DAY SPA ASSOCIATION'S ANNUAL AWARDS

Katie Armitage (left) celebrates her Spa Person of the Year Award with DSA founder Hannelore Leavy.

The Day Spa Association (DSA) and the International Medical Spa Association celebrated the 2008 Spa Person of the Year Award at the Bentley International Group's Day Spa Expo & Business Forum. The award went to Katie Armitage, president of Associated Skin Care Professionals and executive director of Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals. The winner is selected from past Spa Persons of the Month based on his or her contributions to the day spa industry as well as the local environment. "We are delighted and proud to have this very special award of distinction as an important part of our conference," says director of the Bentley International Group for the Day Spa Expo Show Shane O'Sheeran. "The winners are acknowledged by their peers and prominently promoted for their honors." The DSA also honored Miriam L. Lytle of the Wolf Mountain Day Spa (Grass Valley, CA) with the 2008 Distinguished Day Spa Award for the spa's efforts to increase breast cancer awareness in the local community.

Essie Wins InStyle Awards

Essie was recently honored with seven wins in the nailcare category in InStyle magazine's 2008 "Best Beauty Buys." Essie's Pansy and Exposure polishes won in the Best Pinks category; Mademoiselle and Allure won in the Best Neutrals category; Wicked won in the Best Darks category; Canyon Coral won in the Best Corals category; and A-List won in the Best Reds category.

CND Announces Memorial Award Winner

Juan Gutierrez, accounting administrator at CND, was recently presented with the fourth annual Mary Nordstrom Memorial Award. The award is presented each year to the CND employee who embodies the true spirit of the beloved matriarch Mary Nordstrom, who was responsible for creating a family vibe in the CND workplace.

MASSAGE THERAPY FOUNDATION AWARDS PRACTITIONERS

Jennifer Zalta from Jackson, WY, won the gold award in the Massage Therapy Foundation's Practitioner Case Report Contest. The contest encourages massage therapists and bodyworkers to demonstrate their research skills and knowledge about massage. Zalta won for her report, "Orthopedic Massage Protocol for Post-ACL Reconstruction Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome." She received $2,500, a chance to present her research at the American Massage Therapy Association National Convention in September, and a $1,000 stipend to attend the convention. Her case report will also be published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies. The silver award went to Kim LeMoon of Highland Park, NJ, and Karen Varney of Annapolis, MD, won bronze.

NCEA Awards Esthetics Student

The National Coalition of Estheticians, Manufacturers/Distributors & Associations (NCEA) Scholarship Program offered a $1,000 scholarship from the Society of Dermatology Skincare Specialists to Monica McGregor, graduate of Xenon International Academy (Wichita, KS). The American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS) has also partnered with the NCEA for continuing education in esthetics. Students are able to receive a $1,000 scholarship, one recipient per school, as long as the school is a member of the AACS.