After years of professional-beauty manufacturers' rep firms-sector consolidation and the race to become national (and international), a new, major player is suddenly on the scene in the Midwest and Northeast territories: Coleman-Harrison, a company headed up by rep veterans Charlie Coleman, Tom Harrison and Chris Gunderson.
Coleman and Harrison are the co-principals of the Midwest and Northeast territories of Coleman-Harrison, and Gunderson is their partner in the Northeast, Beauty Store Business has learned
All three have longtime ties to VNC Sales & Marketing. Coleman was the co-principal at VNC Sales & Marketing and worked, among his other duties, the Beauty Systems Group account. Harrison has been the Midwest and Northeast VNC territory manager. Gunderson has worked for VNC in the Northeast.
"We are very proud of our award-winning sales agents and support staff, whose hard work has resulted in a team that is highly respected in our industry," Harrison, Coleman-Harrison Midwest/Northeast managing partner, told BSB.
"Our Dallas and St. Louis [area] offices will continue to operate from the same locations," said Harrison.
Manufacturer reps can represent open and exclusive salon/spa-industry lines as well as other brands and are an important source of merchandise and inventory for professional-products distributors as well as beauty retailers.
What the industry-rocking news of the formation of the new company will mean for distributors, beauty retailers and other rep firms will be played out—with excitement and lots of interest, no doubt—over the coming months and years.
Coleman-Harrison is branding itself as "Beauty Brand Agents."
Harrison stated, "This tagline illustrates an important point of difference that separates us from competitors in our industry. We are sales agents representing the finest brands in the beauty industry [Harrison's emphasis]."
Coleman-Harrison is using a hummingbird for its logo.
"The use of the hummingbird symbol and the powerful story that surrounds it perfectly illustrates our business philosophy," added Harrison.
At the company's website, www.colemanharrison.com—which is a "work in progress," noted Harrison—this statement is under "Grace Meets Tenacity":
- "Ounce for ounce, hummingbirds are the hardest-working animals in nature. They move with purpose, speed and agility—exactly the way Coleman/Harrison brings an experienced, determined approach to clients in the pro beauty industry."
Harrison commented, "Our phone number, fax number, etc., have not changed. However, our email addresses are being updated to utilize colemanharrison.com. The old email addresses are still active, and emails are diverted to the new address if used."
Harrison can be reached at tomh@colemanharrison.com, 972.247.3330 (office phone number), 214.906.8522 (mobile phone number), 972.247.4274 (fax number).
Also, an info@colemanharrison.com email address is listed at the company's website.
[Image courtesy of Coleman-Harrison]