DAY SPA ASSOCIATION
SPA PERSON OF THE MONTH

Winner is being presented with this exquisite
Lamp from Heritage Crystals,
imported from Ireland.
SPA PERSON OF THE MONTH ARCHIVE
Year 2000 - 2002 | Year 2003 | Year 2004 | Year 2005 | Year 2006 | Year 2007 | Year 2008

2008 MONTHLY WINNERS
November/December-
September/October-
July/August-Eric Light
May/June-Felicia Brown
March/April-Larry Donahue
January/February-

July/August

Eric J. Light is one of the founders of the Strawberry Hill Group (UK) Limited, a 27 year old business development and design firm in England with a major interest in the hospitality, spa and wellness industries. While residing in England, Mr. Light was responsible for the business design and development of spa and wellness projects in England, Greece and Spain.

Mr. Light left The Strawberry Hill Group in 1980 to join Procter and Gamble as a Senior Manager. During his career with Procter and Gamble, Mr. Light worked on a number of national and international health and beauty projects. In addition, he worked on the development of a global strategy for Procter and Gamble's involvement in the spa industry. Mr. Light has visited 87 different countries and talked with over 2,000 consumers about their spa experiences.

In 2001, Mr. Light rejoined The Strawberry Hill Group of Companies as President of North and Latin American operations. The Strawberry Hill Group, Inc. represents the company's first venture into the North and Latin American marketplace and is currently working with clients in Florida, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Vermont, and Mexico on the design of new businesses or the revamping of existing facilities and programs.

Mr. Light attended the University of Mexico, Temple University in Philadelphia, and Trinity and All Saints Colleges, England. He holds degrees in anthropology, communications and perceptual psychology. Mr. Light has lectured extensively in the United States, Europe, and Latin America about the business development process, techniques for concept and vision creation, and consumer perceptions. He has been interviewed by numerous print and broadcast media outlets in the United States and Europe, and is a member of the Day Spa Association.

Eric Light can be reached by email at Strawbryhillgrp@aol.com

THIS PROFILE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY THIS MONTH'S SPA PERSON AND IS BEING PRESENTED AS GIVEN TO THE DSA. STATEMENTS AND CLAIMS MADE DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE DAY SPA ASSOCIATION AND WE DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENTS.

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May/June

Spa Award Winner

 

Felicia Brown, LMBT-Spa Consultant & Trainer - Spalutions!

Felicia Brown, LMBT is the owner of Spalutions!, (www.spalutions.com) a firm that provided business solutions for spa professionals through business consulting, marketing coaching and staff training programs. She has written for numerous trade publications including Massage Therapy Journal, Massage Magazine, Massage & Bodywork, Spa Management Journal and Dermascope and has also released her first CD, "Just Breathe: Guided Meditations for Inner Peace." Felicia has been a licensed massage therapist since 1994, founded Balance Day Spa in Greensboro, NC (which she sold in 2005), and is a licensed commercial real estate broker.

Felicia currently serves on an advisory board for the Massage Therapy Journal, a publication of the American Massage Therapy Association and reviews trade-related textbooks, manuscripts and other materials for MiladySalonovations and Health Positive Inc. She is also the Assistant Editor for the Day Spa/Medical Spa Bible 2nd Edition, a publication which is being put out by the Day Spa Association (DSA) and the International Medical Spa Association (IMSA). Felicia also provides free business and marketing advice and resources for spa ad wellness professionals on her blog at http://blog.spalutions.com/ and through a regular teleseminar series.

Felicia has won numerous awards for her business skills and accomplishments including the 2005 Small Business Person of the Year (Greensboro Chamber of Commerce), 2004 Women in Business (The Business Journal), 2003 Forty Leaders Under Forty (The Business Journal), 2003 Best Places to Work (The Business Journal for Balance Day Spa), and 2005 Best Spa in Greensboro (Triad Style for Balance Day Spa). In 2007, she was also given an award for Volunteer (committee) of the Year by the American Massage Therapy Association.

Felicia is a native of Greensboro, North Carolina and has lived there her whole life except for a three year stint in Crested Butte, Colorado where she taught kids skiing. Prior to her career as a massage therapist, she also taught figure skating and worked in the hospitality industry as a staff trainer, waitress and bartender. In her free time, Felicia enjoys running, yoga, reading, cooking, travel, and spa/travel adventures of most any sort. She also enjoys volunteer work and has worked in the past with the Melanoma Research Foundation, Greensboro Jaycees, Mobile Meals, Triad Health Project, The MS Society, and MDA to name a few. Felicia is married to David Clayton, and together they have a houseful of pets - 3 dogs and 1 cat - all of whom are rescued.

