News Alert

Haute Hope

PureOlogy (www.pureology.com) founders Cheryl and Jim Markham brought a little style to their cancer-awareness campaign for City of Hope (www.cityofhope.org) this year. The longtime philanthropists and 2009 City of Hope Spirit of Life Award honorees designed a unique t-shirt with the help of www.BehindtheChair.com to raise funds and consciousness for cancer research. The masquerade-themed tee was unveiled at this year's International Salon and Spa Expo, and is available online at behindthechair.com for a suggested minimum donation of $25, all of which goes to City of Hope.

National Association of Women Business Owners-LA Legacy Awards Luncheon Honorees (left to right) Bettye Dixon, Gerladine Knatz, Chef LaLa, Jane Wurwand, Janice Bryant Howard, Carmen Rad and Bonnie Nijst.

Dermalogica (www.dermalogica.com) founder Jane Wurwand was among seven women honored by the National Association of Women Business Owners - Los Angeles (NAWBO, www.nawbola.org), for entrepreneurial excellence. The 23rd Annual NAWBO-LA Leadership & Legacy Awards Luncheon last March drew prestigious guests such as City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, California Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, and NAWBO-LA co-chair Natalie Cole, who opened the afternoon by singing her hit song, "Unforgettable." Wurwand was named the Women Business Owner of the Year for fostering entrepreneurialism in an industry made up of 92% women. Other honorees included Geraldine Knatz, Ph.D., executive director, Port of Los Angeles; Janice Bryant Howard, president and CEO, ACT-1 Group; Bonnie Nijst, president and CEO, Zeesman Communications; Chef LaLa, chef, author, humanitarian and TV personality; Carmen Rad, president, CR&A Custom; and Bettye Dixon, president and CEO, Concourse Concessions.

Repêchage (www.repechage.com) CEO and founder Lydia Sarfati received special recognition at the seventh annual "Top Women in Business" networking awards dinner in April. She received certificates of recognition and gratitude from New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and city council member Helen Sears. Sarfati was lauded as a successful leader and innovator in her field of business, and recognized for her community leadership. The annual awards show recognizes outstanding women in the New York City area.

Repêchage CEO and founder Lydia Sarfati, center, received an award from the "Top Women in Business" networking group.

Girl Power cont.

Murad (www.murad.com) has promoted Tracey Sameyah to president of its newly formed Murad Inclusive Health Center (MIHC) division. In her new role, Sameyah will work to bring MIHC locations to key cities in the United States and abroad, fostering partnerships with hospitals, hotels and health franchises.

Howard Murad, M.D., founder of Murad and associate clinical professor of medicine at UCLA, developed these state-of-the-art healthy living centers. He applies his science of cellular water philosophy in treatments to promote health and fight the aging process.

Sameyah began her career with Murad in 1992 as manager of the company's first spa venture, A Sense of Self, which she helped grow into the award-winning Murad Medical Spa. "There's nobody more qualified to globally expand MIHC than Tracey," Murad says. "She has been part of the Murad family for many years and is one of the company's most passionate advocates."

Bad Buzz

Most businesses are feeling the effects of the sluggish economy, but a bad bit of P.R. may bring about the end of an era for pioneering health and wellness spa Rancho LaPuerta (RLP, www.rancholapuerta.com) in Tecate, Baja California. Founded in 1940 by Edmond and Deborah Szekely, the "world's first destination spa" has welcomed tens of thousands of guests for weeklong retreats that focus on the body, mind and spirit. However, due to the recent drug violence along the United States-Mexico border, Deborah Szekely says her bookings have all but dried up.

"We now have more cancellations than reservations—a first in our almost 70 years," she says. "It's all due to misinformation. Fear may drive us out of business."

The RLP property is approximately 40 miles east of Tijuana and nearly 700 miles from the central conflict in Ciudad Juarez near the Texas-Mexico border. Resort guests cross into Mexico at Tecate, a sleepy commuter border town by comparison. Szekely blames the media for scaring off guests.

"I assure you, we're many miles away from the violence. Tecate had one violent incident two years ago, a safety record far better than most cities anywhere in the world," she says.

RLP employs more than 400 Mexican and dozens of American employees, some of which are second-, third- and fourth-generation spa professionals. "I would never knowingly put my guests' safety at risk," Szekely says. "I'm at the ranch every week. And for the staff—many of whom cross the border at Tecate—it's business as usual."

— last month's news

—April's news