He was 98, his family said. tude.cmd.push(function() { See Photos. Hair care companies of that time catered almost exclusively to the Caucasian market, and non-Caucasians essentially had to make do with products that were not chemically designed for their hair. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', With this war chest, he mounted a campaign that registered more than 200,000 voters. 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. (Photo by Jerome Photography). ft. warehouse at 95th & Cottage Grove into House of Kicks, a family entertainment and educational complex. Despite the success, Mr. Gardner never moved from his neighborhood. Jul 1984 - Present38 years 10 months. 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. Management He also cut operational costs, in an effort to boost profits. On Thursday, the lives and efforts of these civic pillars were celebrated by hundreds of people including dignitaries, public officials, and former Soft Sheen employees. He was my father, my hero, my teacher, Gary Gardner said in a news release. 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. The new signage will hang at 87th and Dobson near the site of the former home of Soft Sheen Products. Soft Sheen was founded in 1964, in the basement of a home on the south side of Chicago. Soft Sheen markets its products in several countries, including Africa, Brazil, and the Caribbean, as well as in the United States. Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. Find your friends on Facebook. 31. He taught for several years in Chicago Public Schools and was also an administrator. 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. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { 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. He believed that with access to opportunity, hard work, a quality education and safe neighborhoods, there is nothing we cant achieve. Terri Gardner. 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. Meanwhile, Soft Sheen continued to introduce new products. Ed Gardner was a well-known and admired businessman. Ed and Betty Gardner, the driving force behind Soft Sheen Products were honored last Thursday with a street naming dedication ceremony not too far from where their company was once located. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', My father saw the untapped potential of his community. Soft Sheen started as a garage-based business and grew to an international empire that influenced how people all over the world beautified themselves. kw: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', cnx({ We see them around but we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. But he says while the couple were busy making their imprint, they had no idea they affected so many people. He was 98. Edward Gardner passed away peacefully Monday March 20, 2023, surrounded by family, and loved ones. aid: '864241', or. Gardner and his wife Bettiann founded the company in 1964. These operational shortcomings, along with adverse market conditions, put the brakes on Soft Sheen's sales growth. Education Bachelor of Science, University Illinois, Chicago, 1975. Yes, yes, yes. 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. 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 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. Once again, the Gardners started thinking about selling their 33-year-old business. He was 98 years old. In a September 1998 interview with Black Enterprise, Gardner explained the company's decision to join L'Oreal. Throughout his ownership of the company, he continued to offer exclusive products for his beloved salon customers. On the side, he would deliver hair care products out of the back of his car to South Side beauty salons. We never got the wax out of the pan. . cat: 'fashion-beauty', In 1964, he left a career as a popular teacher and assistant principal to Conditioning was particularly important to preserve the health of black hair, which tended to dry out under the stress of styling and chemical processing. Juris Doctor, Northwestern University, 1980. He was 98 years old. Master of Business Administration, Northwestern University, 1980. No one calls it the nerd prom anymore. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. 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. targeting: { Once the Soft Sheen acquisition was complete, L'Oreal began strategizing how to best grow its new subsidiary and expand its beachhead in the ethnic market. See Photos. St. James Press, 2000. As the Gardner family began to grow, Mr. Gardner, an educator by profession, began to seek other avenues to generate additional income. In fact, he created a nonprofit organization called Black On Black Love to address violence. He was the embodiment of the hard-working, family-focused, responsible Black father. Gardners death was confirmed by his children in a statement. targeting: { With amusement rides, bowling, mini-golf and an interactive learning center, the complex boasted the only roller coaster in Chicago at that time. Mr. Gardner was also a well-known philanthropist. In 1964, he left a career as a popular teacher and assistant principal to start a haircare company, Soft Sheen Products, Inc. with his wife Bettiann. If he wasnt at work, he was home with family. See Photos. A commonly available ingredient cooked in lower- or middle-class kitchens can be seen as mediocre, but the same thing prepared by a renowned chef and served in a star-studded restaurant can be a symbol. Principal Competitors: Alberto-Culver Company; Carson Inc.; Massimo Enterprises Inc.; Revlon, Inc. WebMr. based on Chicagos South Side, evolved into one of the nations largest Black-owned businesses. Edward G. Gardner, co-founder of Soft Sheen Products and precious philanthropist, dead at 98 by Elwood Hill March 22 2023 Edward G. Gardner's hair care line began in his home basement and grew to be one the largest Black-owned organizations of its kind in the country. Sales Partnership Solutions 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. More and more, large cosmetics firms were looking for a share of the ethnic market by adding their own ethnic product lines or acquiring smaller black hair-care companies. Staying current is easy with Crain's news delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge. By the late 1980s, the company was one of the largest Black-owned beauty brands in the country. He firmly believed promoting self-love and self-respect could change hearts, and the organization created No Crime Day to celebrate those principles and promote peace. The Rev. 'We grew so fast, we were afraid the franchise would be taken away from us,' Gardner said in a February 1991 interview with USA Today. Gardner will remain at the helm of Soft Sheen. Soft Sheen's plan was to conduct a search for a new president from outside the family and thereby begin transitioning the Gardners into a purely ownership role. ]); 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. Instead of flowers, donations to Chicago State University can be made here. He made his own way.. Principal Subsidiaries: Dyke & Dryden, Ltd. (U.K.; 66%); Soft Sheen Products, Ltd. (Jamaica); Soft Sheen International.

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