The International SalonSpa Business Network honored Gordon Logan, CEO/founder of Sport Clips Haircuts and ISBN past president (2008-2012), with its 2016 Lifetime Achievement Award during ISBN’s 2016 conference, which was themed, “Humanology.” The conference took place May 22-24, with the award presented on Monday morning at the Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Logan has volunteered his time and talents to ISBN for more than two decades, serving in a leadership role and currently chairing ISBN’s government relations committee.
In those roles, Logan has led ISBN through major industry transitions and cultivated deep working relationships with key players in the professional beauty industry, as well as with outstanding local and regional operators. Together, they are creating a united front to address the challenges faced by the industry: licensing de-regulation, gainful employment criteria for schools and inconsistent standards that make it difficult for some stylists to move from state to state, to name a few. Logan has pushed the professional beauty industry to become more involved in the political process and to pro-actively present solutions to those challenges that make sense for our industry and for the public.
As the founder and CEO of Sport Clips Haircuts, Logan was far ahead of the curve, pioneering a brilliant concept in which men and boys can enjoy their grooming experience. That has contributed to the major resurgence in barbering and men’s grooming that the industry—and men—enjoy today.
“There is no greater honor than to receive ISBN’s Lifetime Achievement Award from my friends and associates,” says Logan. “To be in the same company as Chuck Penzone, Henry Pelusi and Sy Finkelstein is humbling, to say the least. I am honored to have served on the ISBN board for 12 years and as president for four. This is the icing on the cake! I plan to continue to work for and with ISBN to help us meet the challenges we face, and I am confident that we will be successful. The future of our professional salon industry depends on it!”
Logan adds, “I have been active in ISBN since the early 1990s, when it was known as the International Chain Salon Association…and many still think of us that way! I cherish the friendships that I have been fortunate enough to develop over the years, and the lessons learned from the accomplished members who are so willing to share have been a boost to my career and my ability to build Sport Clips into the dominant system it is today, with more than 1,500 locations in all 50 states and 5 provinces in Canada.”
Logan continues, “The future has never been brighter for ISBN. Our industry needs our leadership to deal with the many challenges we are facing today, at all levels. No other organization represents salons and spas that employ as many stylists as ISBN members—easily more than 200,000! Cosmetology schools are under attack on a number of fronts, and they need our support to survive and thrive. It is in our mutual best interests to work together to ensure our industry is regulated in a thoughtful manner that provides opportunities for so many young people, while protecting the health and safety of the public. There are many battles to be fought, and I promise that ISBN will be in the forefront, leading the way.”
Rhoda Olsen, ISBN’s president and CEO of Great Clips, Inc., is a big fan. “Gordon has an unwavering commitment to the professional beauty industry and has worked tirelessly on behalf of all of us,” she says. “Even though we are competitors in the marketplace, he helped me to understand the common issues we face and how important it is that we work together. And as we have worked together, we have become great friends and continually learn from one another.”
Changing the Landscape
In the early 1990s, Logan recognized the huge potential and relative lack of competition in the men’s and boys’ haircut market. To take advantage of the opportunity, he assembled a top management team and developed the unique Sport Clips Haircuts concepts, which included groundbreaking new haircutting systems, specific operating procedures and marketing programs designed to capitalize on this large, underserved market. With his many years of franchising experience, he and his wife Bettye (herself a stylist) designed the concept and got it up and running within a remarkably short time. Sport Clips’ rapid, yet controlled growth, has become a textbook example of how to do things right. In April 2016, he opened the company’s 1,500th store in his hometown of Sumter, SC.
Prior to opening Sport Clips, Logan owned and operated salons throughout Texas. Since 2011, he has served on the VFW Foundation Board, which directs the charitable efforts of the VFW for active-duty service men and women and veterans. He was elected to the board of the International Franchise Association in 2013 and is the immediate past chairman of the IFA VetFran committee. He also served on the Board of Visitors for Southwestern University from 2010 to 2013. In 2015, Logan was named an EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Central Texas, Vetreprerneur of the Year and an Austin Business Journal Best CEO Award winner for 2015.
“The work we have been able to do with the VFW has made a major impact on many lives,” says Logan. “For many years, Sport Clips has funded most of the free phone calls home for troops overseas and in hospitals, which means so much to the troops and their families back home. We are now funding scholarships for veterans transitioning from the military to civilian careers and have awarded 400 scholarships the past three years. Our Sport Clips Relief Fund has awarded over $500,000 in grants to our team members who suffer unforeseen tragedies such as illness, accidents, tornadoes and floods.
Prior to becoming a salon owner, Logan served as an Aircraft Commander in the U.S. Air Force (1969 to1976), after which he worked as a financial planning and control consultant with Price Waterhouse & Co. in Houston (1976 to 1980). He is a graduate of MIT (BS, 1968) and The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania (MBA with Honors, 1976). He is also a retired CPA in Texas.
While he already has been honored by every organization and industry he’s served, Logan says he’s having too much fun to slow down…too much. “Franchising is especially rewarding, in that we are able to provide a framework for our franchisees, a proven business system that can help them achieve their lifestyle and financial goals,” he explains. “Providing career opportunities for stylists gives me great satisfaction, and we honor long-term team members who are the heart and soul of Sport Clips.”
