Ed Gardner was a well-known and admired businessman. In part, this effort resulted in the election of Harold Washington as Chicagos first Black mayor. Industry insiders speculate that Mr. Gardner, flush with cash from the sale of the family business, is funding Namaste by himself. She also hired a third-party company to maintain inventory and positioning of Soft Sheen's products in retail stores. E-mail oureditor ]); The Gardners married in 1950 and from their union four children were born. 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. He also taught me how to make mistakes. Throughout the decades, Eds faith in God and humanity, and his belief in the power of the written word to stop the violence, persisted. 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. We never got the wax out of the pan. Pet Experts Reveal How to Help. In 1964, he left a career as a popular teacher and assistant principal to 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. page_type: 'article', kw: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', Principal Subsidiaries: Dyke & Dryden, Ltd. (U.K.; 66%); Soft Sheen Products, Ltd. (Jamaica); Soft Sheen International. He was also a board member of Chicago United and The Chicago Urban League, as well as co-owner of the Chicago Bulls. We went from small mom and pop to a major player in the business, said Gary Gardner. Edward G. Gardner was a humanitarian, a philanthropist, and a successful businessman, who loved the city of Chicago and Chicago loved him in return. tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { Gardner will remain at the helm of Soft Sheen. Frizz Free was the first frizz control product made specifically for ethnic women by an ethnic hair-care products company. WebEdward Gardner passed away peacefully Monday March 20, 2023, surrounded by family, and loved ones. We see them around but we don't know what goes on behind the scenes. tag: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', 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 2000, Ed converted an 84,600 sq. Beloved Chicago philanthropist Edward Gardner, the co-founder of Soft Sheen Products hair care company, died Monday at age 98, CBS News reports. 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. In India, where 42 million women have the disease, cultural stigmas can make the delay even longer, Why Is My Dog Shaking? I looked up to him Gary Gardner stated on Wednesday. See Photos. Jul 1984 - Present38 years 10 months. Click below to see everything we have to offer. The slowdown was largely due to a consumer trend toward shorter and drier hairstyles, which required fewer styling products. The line is being distributed nationwide through retailers including the nation's largest beauty supply chain, Sally Beauty Co. 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. Gardners charitable contributions were in the tens of thousands of dollars to fight gun violence. He taught me how to build, how to fix things, how to drive, and how not to drive. He was 98, his family said. pos: 'right_rail_3', Michelle Harris (8th) praised the Gardners saying that they are the epitome of what an African American entrepreneur is. Despite the success, Mr. Gardner never moved from his neighborhood. 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. Dallas/Fort Worth Area. 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. With the backing of L'Oreal, it was expected that Soft Sheen would grow rapidly in the coming years. Gardner will remain at the helm of Soft Sheen. He was my father, my hero, my teacher, Gary Gardner said in a news release. Around 1960, he began working for another beauty supply business and when it went bankrupt, Gardner took its customers and began producing his Gary Gardner. tag: 'mandc,black-haircare,edward-g-gardner,hair-products,haircare,soft-sheen-products', Gardner sold the business in 1998. Unfortunately, those challenges never went away in spite of his tremendous business success.. Peyrelongue and Gardner are unsure of the impact on employee rolls. Gardner and his wife Bettiann founded the company in 1964. 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. Master of Business Administration, Northwestern University, 1980. Finally, we can read about how these great companies came about with Company Histories.. In the late 1980s, the ethnic hair care market began to soften, with overall industry growth slowing to around three percent a year. L'Oreal, which had a reputation for heavy investment in research and development, expected its new Chicago center to be operational by the year 2001. 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. No one calls it the nerd prom anymore. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-3', As it turned out, Gardner's slowing-down tactics were timely. Gardner sold the business in 1998. The answer seemed to lie, first, in research and development. Gardners charitable contributions were in the tens of thousands of dollars to fight gun violence. 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. He leaves a legend of love and a powerful life for the world to remember. We bring news that matters to your inbox, to help you stay informed and entertained. Education Bachelor of Science, University Illinois, Chicago, 1975. Gary Gardner. 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 served in the Army during World War II and later took advantage of the GI Bill to get a bachelors degree at Chicago Teachers College, now Chicago State University, and a masters in education from the University of Chicago. You dont replace crime by keep on adding more policemen, Mr. Gardner said of the problem. 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. Terri Gardner. Copyright 2023 inkl. He loaned his creative staff, along with significant advertising dollars, to create the signature voter registration campaign, Come Alive October 5. The innovative product was a phenomenal success. Sales Partnership Solutions He taught me the value of a strong work ethic.. 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. By the late 1980s, the company was one of the largest Black-owned beauty brands in the country. }); !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); targeting: { pos: 'right_rail_2', As consumers, we often take for granted all the hard work that goes into building a great company. He taught me to fish. }); EVENTS ]); Member of American Health and Beauty Aids Institute. Gardner, the co-founder of the hair care company Soft Sheen Products Inc., died Monday surrounded by family. And now his work is done; he belongs to the ages. He stuttered as a child. 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. From a young age, his four children, Gary, Terri, Guy, and Tracy, along with his wife Bettiann, were intricately involved in the business. Since 1970, BLACK ENTERPRISE has provided essential business information and advice to professionals, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and decision makers. Meanwhile, Soft Sheen continued to introduce new products. The company sells its products to salons, beauty supply houses, and such retailers as drug stores and department stores. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Chicago State University, https://www.csu.edu/foundation/donate.htm. Soft Sheen Products Inc. is the top U.S. producer of ethnic hair care products. Missing Crain's in print? He served on the boards of Chicago United and The Chicago Urban League. 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 the middle of Soft Sheen's astonishing growth spurt, Edward and Bettiann Gardner turned the company's presidency over to their oldest son, Gary. (L to R) Back row: State Rep. Marcus Evans (33), Alderman Michelle Harris (8) and State Sen. Jacqueline Collins (16). Click here to get the full experience on your screen. 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. 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. Women of Power TECH, PODCASTS tude.refreshAdsViaDivMappings([ { In 2012, at age 87, Gardner organized more than 1,000 protesters in response to a South Side construction sites lack of Black workers. Son of Edward George and Betty Ann (Gueno) Gardner. 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. 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. Soft Sheen markets its products in several countries, including Africa, Brazil, and the Caribbean, as well as in the United States. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', He was 98 years old. It bothered him deeply that when he saw construction projects on the South Side, often the workers werent Black. url: 'honoring,the,legacy,of,a,great,chicagoan,and,black,business,giant,edward,g,gardner,passes,away,at,98', Hell on earth: Indias taboos around womens pain leave endometriosis sufferers in agony, Despite the pain of the condition, diagnoses take seven years on average globally. cnx.cmd.push(function() { ". In that same spirit, he continued his commitment to support the livelihood of professional cosmetologists by ensuring that his most popular product system, Care Free Curl, was solely available for purchase and application by them. As the years went by, the Gardners continued to work hard and Soft Sheen flourished. After over 30 years of business, the Gardners sold Soft Sheen Products to LOreal. Registry of Corporate Directors. The popularity of Care Free Curl drove revenues up at an almost unbelievable pace, from $500,000 in 1979 to $55 million by 1982. Mr. Gardner graduated from Fenger High School. 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. But he says while the couple were busy making their imprint, they had no idea they affected so many people. 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.