He was my father, my hero, my teacher, Gary Gardner said in a news release. Soft Sheen As the Gardner family began to grow, Mr. Gardner, an educator by profession, began to seek other avenues to generate additional income. Gardner, the co-founder of the hair care company Soft Sheen Products Inc., died Monday surrounded by family. Peyrelongue and Gardner are unsure of the impact on employee rolls. Under the terms of the agreement, Terri Gardner remained on as president of the Soft Sheen division and also became a member of Cosmair's executive committee. Ed Gardner was a well-known and admired businessman. subcat: '', All rights reserved. }); !function(n){if(!window.cnx){window.cnx={},window.cnx.cmd=[];var t=n.createElement('iframe');t.display='none',t.onload=function(){var n=t.contentWindow.document,c=n.createElement('script');c.src='//cd.connatix.com/connatix.player.js',c.setAttribute('async','1'),c.setAttribute('type','text/javascript'),n.body.appendChild(c)},n.head.appendChild(t)}}(document); 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. He also taught me how to make mistakes. In 1992, his in-house communication agency, led by his daughter Terri, created a second highly successful voter registration campaign in partnership with Project Vote, led by Barack Obama. url: 'honoring,the,legacy,of,a,great,chicagoan,and,black,business,giant,edward,g,gardner,passes,away,at,98', Gary Gardner. WebSoft Sheen was sold to hair care giant L'Oreal for over $100 million (US). Member of American Health and Beauty Aids Institute. 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. He loaned his creative staff, along with significant advertising dollars, to create the signature voter registration campaign, Come Alive October 5. Mr. Gardner, a co-founder of Soft Sheen Products Inc., died Monday at his home in the West Chesterfield neighborhood, where he spent almost all of his life. The company expected its global expansion to drive sales up to $150 million by the middle of the 1990s. Despite such optimistic predictions, Soft Sheen did not have great success in penetrating foreign markets, and domestic sales continued to make up the great bulk of its revenues. 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. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Android TV. learn how over 7,000 companies got started! The 44-year-old Mr. Gardner struck out on his own three years ago after a disagreement with family members about Soft Sheen's future. View our. Industry insiders speculate that Mr. Gardner, flush with cash from the sale of the family business, is funding Namaste by himself. Soft Sheen's already exponential sales growth got a further boost in the 1980s from the widespread vogue of the 'Jheri-curl' hairstyle. 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. See Photos. He was 98. Another major product introduction soon followed. Namaste's seven-item line -- priced from $7 to $13 -- includes fertilizing serum, fertilizing balm, hair "mayonnaise" and carrot oil. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', 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. Ed Gardner Chicago: Family of Edward Gardner tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Care Free Curl was a solution that dramatically reduced the amount of time it took to relax hair--from almost eight hours to only two. He served on the boards of Chicago United and The Chicago Urban League. According to CBS News, a private family service is planned. Sign Up. kw: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', As it turned out, Gardner's slowing-down tactics were timely. 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. Meanwhile, Soft Sheen continued to introduce new products. 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. Their interim leader Terri Gardner, however, was no mere figurehead. 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. See Photos. 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. In 2000, Ed converted an 84,600 sq. WebPeople named Gary Gardner. E-mail oureditor In fact, retailers account for approximately 75 percent of its sales, and salons for 20 percent. On the side, he would deliver hair care products out of the back of his car to South Side beauty salons. Beloved Chicago philanthropist Edward Gardner, the co-founder of Soft Sheen Products hair care company, died Monday at age 98, CBS News reports. Soft Sheen will become a division of Cosmair while L'Oreal will expand its ethnic research and development activities to Chicago. ABOUT Soft Sheen started as a garage-based business and grew to an international empire that influenced how people all over the world beautified themselves. Son of Edward George and Betty Ann (Gueno) Gardner. Edward Gardner passed away peacefully Monday March 20, 2023, surrounded by family, and loved ones. Economic Equity & Racial Justice Townhall Series, Elevate Black Podcast sponsored by Fifth Third Bank, 100 Founders of Change by American Express, Chasing Success Podcast by JP Morgan Chase, Black Business Month Sponsored by Nationwide, 2022 Registry Of Corporate Directors Listing, 2021 BE Registry Of Corporate Directors Listing. The Citizen Newspaper Group He was 98. Chicago, IL 60601 Here's how to figure out what's wrong with your pup. Jul 1984 - Present38 years 10 months. For more than half a century, the family has shared their husband, father, father-in- law, uncle, grandfather, and great-grandfather proudly and unselfishly with the world. 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. 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. 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. He made his own way.. 