
ASCP, ISPA and PBA Receive 2026 Power of Associations Award for Esthetics Licensure Compact
This shared recognition celebrates the strength of industry collaboration in advancing professional mobility.
Frank Fulco will lead strategic planning for America’s Beauty Show (ABS) and continue to build on Cosmetologists Chicago's (CC) legacy of support and growth for professionals and students.

Cosmetologists Chicago (CC) and America’s Beauty Show (ABS) have announced the appointment of Frank P. Fulco as their new Chief Executive Officer. Frank joins a very select few of CEOs in Cosmetologists Chicago’s 100+ year history. CC is the association that currently represents 18,000+ salon professionals, including licensed cosmetologists, estheticians and nail technicians, salon owners and cosmetology school owners and student members. CC owns and produces the annual America’s Beauty Show, offering professionals a long-standing commitment to their careers and education.
Frank will lead strategic planning for ABS and continue to build on CC’s legacy of support and growth for professionals and students. In addition to CC, he will also lead the growth of International Nail Technicians Association (INTA) and CIDESCO USA for esthetics professionals.
The Board of Directors of Cosmetologists Chicago underwent a rigorous process in appointing CC’s CEO. “Frank has a deep understanding of the professional beauty industry and is a passionate, servant leader,” said Karen Gordon, president of Cosmetologists Chicago. “CC is a forward-thinking, action-oriented network with an unlimited future that has a great history in the professional salon industry. We look forward to having Frank on board as he leads our associations and shows into the future.”
“I am truly honored to be selected as the next CEO of Cosmetologists Chicago. I respect the hard work of my predecessors and look forward to working together with our industry to position Cosmetologists Chicago and America’s Beauty Show to thrive for the next one hundred years,” said Fulco. “I will give my very best effort to nurture an association culture that is inclusive, relevant and serving to licensed professionals; as well as to unite our community each year at America’s Beauty Show with a spirit that honors artistic expression and the value of relationships. Together, our future is bright. We are Cosmetologists Chicago and America’s Beauty Show.”
In serving 29-years in the professional beauty industry, Fulco is a proven senior executive with strong strategic vision. He has held positions at leading professional beauty companies and is committed to serving others. Frank formerly served on the Board of Directors of Cosmetologists Chicago and currently serves on the Board of Directors at New Concepts Hair by Sthair.
Fulco holds a Master of Business Administration from Loyola University Chicago. He is an adjunct faculty member at the John Carroll University Boler College of Business. When not working or teaching, Frank enjoys time with his family.
America’s Beauty Show by Cosmetologists Chicago
Cosmetologists Chicago is a salon and spa professional membership organization that owns and produces the annual America’s Beauty Show. ABS is the heart of the professional beauty industry and serves salon owners, professionals, colorists, nail technicians and estheticians. Cosmetologists Chicago is led by working salon professionals who sit on the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors of Cosmetologists Chicago for 2018-20 includes:
President – Karen Gordon, J. Gordon Designs, Chicago, IL
Vice President – Robert Passage, Pivot Point International, Chicago, IL
Secretary – Lorrene Conino, Salon Lorrene, Palatine, IL
Treasurer – Christopher Damolaris, Frank Gironda Salon & Spa, Naperville, IL
Immediate Past President – Larry Silvestri, Mario Tricoci Hair Salons & Day Spas, Chicago, IL
Director – Chris Valavanis – Vanis Salon & Day Spa, Schererville, IN
Director – Kathy Jager – Kathy Jager & Associates / Pro’s 15110 Salon, Oak Forest, IL
Director – Mireya Villarreal, Pink Pewter, Bartlet, IL
Director – Nick Stenson, ULTA Beauty, Chicago, IL
Cosmetologists Chicago staff and strategic partners, with 125+ years combined experience, includes:
Frank P. Fulco – Chief Executive Officer
Amy Westercamp – Chief Operations Officer
Michael Amato – Chief Financial Officer
Christie Smaidris – Director of Association Operations
Kristen Erickson – Creative Director
Joy Mutimura – Senior Coordinator of Exhibitor Operations
Alexis Ojinnaka – Events / Membership Coordinator
Hanna Ayoub-Dance – Data and IT Manager
Kate Gallagher, Gallagher & Associates – Marketing and Communications, Industry Media
Dori Wilson, Dori Wilson Public Relations – Consumer Media Relations
Sam Pechan, Ideas That Evoke – Social media
John Petroff – Exhibit Sales, Legacy Accounts
Jarek Lipczynski – Director of Sales, New Indie Brands
Nicole Jurrens – Marketing Associate
Kelsey Maka – Accounting Coordinator
Save the dates!
The 2020 America’s Beauty Show will host 70,000 attendees, including salon owners, cosmetologists, colorists, nail techs, barbers, estheticians, exhibitor personnel and models, in downtown Chicago, April 18-20, 2020. ABS will feature hundreds of exhibits offering the latest in hair care and color, nails and skin care, tools and salon furnishings. The blockbuster event is owned and produced by the not-for-profit Cosmetologists Chicago.
About America’s Beauty Show®
America’s Beauty Show (ABS) is owned and produced by Cosmetologists Chicago® (CC). Professional cosmetologists, nail technicians, stylists and colorists from all over the world attend ABS every year to experience superior education and innovation in all aspects of beauty, as well as gain inspiration to take back to their salons. ABS is the financial driver of legislative protection for licensure & regulation, funds scholarships for advanced education, and boosts awareness of the excellence of professional beauty services. With more than 70,000 admissions including salon professionals and owners, aspiring students and teachers, headliners and educators, leading product manufacturers and distributor personnel showing their latest products and distributors, America’s Beauty Show is a great destination for serious beauty professionals. www.americasbeautyshow.com
Originally posted on Modern Salon

