Monique Iacobacci

Monique developed a passion for the Spa, Beauty and Wellness industry at an early age while working for family and has devoted her entire 16 year career to it ever since.
 
Headed straight into the then untapped territory after graduating from High School, she immediately became a New Jersey State licensed Cosmetologist and graduated from Christine Valmy School of Esthetics in New York City.
Following her graduation her career has been a remarkable journey and has lead her in many different and amazing directions .Advancing her skills in the field of para-medical esthetic, she began working with well-known, respected Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons, and became the National Educator for Rose Skin Care Microdermabrasion Systems.
Throughout her career she has been featured in a variety of publications such as Bridal Magazine, interviewed by Day Spa Magazine, Skin Inc. Magazine, Spa 20/20, and is a contributing author of two consumer publications, “Spa Basics, A Consumer Guide to Day Spa Services” and “Wake-Up, Live the Life You Love … in Beauty”.
She has successfully consulted in numerous business enhancement projects for day spas on the US East Coast in the areas of conceptual design, hands–on training and curriculum, policy and procedure manuals, sales and marketing strategies, and website design.
Her involvement with the Day Spa Association started in 2000 and has engaged her in educational panel discussions, speaking at trade shows; being nominated to the DSA Board of Advisors chairing the Charity and Events Committee, and was appointed Spa Person of the Month April 2005. She is also an active member of the NJ Metro Beauty Advisory Council.
Monique’s last corporate position was working for a national Spa and Health Club management d company, managing Experience Life Spa in the Financial District of Jersey City, New Jersey. Her expertise was focused on Spa Operations and cultivating their Corporate Wellness Component. Her creation and implementation of a “Corporate Employee Wellness Program” has influenced and served numerous Fortune 500 Companies such as Dow Jones, N.Y., Pershing Corporation, and Citi Group.
Her latest endeavor is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Non-profit organization SPAcare, the industries first organized charitable resource. Her goal is to unify and support the Philanthropic efforts of the Spa, Wellness and Medical communities. Recently she was the proud recipient of SPAcare’s coveted “Healing Hearts Award”, and is also recognized for her consulting work with various charitable organizations such as Battered Women’s Shelters, Dress for Success, The Hudson County Chapter of The American Cancer Societies “Look Good feel Better” program. She is presently working on SPAcare’s “Healthy Skin Campaign 2008” in collaboration with The Melanoma Research foundations
Monique is also pursuing to obtain her BA in Business at Essex County College in West Caldwell NJ.

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

Stephen M. Schleicher, MD   Bio

Dr. Schleicher brings over twenty years of experience in the field of dermatology. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Rutgers University, received his medical degree with academic honors from the Hahnemann Medical College and completed his dermatology residency at the Temple Skin and Cancer Hospital. The author of two books and over fifty journal articles, Dr. Schleicher serves on the Medical Board of Emergency Medicine magazine and has co-hosted the cable television show, Skin Sense, and the radio show, Speaking of Your Skin.  Founder and director of the DermDx Centers for Dermatology, he has travelled throughout Europe investigating skin care products as a consultant to the health and beauty industries. A pioneer in the field of teledermatology, his medical columns are viewed on a monthly basis by over 150,000 family practitioners. With offices in northeastern Pennsylvania, Dr. Schleicher is clinical instructor of dermatology at Kings College and Arcadia University.

Prior to entering the spa industry Rosemary had a distinguished career as a nurse and as the Vice President of operations and a partner/owner of a Fortune 500 national health care cost containment company. She used her medical background and business acumen in developing the policies, procedures, treatments, culture, and philosophy that are the cornerstone of The Brass Rose and a model for the industry.

Rosemary has a long standing commitment and is no stranger to quality professional standards.
During her nursing career she served on the Professional Standards Advisory Board of the State Medical
Society. She was Vice President of the Central New Jersey Professional Review Organization, a federal
program that monitored the standards and quality of care for all Medicare patients and the hospitals within
four counties in New Jersey.

During her nursing career, she also served on the Governors’ Health Care Financing Task Force for New
Jersey and was a consultant to the New Jersey Hospital Association and numerous hospitals and medical
societies throughout the US, with respect to quality assurance standards and programs. She conducted
national seminars on the subject of cost containment and quality care and authored two books on the
subject of quality assurance and health care financing. She was the keynote speaker for the U.S.
Department of Health and Human Resources national conference on Medicare funding of health care and
quality assurance issues.

In addition to the DSA Advisory Board, Rosemary currently serves on the advisory board of several
esthetic schools and is a member of the Northwest New Jersey Beauty Advisory Council .

