Privacy Policy His survivors also include two other children, Guy and Tracy, his wife, seven grandchildren and a great-grandson, the Sun-Times reports. He was 98. Also, please download theGrio mobile apps today! Edward Gardners early efforts at making Black hair care products started in the family kitchen, with his wifes pots and pans. In early 1996, Gary Gardner resigned from his post as Soft Sheen president. That drove him to anger, said Gary Gardner. . 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. EX-SOFT SHEEN CHIEF RE-EMERGES | Crain's Chicago Soft Sheen co-founder, civic leader Edward Gardner dies. He rallied his troops.. Soft Sheen markets its products in several countries, including Africa, Brazil, and the Caribbean, as well as in the United States. If you saw Ed Gardner out after work or on weekends, he had us, his children, in tow. Michelle Harris (8th) praised the Gardners saying that they are the epitome of what an African American entrepreneur is. Its distribution system was inefficient and slow, with orders taking ten days to be filled. ". The Gardners married in 1950 and from their union four children were born. He made his own way.. cat: 'fashion-beauty', So he worked as a part time salesman selling beauty products to salons. Soft Sheen finished 1997 with sales of $94.5 million. tude.cmd.push(function() { WebTen-year-old Gary Gardner, Soft Sheen s future president, mixed Soft Sheen Hair and Scalp Conditioner and demonstrated it at trade shows. He taught me the value of a strong work ethic. }); window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; These industry giants, with their vast distribution networks and their huge marketing budgets, were formidable competitors. Click here to get the full experience on your screen. 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. targeting: { Gardners charitable contributions were in the tens of thousands of dollars to fight gun violence. cat: 'fashion-beauty', "My father saw the untapped potential of his community. That's how executives, speaking publicly for the first time since the acquisition July 1, explained the deal Thursday. url: 'honoring,the,legacy,of,a,great,chicagoan,and,black,business,giant,edward,g,gardner,passes,away,at,98', Soft Sheen He also taught me how to make mistakes. He believed that with access to opportunity, hard work, a quality education and safe neighborhoods, there is nothing we cant achieve. Terri Gardner. 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On the side, he would deliver hair care products out of the back of his car to South Side beauty salons. } 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. Consumer interest in the products was not overwhelming but was enough to keep the Gardners plugging away at their slowly growing business. By continuing to use this site, you agree to our use of cookies. He reduced employment 27 percent, to 620 employees, between 1984 and 1988 by not replacing workers who left. 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. His survivors also include two other children, Guy and Tracy, his wife, seven grandchildren and a great-grandson, the Sun-Times reports. Ed Gardner was a well-known and admired businessman. Soft Sheen Products officially launched in 1964 while Mr. Gardner was still an assistant principal at a local school. Entrepreneurs Summit 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. A private family service is planned. The grassroots organization has been a staple in Chicagos activist community for decades. Mr. Gardner declined a request for an interview with a curt "I'm not going to talk to you about it.". 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. In fact, he created a nonprofit organization called Black On Black Love to address violence. She made good on her promise. Its an entrepreneurial quality that allowedhim to create a business despite the challenges of institutional and individual racism. A private family service is planned. Your Money, Your Life, LATEST LISTS As the years went by, the Gardners continued to work hard and Soft Sheen flourished. 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. CHICAGO (CBS) -- Many are mourning the loss of Edward Gardner, a Chicago titan in business and philanthropy. He was my father, my hero, my teacher. Three boys and one girl: Gary, Guy, Tracy and Terri. He was my father, my hero, my teacher, Gary Gardner said in a news release. or. Jul 1984 - Present38 years 10 months. 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 told the Chicago Citizen that he and Mrs. Gardner are blessed to have been honored for their many contributions over the years. baseDivId: 'pb-slot-right-1', The post Soft Sheen co-founder, civic leader Edward Gardner dies appeared first on TheGrio. Gardner Management Soft Sheen's research and development staff were to be included as part of the new facility. 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. aid: '864241', Click below to see everything we have to offer. He served on the boards of Chicago United and The Chicago Urban League. 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.'. Sign Up. Soft Sheen built on that success by launching a full line of Care Free Curl products, including shampoos, conditioners, gels, and sprays, that were sold both in salons and in drugstores. The 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. Soft Sheen started as a garage-based business and grew to an international empire that influenced how people all over the world beautified themselves. G7 Solutions. 