This shared recognition celebrates the strength of industry collaboration in advancing professional mobility.

In Dubai, a salon visit isn’t an appointment. It’s a weekly routine, and clients can spend $800 to $1,400 a month on it, according to Gaurav Tripathi of MADI International. On October 6-8, 2026, the market behind those numbers opens its doors as Beautyworld Dubai marks its 30th edition at the Dubai World Trade Centre, bringing together distributors, brands, stylists and salon owners from all over the world.

In October, volunteers plan to walk and take the plunge during at the annual event, HairToStay Does the Bay. Find out how you can participate and support the organization that grants subsidies to cancer patients so they can receive cold cap treatments to save their hair during chemotherapy.
At Premiere Orlando 2026, SALON TODAY catches up with Easihair Pro's Angela Gilmore, who talks about why stylists lose clients who are suffering from thinning hair and hair loss, and how their new Hairlosophy line can help.

Illuminated Paths is a boxed set of 52 cards, a guidebook, and an Oracolor Wheel, a visual framework that helps readers reconnect with the qualities they want to bring into everyday life.

In this rare essay, the president of a haircare brand takes us behind-the-scenes into a world we never see when we pick up a product off the shelves--the arduous, thought-probing, second-guessing journey of rebranding a legacy product line. Not only is her reflection fascinating, but it is also incredibly useful for any salon owner or manufacturer contemplating their own brand.

Twenty lucky winners will be selected July 30th, and each will be able to choose from three different service tray models.

Motivated by loved ones who have battled cancer, Phorest's Barry Quinn and two friends will embark on a three-day trek to the summit of the highest peak in North Africa in September, raising money for HairToStay. Find out how you can help them.

The company's Back to Business Sweepstakes is a direct investment in the stylists and salon owners who are building something that lasts.

Owners start to worry when a month's sales come up short compared to the same period last year, but that may have more to do with the days in the month than with an actual decline. The KIM Report's Alain Audet points to May 2026 as a prime example.