Amy Hillard Makes Her Exit From Fashion Fair
Another change for Johnson Publishing Company as Fashion Fair, President Amy Hilliard has resigned, exiting the Johnson Publishing cosmetics company less than two years into the job.
Quoted in Crain’s Johnson Publishing CEO Desiree Rogers said, “I’m very excited about the new team that I’m putting in place. Our sales in the past two months have been moving in the right direction.”
She said that the company wouldn’t hire a new president however she will focus more of her time on the business, along with other top executives she promoted last Tuesday, effective Wednesday..”
Ms. Rogers also acknowledged that 2015 revenue for the company would not exceed that of last year. She did not offer specifics on revenue or profits for the privately held company.
Ms. Hilliard, leaves a 42-year-old iconic brand that has brought Black life in to Black homes around the world since its early beginning.
Dr Carol Adams said, Ebony introduced and exposed me to Africa. It’s connection to Fashion Fair Cosmetics was a natural because of the Fashion show that enabled Black organizations to raise money by selling subscriptions.”
In more recent years the brand that has struggled to hold its mainstream appeal amongst the growing competition and constant change in the publishing industry. Ms. Hillard was appointed to the top post at the Chicago-based cosmetics company in February 2014, but has had a low public profile since then. Hillard has left the company already, however her last day officially is Dec. 24.
The brainchild of Johnson Publishing Company, Eunice Johnson wife of John Johnson, Founder, of Fashion Fair was created in 1973 to cater to “women of color. ” The timing was perfect because other American beauty companies were less interested in the women of color. Today, however,because of the money spent by women outside of the the narrow lines initially created most rivals court all women and have developed diversified product lines for that effort.
Crain’s reported that Rogers said, the company began to resolve some of the problems last week by eliminating about 15 percent of the brand’s products that have the lowest sales. “We’re making fixes to the business,” she said, noting that she’s “bullish” about 2016.
Rogers said recent promotions will elevate executives with extensive experience in the industry. Fashion Fair is promoting Karyn Pettigrew to executive vice president, from her current role as director of marketing, and Marcelle Burke to director of sales, from her role as account executive, to manage the brand’s retail relationships. The company also said the vice president of sales, Chris Thomas, is departing.
Happy New Year Johnson Publishing Company!
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