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. I feel blessed to have had Ed Gardner as my father. Our purpose in this world wasnt to make money, wasnt to build a gigantic factory and hire a lot of people, Mr. Gardner said. env: 'prod', I looked up to him Gary Gardner stated on Wednesday. He loaned his creative staff, along with significant advertising dollars, to create the signature voter registration campaign, Come Alive October 5. 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. 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Dallas/Fort Worth Area. 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. He melted wax in one of the pans, said one of Mr. Gardners four children, Terri Gardner. 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. By the late 1980s, the company was one of the largest Black-owned beauty brands in the country. WebMr. The Citizen Newspaper Group Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Agreement. Registry of Corporate Directors. 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. Gardner and his wife Bettiann founded the company in 1964. Last year, the $80-million Chicago-based company was sold to French cosmetics giant L'Oreal SA for an estimated $100 million-plus. He believed that with access to opportunity, hard work, a quality education and safe neighborhoods, there is nothing we cant achieve.. He started off on [his wifes] stove. 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. learn how over 7,000 companies got started! No one calls it the nerd prom anymore. The Rev. Honoring the Legacy of A Great Chicagoan and Black Business It had to go out in the alley. 1995 sales were about $94 million, considerably short of Gardner's expectations. divId: 'div-gpt-ad-rightrail-1', env: 'prod', Source: International Directory of Company Histories, Vol. 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. 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. He also cut operational costs, in an effort to boost profits. In part, this effort resulted in the election of Harold Washington as Chicagos first Black mayor. 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. Edward G. Gardner, Co-Founder of Soft Sheen Products, Passes We never got the wax out of the pan. View our. 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. cnx({ The company sells its products to salons, beauty supply houses, and such retailers as drug stores and department stores. Privacy Policy. 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. In the late 1980s, the ethnic hair care market began to soften, with overall industry growth slowing to around three percent a year. He got teased a lot, Terri Gardner said. Gardner, Edward G. 1925 | Encyclopedia.com Words of remembrance and condolences are invited at Edward Gardner In Memoriam Facebook Group page https://www.facebook.com/groups/3117330031746372 Although there was no change in ownership, the company's decision-making process did result in a change in leadership. You dont replace crime by keep on adding more policemen, Mr. Gardner said of the problem. . "At the trade shows, everyone is bunched up around his table trying to find out more about it.". Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said China has agreed to discuss fishing rights in the South China Sea, as he pushed for a "direct communication line" with Beijing on maritime differences. Gardner and his wife Bettiann founded the company in 1964. In 1987, Soft Sheen moved to compensate for diminishing domestic sales by expanding its presence in overseas markets. '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. Blitzing the city with banners, print and radio advertisements, the campaign registered over 200,000 new voters and helped secure Harold Washingtons victory. The innovative product was a phenomenal success. cnx.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. As an activist and civic leader, Gardner raised $300,000 with Soft Sheens resources 40 years ago, according to a news release. Edward G. Gardner, co-founder of Soft Sheen Products With amusement rides, bowling, mini-golf and an interactive learning center, the complex boasted the only roller coaster in Chicago at that time. ]); He was 98 years old. Honoring the Legacy of A Great Chicagoan and Black Black Men XCEL 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. "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. window.tude = window.tude || { cmd: [] }; Gardner will remain at the helm of Soft Sheen. 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. } url: 'honoring,the,legacy,of,a,great,chicagoan,and,black,business,giant,edward,g,gardner,passes,away,at,98', 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. subcat: '', He taught me how to engage people with humanity and humility., Gardners daughter, Terri, said: My father saw the untapped potential of his community. Food -- how it is prepared and consumed -- can be a reflection of social status. (L to R) Back row: State Rep. Marcus Evans (33), Alderman Michelle Harris (8) and State Sen. Jacqueline Collins (16). 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.