Felicia Brown can be reached by email at Felicia@Spalutions.com

THIS PROFILE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY THIS MONTH'S SPA PERSON AND IS BEING PRESENTED AS GIVEN TO THE DSA. STATEMENTS AND CLAIMS MADE DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE DAY SPA ASSOCIATION AND WE DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENTS.

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March/April

Larry Donahue is one of the founders, and COO & Corporate Counsel for SpaBoom, the leading provider of Instant Gift Certificate functionality for over 1,700 spas and salons across North America. At SpaBoom, he provides business development, project management, operations and customer service experience and support; helping SpaBoom become one of the fast growing technology companies in the industry.

Larry’s career includes over 18 years of Internet business development and information technology management. Formerly COO and Corporate Counsel for FatCow Web Hosting, Larry managed that company to profitable, triple-digit growth rates and oversaw the sale of FatCow for a higher-than-average valuation.

Prior to FatCow, Larry held leading positions with Baker Robbins & Company, and Leapnet, Inc., and founded Practice.com, Inc. As a seasoned high-tech professional, Larry complements the SpaBoom team with his extensive business management and building experience. His successful track record designing, developing and leading complex IT initiatives for multiple businesses serves as a springboard for designing and deploying SpaBoom’s web-based software and services.

Larry is licensed to practice law in the State of New Mexico, the State of Illinois, is a registered patent attorney, has contributed to multiple Internet-focused publications and has presented on topics associated with cyber communication, the Internet and computer technology, both from a legal and technical standpoint. Larry also serves on the board of directors for the New Mexico Spa Association. Larry appeared on the New Mexico Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 2003 and 2004.

Contact Larry at Larry.Donahue@spaboom.com

THIS PROFILE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY THIS MONTH'S SPA PERSON AND IS BEING PRESENTED AS GIVEN TO THE DSA. STATEMENTS AND CLAIMS MADE DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE DAY SPA ASSOCIATION AND WE DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENTS.

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January/February

Milana Knowles, Vice President, Day Spa Sales And Marketing

Milana Knowles joined SpaFinder in 2006 to head up the marketing and development for SpaFinder's network of 3,500+ global day spa marketing partners.

Prior to joining SpaFinder, Ms. Knowles served as General Manager for Manhattan's Avon Salon & Spa, managing all departments and overseeing all marketing and public relations. In that role, she reorganized the existing business structure while successfully marketing and branding a luxury aspect of the Avon brand. Prior to Avon, she served as a Business and Marketing Consultant for New York's Okeanos, where she created and defined a successful high-end, male-only spa concept. In addition, as Vice President of Development at The Greenhouse Spa, she spearheaded all marketing and branding activities, leading the revitalization of the iconic 42-year-old luxury spa brand. Ms. Knowles started her career as a retail executive in the cosmetic and fragrance industry and first made her transition to the spa industry as the Spa Director for Equinox fitness centers.

Originally from Croatia, Ms. Knowles majored in English and Italian at the University of Liberal Arts in Zagreb. She also attended Universita per Stranieri in Perugia (Italy) and Hexagon University in Reading, U.K. She is a member of several professional organizations, including CEW (Cosmetic Executive Women) and ISPA. Milana and her SpaFinder affiliation has been a member of the Day Spa Association since early 2007.

Milana Knowles can be reached by email at milana.knowles@spafinder.com.

THIS PROFILE HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BY THIS MONTH'S SPA PERSON AND IS BEING PRESENTED AS GIVEN TO THE DSA. STATEMENTS AND CLAIMS MADE DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE DAY SPA ASSOCIATION AND WE DO NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCURACY OF THE CONTENTS.

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SPA PERSON OF THE MONTH ARCHIVE
Year 2000 - 2002 | Year 2003 | Year 2004 | Year 2005 | Year 2006 | Year 2007 | Year 2008

 

 
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PAST NOMINEES OF
SPA PERSON OF A YEAR

Congratulations to
Katie Armitage



for being the Day Spa Association's
2008 SPA PERSON
OF THE YEAR

2008 SPA PERSON OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to

Katie Armitage
2007 SPA PERSON OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to

Skip Williams
2006 SPA PERSON OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to

Douglas Preston
2005 SPA PERSON OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to

Linda-Anne Kahn
2004 SPA PERSON OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to

Peggy Wynne Borgman
2003 SPA PERSON OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to

Ms. Cheryl Sott
2000-2002 SPA PERSON OF THE YEAR
Congratulations to

Mrs. Catherine Atzen