





The SALON TODAY 200 celebrated its 15th anniversary in grand style with an evening reception and awards ceremony at the close of Serious Business in New Orleans, Louisiana. A record 72 honorees traveled to the event, hosted by Neill Corporation, to personally accept their certificates and network and celebrate with the owners and staff members of other ST200 salons.
Debra Neill Baker, Chairmand and Chief Energy Officer of Neill Corporation, and Stacey Soble, Editor in Chief of Salon Today, welcomed the attendees. "You have opened up your businesses and shared your success stories with salons all over the country," they said. "You are our heros."
In honor of the competition's 15 anniversary, Neill Baker and Soble then introduced Howard Hafetz, the CEO of Raylon Corporation, and his wife Vicki who founded SALON TODAY magazine in 1983. "At the time, there was quite a bit of advanced technical and fashion education, but what hair dressers and salon owners really needed were the business skill sets that are critical for success," Howard Hafetz told the crowd. "The creation of the SALON TODAY 200 created a new level of business achievement and recognition for 'sound business' which had never existed before."
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