Rosemary Weiner may be reached by email at
rose@rtonline.net

Skip Williams, the author of “The Reluctant Spa Director and the Mission Dream”, and the recipient of the Spa Person of the Year award for 2006, is a recognized speaker and author in the spa arena, with over thirteen (13) years of experience in the Management, Financial Development & Operational fields, mostly in the Spa and Hospitality Industry as Spa Director, Controller and Business project Consultant.  He brings his previous years of analytical business experience in a broad variety of manufacturing, retail and service businesses to studying Resort Spas, Day Spas, Medical Spas, Wellness Centers, and Salons: their profitability, how they operate, and what makes them successful.

Mr. Williams has been involved in the development of well over 400 Spas throughout the US, Canada, and the Caribbean working with owners, planners, operators and potential owners. His approach is to study, analyze, educate, implement and cultivate both small and large-scale projects.

Well known for his a unique Computerized Business Model called "Build-A-Spa" that allows financial analyses and feasibility studies, he has taken Spa business modeling to new heights with “Financial Blueprint™ Feasibility Consulting.”  

Mr. Williams’ experience as a Spa Director and his direct involvement in various capacities in the opening of several Day and Resort Spas results in a combination of expertise and experience beneficial to any organization. In addition he is very active in the continuous education efforts and research in the industry.  He presently sits on the advisory board, for the Day Spa Association where he contributes time to our industry through published studies and education.

Mr. Williams has been a recognized contributor to trade journals such as Spa Management, Dermascope, Les Nouvelle Esthetique and Dermasthetic.  Additionally he has participated as a speaker-educator for Spacifically, International Congress of Esthetics, Face & Body, and Day Spa Expo educational programs.  Professional and consulting experience includes, but is not limited to such companies as; Mount View Spa, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, H.E.A.T. Spa-Kur Therapy Development Inc, Mirbeau Inn & Spa, Spa Hibiscus at Embassy Suites, Waters Edge Medical Spa and The Lodge at Eagles Nest.

Skip Williams can be reached by email at skip@vom.com

Keith West-Harrison, Chair/Membership
Spa Enrichment Strategies

Keith West-Harrison, an extremely successful and versatile man who wears many hats, Keith West-Harrison has aspired to greatness in an array of entrepreneurial businesses. Through a series of life events, West-Harrison has become an accomplished esthetician, motivational coach and trainer on wellness and healthy living standards. Today, he is internationally respected as "The Wellness Guru."

Keith West-Harrison was born and raised in Ohio. At a young age, West-Harrison knew that he wanted to be successful by doing what made him happy in life. Keith attended a cosmetology school and received his esthetician license at the age of 18 before he went on to study business management strategies at the University of Indiana in Evansville. He graduated with a major in journalism and a minor in marketing and PR. During his time at Evansville, Keith met André, his future business and life partner.

Personally driven and motivated, Keith jumped right into TV advertising research. This amazing opportunity taught Keith West-Harrison the science behind marketing. He learned about the essential building blocks to build namebrand awareness and how to measure it from consumer behaviors. Although this job was everything a young professional could imagine, Keith was not fully satisfied. He knew he could accomplish more. Through an acquaintance with Shara Mitchell, the president of Financial Finesse and now the current go-to financial budgeter for Spa Enrichment Strategies, Keith received a job in the credit card division. During his time there, he witnessed internal layoffs which kept him bouncing from one division to the next. With the uncertainty of having a job the next day, Keith realized he didn't want to rely on the corporate world. Thus, his series of businesses began.

West-Harrison's first entrepreneurial success in Indiana began with Canine Confections, an innovative gourmet dog treat boutique. In 1997, during a honeymoon getaway Keith and André fell in love with New Orleans, closed ‘Canine Confections' and purchased the Old Victorian Inn to run a historical bed and breakfast. "We like to cook, we like people, we were definitely happy with the Inn," noted Keith. However, after the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and the Pentagon, sales dropped as a result of people not traveling. That's when Keith knew he needed another source of income and the idea of Miss Celie's Spa began. In December of 2001, the Inn was converted to the spa and opened strictly for business yet was a big influence on Keith's future career as "The Wellness Guru.' One hotel room became a three room spa, which tripled the income for the space.

In 2004, the West-Harrison's signed a contract with AOL Small Businesses to participate in an online reality show about their business decisions with the Old Victorian Inn and Miss Celie's Spa. The AOL video crew followed Keith and documented his business choices. Working as a ‘trial by fire' approach, the reality show took off and highlighted the ‘DO NOTS' of the entrepreneurial world. One of which is when Keith decided to open a smoke-free coffee shop in 2004 called the VooBrew. This unique coffee shop followed the same theme as ‘Miss Celie's Spa,' Voo Doo. Being in New Orleans with all the wonderful history, Keith took it and ran with it. Creating specialty drinks and facial treatments named after historical events, people and rituals. "During this experience, I learned a valuable lesson. Pick something and focus all of your love and attention to it. That way it will be the best it can be!" notes West-Harrison. By 2004, Keith successfully became a serial entrepreneur as he simultaneously ran a bed and breakfast, a spa and a coffee shop. Yet, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina took all of their hard work away within moments. "I lost everything I worked for! I now look back and see how wonderful this experience was for my own personal growth. I realized I didn't need to rely on physical belongings," notes West-Harrison.

