BREAKING NEWS: New President Named for Intercoiffure America/Canada

Lois Christie, President of Intercoiffure America/Canada (ICA), announced that, with the approval of the ICA Board of Directors, she has selected Frank Gambuzza to succeed her when her term ends in 2015. The announcement was made at the Annual Members Meeting in New York City on October 19, 2014.

The membership will vote to ratify his nomination at the 2015 Spring Business Symposium in Boca Raton, Florida. Gambuzza’s term will begin officially in effective January 1, 2016, but he will work side by side with Christie as interim President throughout 2015.

“Frank Gambuzza and I share the same passion and dedication to Intercoiffure America/Canada,” explains Lois Christie. “One of my goals as president was to ensure a smooth transition. I believe that Frank Gambuzza will take ICA to even great heights as its President. He will have my complete support in growing this amazing organization.”

This is the first time in ICA’s history that a succession plan has been successfully executed. “A smooth transition is healthy,” notes Christie. “The new leadership will waste no time getting up to speed.”

After her term as President expires in December 2015, Christie will remain on the Board of Directors and work to further develop the many new Councils and other initiatives of her tenure as President.

At the end of this Presidential term, Lois Christie will have served Intercoiffure for three years as 1st Vice-President, three years as World Vice-President and nine years as President of Intercoiffure America/Canada. Not only was Christie the first woman to be elected as ICA President, but she also appointed Vivienne Mackinder as ICA’s first woman Fashion Director and installed other capable women at the highest levels of leadership, including Mary Brunetti, Gina Khan and Sonya Dove. As President, Christie founded the ICA Haircolor Council and the Artistic Council, restructured Intercoiffure Nouveau, launched the prestigious Visionnaire Award, Leo Passage Education Award and the “Light the Way” Award in honor of Paula Kent Meehan. She grew the membership with celebrity artists and high-profile salons, and reinvigorated ICA’s two annual events.

Christie has received numerous awards, including the Chevalier Award, Knight Award, Commander Award and the Guillaume Award—this last she has received twice. The North American Section has honored Christie many times, including the prestigious Adolf Biecker Award. She has presented at two World Congresses, was responsible for taking the ICA team to Japan and to Rome in 2012. As a new President, she attended the World Congress in Brazil and was voted World Vice-President.

Frank Gambuzza’s beauty industry career spans more than 30 years, and includes studying with Vidal Sassoon Academies and the Jingles Schools of Advanced Training. He started Salon Visage in 1984, which has grown into a multi-million dollar company with more than 100 employees, and is a co-founder of the consulting firm Strictly Business. He is a long-time ICA member. Gambuzza performed with Mario Tricoci at the 1996 World Congress; served as the first ICA Hair Cutting Council Director; served under three ICA presidents as a Board member, Sergeant At Arms and Treasurer. He has received multiple awards from ICA, including the 2014 Leo Passage Educator of the Year Award, the Chevalier Award, the “Looking for Faces” Award, and the ICA Cut & Color Award.

Intercoiffure America/Canada (www.intercoiffure.com) is an association of the beauty industry’s elite—more than 200 salon owners employing more than 27,500 employees. The average annual sales volume for an Intercoiffure member ranges from $1.5 million to $85 million. In addition to their economic clout, Intercoiffure members set the creative and quality standards for the industry.