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. tude.cmd.push(function() { Popularized by recording artist Michael Jackson, the wet-looking, loosely curled style required a whole host of hair care products to achieve and maintain. The creator and founder of Soft Sheen hair care products held many titles in his long life, but his family said his legacy will be in his dedication to others. He taught me the value of a strong work ethic.. Mr. Gardner, the son of a warehouse worker and a seamstress, had to overcome much in his early years. He was also a board member of Chicago United and The Chicago Urban League, as well as co-owner of the Chicago Bulls. I feel blessed to have had Ed Gardner as my father. The entrepreneur created Soft Sheens first Hair and Scalp conditioner. Did we say it over and over and over again? WebOwner. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS Jones adamant Wallabies can be best in the world. He taught me the value of a strong work ethic. Mr. Gardner was also a well-known philanthropist. Despite the success, Mr. Gardner never moved from his neighborhood. Ed Gardner was a well-known and admired businessman. tag: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', But he says while the couple were busy making their imprint, they had no idea they affected so many people. 130 E. Randolph St. We will introduce items that will grow every category we compete in, from hair color through relaxers, styling aids, conditioners, and wave products.'. Gardners charitable contributions were in the tens of thousands of dollars to fight gun violence. He believed that with access to opportunity, hard work, a quality education and safe neighborhoods, there is nothing we can't achieve." Soft Sheen was founded in 1964, in the basement of a home on the south side of Chicago. Subscribe to Newsletter We never got the wax out of the pan. Gardner L'Oreal found it shared a lot "in common values" with Soft Sheen, he added. Click below to see everything we have to offer. targeting: { Mr. Gardner was a well-known philanthropist and activist. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Chicago State University, https://www.csu.edu/foundation/donate.htm. Beloved Chicago philanthropist Edward Gardner, the co-founder of Soft Sheen Products hair care company, died Monday at age 98, CBS News reports. 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. If you saw Ed Gardner out after work or on weekends, he had us, his children, in tow. Now, retail outlets can't stock enough of the products. When you not only told us not to hurt and harm each other but to love each other You were trying to pastor us and nobody was ready to hear it, Pfleger said. Beloved Chicago philanthropist Edward Gardner, the co-founder of Soft Sheen Products hair care company, died Monday at age 98, CBS News reports. 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. 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. Another of her initiatives involved restructuring and consolidating the company's warehouse operations, a move that increased on-time shipments and improved service levels. Ed Gardners greatest contribution to the city he loved was doing everything he could to help Chicago elect its first Black Mayor, Harold Washington, in 1983. In 1996, the Gardners established an He taught me to garden. After over 30 years of business, the Gardners sold Soft Sheen Products to LOreal. Copyright 2023 inkl. Betty and Ed Gardner celebrate their street dedication ceremony with members of the Illinois legislature and Chicago City Council. 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. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Chicago State University: www.csu.edu/foundation/donate.htm. As a patron of the arts, Gardner and his wife were instrumental in the development of the New Regal Theater (now the Avalon Regal Theater) a noted venue for Black performers. 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. Privacy Policy. 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. 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Sales Partnership Solutions Suite 3200 The company produces embroidery application softtware for the craft and industrial market. 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. 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. "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. env: 'prod', Soft Sheen started as a garage-based business and grew to an international empire that influenced how people all over the world beautified themselves. Gardner also took steps to revive the company's languishing product development department, hiring a new vice-president of science and technology. cat: 'fashion-beauty', Career Mr. Gardner told the Chicago Citizen that he and Mrs. Gardner are blessed to have been honored for their many contributions over the years. 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. In a September 1998 interview with Black Enterprise, Gardner explained the company's decision to join L'Oreal. Edward G. Gardners hair care line started in his home basement and grew to be one the largest Black-owned businesses of its kind in the nation. Gardner, a co-founder of Soft Sheen Products Inc., died Monday at his home in the West Chesterfield neighborhood, where he spent almost all of his life. Soft Sheen Products, Inc. Harold Washington Edward G. Gardner, co-founder of Soft Sheen Products, died Monday. The house in which he died Monday was two houses down from the home where he grew up, his family said. 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. Gardners charitable contributions were in the tens of thousands of dollars to fight gun violence. Last year, the $80-million Chicago-based company was sold to French cosmetics giant L'Oreal SA for an estimated $100 million-plus. 