March 2011 - “NEW IDENTITIES HAIR STUDIOS NAMED TO THE SALON TODAY 200 BY SALON TODAY MAGAZINE!”

Tampa, Fl (March 2011) – New Identities Hair Studios of New Tampa & South Shore, owned by Kelly & Marc Rockquemore was named to the SALON TODAY 200 by SALON TODAY Magazine, the top business publication for salon and spa owners. The magazine ’s 14th annual SALON TODAY 200 issue profiled the selected salons in its recent February 2011 issue. The 200 salons were selected for their best business practices from thousands of applications submitted by SALON TODAY readers, who represent the 25,000 top-producing salons and spas in the United States!

The magazine honored applicants in 12 different best practices categories, including Compensation and Benefits, Retention and Referral Programs, Customer Service, Recruitment and Training, Advanced Education, Marketing, Environmental Sustainability, Philanthropy, Retail and Merchandising, Technology, and Sales Growth.

“Our editors recognize that strong business leadership requires the mastery of a number of different best business practices, ” said Stacey Soble, editor-in-chief of Salon Today. “The salons named to the SALON TODAY 200, for 2011 not only proved that they excel in one or more of these areas, they also have created rewarding environments for their staff members, and standout experiences for their clients. Their willingness to share their success offers our readers important business benchmarks and fresh, sales-building ideas. ”

For a salon to be named to the SALON TODAY 200, it had to meet the following criteria: 1) The salon or spa opened on or before January 1, 2008; 2) The salon is a provider of professional salon services; 3) The salon or spa generated annual service and product sales revenues of atleast 250k since 2008; 4) the owner provided statistical information about his / her business and completed atleast one of the Best Practice category essay sections; 5) The applicant submitted documentation to verify financials if he / she competed in the growth category.

In the commemorative January / February issue 2011 issue, SALON TODAY profiled 200 individual salons, although these salons could be honored in one or more category. The 2011 SALON TODAY 200 honored 100 salons in Growth, 26 in Compensation and Benefits, 25 in Retention and Referral Programs, 23 in Customer Service, 21 in Recruitment and Training, 25 in Advanced Education, 25 in Marketing, 27 in Environmental Sustainability, 20 in Philanthropy, 27 in Retail and Merchandising, and 25 in Technology.

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“Hair-Raising Activity”
- published in The Tampa Tribune and TBO.com, Northeast News and Tribune, Wednesday, September 9, 2009, pp12

The staff at New Identities Hair Studios is head over heels about charity. The salon, owned by Kelly & Marc Rockquemore, donated about 125 ponytails this week to support Locks-of-Love, a non-profit, national organization that provides hair pieces to children 18 and younger living with long term hair loss. Employees at both the Rockquemore's salons in Tampa Palms and Riverview participated in the charity event

“New Identities Salon Event Nets 41 Ponytails for Locks of Love!”
- published in New Tampa Neighborhood News, Volume 17, Issue 17, August 21, 2009, page 36

New Identities Hair Studios of Tampa Palms and South Shore are proud to announce the results of a very special recent charity event - a charity hair-cutting event benefiting the Locks of Love organization, held over 2 weekends in August at Brandon Towne Center mall. In total, the staff at New Identities cut off & collected 41 pony tails of 10 inches or longer during the event, in an effort to supply hair pieces for this amazing children's charity (LocksofLove.org). All hair services during the event were complimentary to the public, and together with an additional 83 ponytails New Identities collected over the past few months, brought the grand total to 124 ponytails being donated to Locks-of-Love...

“Salon Attracts New Haircolor Clients by Hosting “A NIGHT OF COLOR” Event”
- published by Beauty Alliance Magazine, July / August 2009

New Identities (New Tampa) hosted a “Night of Color” event at the local pub Peabody’s / The Palms in New Tampa. To get the word out, an article was placed in the University of South Florida newspaper (The Oracle), flyers saturated the university campus and all sororities & fraternities were personally invited. The event was also advertised on Peabody’s website (www.peabodysbilliards.com), Twitter (twitter.com), and Facebook (www.facebook.com).

Hollywood Obsessions, an upscale boutique in International Plaza in Tampa, sponsored the event by providing the wardrobe for the models. The salon colored and styled several models with the latest trends in the industry, and ushered them down the catwalk on Tuesday night, May 19th, 2009. Redken Artist, Brayden Pelletier from Salon 124 in Atlanta (www.salon124.com), kept the crowd alive as the MC alive for the night.

“Buc’s Cheerleaders Invade New Tampa for Another Makeover”
- published in New Tampa Neighborhood News, May 29, 2009, written by Michael Smith, Vol 17, Issue 11

In what has become an annual rite of Spring, The Buc’s Cheerleaders descended upon New Identities Salon in Tampa Palms earlier this month to spend a day being pampered and primped, and to receive the look that will be received by thousands of home-game fans over the course of the season, and even more (although in typically very brief glances) during the team’s televised games.

The makeover also prepares the team for the arduous task of being photographed for the squad’s official calendar, for which they may have to travel to some mundane location such as Hawaii or the Florida Keys, as they have in the past. It’s also a great gig for New Identities Hair Studio’s owners Marc & Kelly Rockquemore, since New Identities has been the Buc’s cheerleading squad’s official style headquarters since 2004. New Identities got the job because the cheerleading coach, Sandy Charboneau, has been a long time client at the salon.

“Buc’s Cheerleaders Get Makeovers”
- TBO.com - May 4, 2009The makeovers at New Identities Hair Studio in Tampa Palms are in preparation for the upcoming swimsuit calendar.