Five weeks after the Hurricane Katrina, Keith and André returned to gather what was left of their business. AOL wanted to sign them on to feature their unusual success story for another year. The West-Harrison motivation and drive to become successful took full force as the two moved to California to work for Preston Inc. AOL continued to document Keith during the move and the beginning of his new career. Working with Preston as their key consultant and educator for private label professional skincare product sales, Keith focused on a personal approach to help each of their clients. "When I first started going to trade shows, I realized there was so much more than just providing great quality products. It involved training the staff, educating them on the special benefits of their product ingredients , marketing and finding the right type of clients for your spa. Keith knew his next step was to begin a more effective program for personally consulting with owners and staffs on all areas of how to successfully manage their skincare and spa businesses.

Keith has recently launched Spa Enrichment Strategies, where he is the CEO - Chief Enrichment Officer. Something special he brings to the table, is his own personal experiences. He readily shares his wisdom while enhancing the client's self confidence. West-Harrison offers his spa clients a defined ‘360° Approach'. His staff is trained to help all aspects of running a spa business from financial management, marketing and operations to training them on the latest medical trends and product selection. One of the latest medical breakthroughs Keith is standing behind is Suracell, a new medical program focused on anti-aging therapies through DNA. Spa Enrichment Strategies is also a sponsor for CARE organization. West-Harrison believes strongly in ending poverty and empowering women. CARE is a world-renowned humanitarian organization that works in over 65 developing countries to fight global poverty.

Keith West-Harrison is a sought after motivational speaker on lifestyle enhancement and healthy-aging across the globe. A skincare expert since 1989, his focus has been on blending 5,000 year old Native America, African and Auyervedic beliefs into a system that enhances modern wellness practices. His studies in world wellness rituals earned him a Doctor of Divinity degree. Keith has been appointed Esthetics Director at several of the industry's leading resort and wellness facilities. As a respected ‘Celebrity Esthetician', his expertise in products and ingredients lead him to work with top celebrities like Carmen Diaz, Justin Timberlake, Jennifer Lopez and Estevan. His expertise and knowledge have brought him recognition through many publications such as Spa Management, Small Business Success, American Spa and AOL Small Business.

Keith West-Harrison can be reached by email at keithwestharrison@mac.com

Monte Zwang, Chair/Research & Study Committee
Wellness Capital Management

Monte co-founded Wellness Capital Management in 2005 to enable business owners to achieve the delicate balance between providing their clients exceptional customer service while being true to their goal of business profitability.  Since the inception of Wellness Capital Management, Zwang has developed budgets, feasibility studies and financial strategies for day spa and salon operators, physicians, wellness center owners and body workers. He has also assisted in debt restructuring, real estate transactions and leases. Zwang has taught business valuation and cash flow management workshops at regional banks, the Day Spa Expo (DSE), International Esthetics, Cosmetics and Spa Conference (IECSC) and International Spa Association (ISPA) Conference and Expo.

Monte Zwang has been a business, operational and financial consultant for more than 25 years, teaching entrepreneurs and company leaders in real estate, food and beverage, resorts and hotels, and retail industries the strategies of cash flow management.  He has significant experience working with proprietors of day spas, salons and medical practices. 

As Managing Partner of Steele Development Corporation between 1991 and 2005, Zwang personally managed the financial strategies of hundreds of businesses. Steele Development Corporation is a financial consultancy that specializes in the cash flow management and business strategies for businesses in a distressed financial condition. Debt and tax negotiation, financial restructure, financing and business management were areas of specialization. Monte has sourced and placed tens of millions of dollars in financing for clients needing operating lines of credit, long term debt, business start-up capital and real estate acquisitions.  Monte's experience in financial analysis and business turnaround strategies has enabled businesses in many different industries a fresh start and clear direction towards profitability. 

As a consultant in the Leisure Times Industry division of Laventhol and Horwath CPA, Zwang performed market research, business feasibility studies and loan documents for hospitality and mixed use retail projects.

Monte is a graduate of the University of Denver. He is an active member of the Day Spa Association and International Spa Association.

Monte Zwang can be reached by email at Monte@WellnessCapital.com