Page 11 - Professional Beauty Association

Professional Beauty Association | 11
onstrated for use. Most events also provide
education and networking opportunities for
professionals, while others help bring na-
tional recognition honoring stylists for cre-
ativity and innovation. Sleeper calls their an-
nual awards programs (the North American
Hairstyling Awards, or NAHA) the “Oscar
Ceremony of the industry.”
Beyond all the planning for orchestrat-
ing those events that benefit professionals,
PBA and its members play a hands-on role
helping people who aren’t in the industry.
This includes partnering in initiatives with
the National Cancer Society. PBA offers
support to patients undergoing chemother-
apy by providing hair, make-up and beauty
tips as they cope with that difficult period.
Sleeper notes, “There are some 40,000 men
and women who are patients, our goal is to
help them feel a little better about them-
selves as they cope with cancer treatment.”
Another program of support is called,
“CUT IT OUT,” an initiative that helps
beauty professionals identify victims of do-
mestic abuse. Professionals assist in report-
ing such abuse and also help provide infor-
mation on helpful resources for those who
are victims.
In terms of other victims, PBA has also
been very busy recently offering help to East
Coast professionals impacted by Hurricane
Sandy. Sleeper says a disaster relief fund was
established and is currently helping disperse
funds to those most severely affected by the
storm.
What is at the root of their charitable
service is the same that is at the root of the in-
dustry – people. Sleeper says products come
and go, styles come and go, “but this is a peo-
ple industry, with a lot of history, served by a
lot of family-run businesses who also have a
rich heritage of giving back to their commu-
nities.”
He says while the public policy work,
program development and event organizing
can sometimes be likened to “a 3-ring Circus”
all still comes down to “people serving peo-
ple… helping to make their customers look
good and feel good.” And as much as stylists
focus on making their clients look good and
feel good, PBA is striving to do the same for
its members.