The makeovers at New Identities Hair Studio in Tampa Palms are in preparation for the upcoming swimsuit calendar.

“Local Salon Staff Donates Makeovers”
- published in South Shore News & Tribune, Wed., February 25th, 2009, pp 21, written by Yvette C. Hammett of The Tampa Tribune. This article also published as “Riverview Salon Makeovers Benefit Domestic Violence Victims”, The Tampa Tribune, published February 16th, 2009

New Identities Hair Studios hosted its 5th annual Valentines Day Makeover event donating haircuts & facial makeovers to victims of domestic violence. Laurie Kepler, executive director of Mary & Martha House, a Ruskin shelter for battered women and their children, said the makeovers were more than just skin deep. “I think the reason some woman come to Mary and Martha House, is lack of self esteem, so having a makeover and getting an opportunity to get pampered really makes a big difference to them,” Kepler said.

New Identities Hair Studios - South Shore location is at 10639 Big Bend Road, Riverview, Florida, at the intersection of Big Bend Road & US Hwy 301, in the SweetBay shopping plaza. Residents of The Spring of Tampa Bay & Alpha House of Tampa also receive makeovers from New Identities Hair Studio, at the Tampa Palms location...”

New Identities Hair Studios"
- published in New Tampa Style Magazine, Vol 8, issue 2, pp 18, written by Shannon Dormer

With (2) locations and a variety of services to offer, New Identities Hair Studios specializes in delivering world-class hair services to their guests. After the success of their first location in Tampa Palms, Marc & Kelly Rockquemore opened a 2nd New Identities Hair Studio in the South Shore district in November of 2007. Between the two studios are more than 30 hairstylists, eager to assist their clients who come from as far as Orlando and Ft. Myers or as close as New Tampa.

With their extensive clientele, which includes The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders, New Identities is an award-winning salon whose motto is “your image is our business”. New Identities recently acquired three Master Stylists (Paul & Caron Dombowsky & John Tarsi), formerly of (recently closed) Bostonian Hair Studio. The three stylists have been working in the Tampa Palms area for more than 15 yrs each, and New Identities is excited to welcome them to their already dynamic team...”

“Youngsters Shed Locks Out Of Love... Charter School Student Cut Their Hair For Kids Needing Wigs”
- South Shore News & Tribune, Wed, December 3rd, 2008, pp 3, written by Yvette C. Hammett of The Tampa Tribune.

Abigail Pumphrey’s ponytail, and about a dozen others, will make their way to Locks of Love, a non-profit group that makes wigs for financially disadvantaged, children 17 and younger, who have lost their hair due to disease or medical treatment. The big trim took place on November 25th at Kids Community College Charter School in Riverview Florida, where hundreds of youngsters watched and chanted as the brave took to the chairs, as many relinquished 10 inches of hair (or more) for what they believe to be a noble cause. Tasha McNally & Stacie Ysidro of New Identities Hair Studios cut the hair of the hair of the students, during the event...”

New Identities Hair Studio Listens
- published in Osprey Observer, December 2008, Vol 6, issue 12, written by Kelly Lagg

Stacie Ysidro, a Redken Certified Colorist, moved from the Tampa Palms location to start a new clientele at New Identities Hair Studios South Shore location. Building a new customer base can be difficult”, explains Ysidro, “but what makes New Identities different is the overall culture of the salon.” “We don’t have customers, we have guests,” says Ysidro. “We treat them as if they were a guest in our home.” Ysidro also says that the salon is concerned with more than just a person’s hair.

The company is also concerned with the overall personal wellness of the employees as well as the guests. Ysidro is currently training to be a life coach through a national program that teaches the techniques of active listening. “Our employees have to be unconditionally willing to learn and grow as a person. We promote this type of mentoring program with employees and encourage the staff to participate in community outreach programs such as Alpha House of Tampa, Locks of Love, and The Spring of Tampa Bay...”

“Trendy Head-To-Toe - Taking Your Look To The Next Level”
- published in FOCUS Magazine New Tampa, written by Tasha McNally, October 2008 issue

Hair is the staple to polishing the look we are trying to achieve. The truth is when we are these beautiful fashion models and celebrities, we are not only seeing their clothing trends, accessories & shoes, but whether we realize it or not, hair and makeup are playing a huge part in their overall image...just as they do in ours. We, as hair designers, generally prefer attempt to achieving an entire “look”, as we (in the beauty industry) realize that fashion trends from head-to-toe...

“Fashion Week Tampa Bay Gets on the Calendar”
- published in The Tampa Bay Business Journal, Monday, September 22, 2008

Beginning with a private cocktail party on September 24th, Fashion Week will include 2 runway shows at The Ritz Ybor on September 25th and at The Coliseum in downtown St. Petersburg on Sept. 26th, which will showcase the creations of regional fashion and accessories designers. Proceeds from this event will benefit Best Buddies of Tampa, and YWCA of Tampa Bay.

Fashion Week Tampa Bay team of business people began planning the event early this year. Led by Nancy Vaughn, owner of NAMV Group / White Book Agency, the executives committee includes Charlene McPherson, a real estate agent with Century 21 Rent With Beggins, Sarah Combs, program supervisor at Best Buddies of Tampa, and Aria Broxton, and project manager with WellCare.

Stylists Andrew Ashton of LaPosh Salon, Mark Rockquemore of New Identities Hair Studios, and Albie Mulcahy of VLVT Lounge Salon / Academy will contribute hair and makeup for the event. Mayor Pam Iorio issued a proclaimation Monday to schedule Fashion Week Tampa Bay.