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. Gardners death was confirmed by his children in a statement. He was 98 years old. Gardner, Edward G. 1925 | Encyclopedia.com Edward Gardner passed away peacefully Monday March 20, 2023, surrounded by family, and loved ones. He believed that with access to opportunity, hard work, a quality education and safe neighborhoods, there is nothing we cant achieve. Terri Gardner. We see them around but we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Soft Sheen Products Inc., a relatively small Chicago-based company, will help its new parent fill that hole. Dismayed by the level of violence in the community, in the 1980s he created the non- profit organization, Black On Black Love. He rallied his troops.. aid: '864241', 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. url: 'honoring,the,legacy,of,a,great,chicagoan,and,black,business,giant,edward,g,gardner,passes,away,at,98', He taught for several years in Chicago Public Schools and was also an administrator. Soft Sheen Products, Inc. | Encyclopedia.com Gary Gardner. } Edward G. Gardner, Co-Founder of Soft Sheen Products, Passes Principal Subsidiaries: Dyke & Dryden, Ltd. (U.K.; 66%); Soft Sheen Products, Ltd. (Jamaica); Soft Sheen International. Soft Sheen markets its products in several countries, including Africa, Brazil, and the Caribbean, as well as in the United States. Food -- how it is prepared and consumed -- can be a reflection of social status. 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. 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. WebTen-year-old Gary Gardner, Soft Sheen s future president, mixed Soft Sheen Hair and Scalp Conditioner and demonstrated it at trade shows. Soft Sheen Products officially launched in 1964 while Mr. Gardner was still an assistant principal at a local school. My father saw the untapped potential of his community. Finally, we can read about how these great companies came about with Company Histories.. Simultaneously, his wife Denise resigned from her position as vice-president of marketing. Gary Gardner. tude.cmd.push(function() { 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. Around 1960, he began working for another beauty supply business and when it went bankrupt, Gardner took its customers and began producing his 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. Education Bachelor of Science, University Illinois, Chicago, 1975. INFORMATION See Photos. G7 Solutions. WebLater, she executed the merger of a major competitor, as president of Soft Sheen/Carson division of LOral USA, overseeing 500 worldwide employees and revenues over $150 million by 2000. Mr. Gardner declined a request for an interview with a curt "I'm not going to talk to you about it.". '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. With this war chest, he mounted a campaign that registered more than 200,000 voters. Words of remembrance and condolences are invited at Edward Gardner In Memoriam Facebook Group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/3117330031746372 Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. Instead of flowers, donations to Chicago State University can be made here. '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. 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. Masthead. env: 'prod', Mid-1980s-90s: Second-Generation Gardner Leadership. Ed Gardner was a well-known and admired businessman. subcat: '', 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. 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. EX-SOFT SHEEN CHIEF RE-EMERGES | Crain's Chicago The overall slowdown in sales was compounded by increased competition within the industry. SOFT SHEEN He was 98. 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. 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. Born in 1925 to a warehouse worker and a seamstress in the West Chesterfield neighborhood, Gardner was a teacher and administrator for several years in Chicago Public Schools during a time when he was getting his hair care line off the ground. By May 1997, Soft Sheen had released two new lines, Mizani and Hair Werks, that were designed exclusively for use in salons. Analyst Ken Smikle, of Target Market News, said of Soft Sheen: See Photos. 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. The answer seemed to lie, first, in research and development. 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. Gary Gardner. As consumers, we often take for granted all the hard work that goes into building a great company. 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. And in 2012, at the age of 87 and walking with a cane, he led a protest down Western Avenue, his son said. Once again, the Gardners started thinking about selling their 33-year-old business. url: 'honoring,the,legacy,of,a,great,chicagoan,and,black,business,giant,edward,g,gardner,passes,away,at,98', divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-2', It bothered him deeply that when he saw construction projects on the South Side, often the workers werent Black. 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. Background Gardner, Gary Edward was born on August 22, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. (Provided) Edward Gardners early efforts at making Black hair care products started in the family kitchen, with his He was my father, my hero, my teacher. 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. See Photos. The new signage will hang at 87th and Dobson near the site of the former home of Soft Sheen Products. With the backing of L'Oreal, it was expected that Soft Sheen would grow rapidly in the coming years. According to Terri Gardner, One of my dads greatest qualities was his perseverance. In part, this effort resulted in the election of Harold Washington as Chicagos first Black mayor. 31. In addition to his son Gary, survivors include three other children, Terri, Guy and Tracy, and his wife, Bettiann. In addition to his son Gary and daughter Terri, survivors include two other children, Guy and Tracy, and his wife, Bettiann, seven grandchildren and a great-grandson. A private family service is planned. Log In. Paris (AFP) - 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.