Logan adds, “In addition, I am fortunate that I have an outstanding leadership team in place that can and will carry on the good works we have initiated long after I’m gone. I’m very fortunate that my son Gordon Edward Logan is actively involved with Sport Clips as our vice president of operations, and I am confident that he will be a great leader for many years to come. He is also working with his wife Christy and his mother Bettye to develop our new sister brand, Vent Blotique Blow-Dry Bars. We launched this new concept last year in the Austin, Texas area. After thorough testing, we now have two more under construction in Las Vegas and expect they’ll soon be up and running across the country. It’s so rewarding for Bettye and me to be working with our family. It’s a great bond-builder for all of us and it’s a ton of fun to see them grow, develop and do so well.”
ISBN members share their admiration:
“As Willie Nelson wrote, ‘My heroes have always been cowboys.’ As a kid, one of my life dreams was to be a cowboy. Being a doctor, lawyer or super-rich seemed boring when most of my heroes wore cowboy hats. It only seems fitting my hero and beauty industry legend Gordon Logan proudly wears the hat.”—Pat Neville, ISBN Vice President and CEO, Beautyfirst-Beautystudio
“When I think of Gordon Logan, the first words that come to mind are Honesty, Integrity, Loyalty and Philanthropy. We first met at ISBN and he convinced me to return to the board of trustees when he became president. I always admired his ability to move things forward with humility and patience, and I have been a fan ever since. The fact we are now on the same team (at Sport Clips) is a direct result of us working together for ISBN.” —Mark Kartarik, president, Sport Clips Haircuts
“Gordon has dedicated most of his professional life to the beauty industry. He has contributed much beyond that of building his own successful chain of barbershops. Gordon touches all aspects of the business in a positive manner and has been the leader in the hair industry for the past decade, and he is highly worthy recipient of this honor. On a personal note, as a young entrepreneur in the hair industry, I met Gordon Logon about 15 years ago. Immediately he was engaging and helpful, had a sincere desire to see me succeed and became a great mentor for me. Gordon is an incredible businessperson, industry advocate and a true gentleman. I cannot think of a better role model in my career.” —Jason J. Volk, president & CEO, Chatters Limited Partnership
“Gordon is not only one of the smartest men I know, he cares about others and the professional beauty industry. He is always available to talk with any multi-unit salon company executive and will give an honest opinion and sage advice. His success is legendary and well-deserved.”—Larry Walt, president, Design 1 Salon/Spa
“Gordon has been such a rock and foundation for ISBN! We can only recall one time in which he had to miss a few days...and in stepped ‘cut-out’ Gordon to take his place! LOL! His character is of the highest quality and brings to mind words like integrity, dedication and commitment. He has picked up the torch many times to help lead important causes and projects for our industry. We feel very blessed to call him a friend.” —Debra and Charles Penzone, Charles Penzone Inc.
“Gordon has been a tremendous influence on me personally and on my business, as well as a great leader and representative of the salon profession. Gordon is a man of action and not words; his tireless work to improve and professionalize our industry is unsurpassed through his work on government relations and his outstanding leadership as president of ISBN—all while growing Sport Clips to one of the most well-respected brands in the U.S. Congrats Gordon on the 2016 ISBN Lifetime Achievement Award. A man of great integrity, who happens to have some really cool cars. I am honored to call him a colleague and friend.” —Philip Gould, president, Gould's Salons/Spas and Gould's Academy
“As president and ISBN board member, Gordon has provided solid direction and growth, and has maintained the professionalism and integrity of the Association.”—Henry Pelusi, Studio of Elegance/Philip Pelusi Salons
“Congratulations Gordon on being honored with the 2016 ISBN Lifetime Achievement Award! Your contributions to the ISBN and the professional salon industry as a whole have been enormous, but more importantly, your proven systems and value-based approach to business have enabled you to enhance the lives and financial well-being of thousands of salon professionals.”—Peter Mahoney, president, Summit Salon Business Centre, Salon Consultants International Inc and Salon Resource Group
“A classic Gordon story: When we first met, he was telling me about a 1928 Packard his dad had. Later in life, he searched out that car, bought it and had it restored in tribute to his dad. He’s honest, sincere, kind and, above all, real.”—Anthony Fiorentino, CEO, Hello Gorgeous! Salons
ISBN’s Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to the ISBN member who has provided leadership to the association, for multi-unit salon and spa companies and to the professional beauty industry as a whole. Previous honorees include Charles Penzone, founder of Charles Penzone Grand Salons and Day Spas, who brought the day spa concept to the Heartland; Carlton Whitaker, executive vice president of Mitchell’s Hairstyling and Day Spas; Henry Pelusi, vice president/owner of Philip Pelusi Salons; Phyllis Jones and her late husband Clayton Jones, co-founders of Fiesta Salons; Seymour Finkelstein who created the no-appointment salon concept at Glemby; and Mark Lorick (his father was a founder of the International Chain Salon Association, which became ISBN) and Gayrie P. Case, LaMarick Beauty System.
The International SalonSpa Business Network is where business gets done by multi-unit salon and spa companies and their vendor partners. To join ISBN, to sponsor the 2016 conference or to learn more about the association, contact Valorie Reavis, executive director, at valorie@salonspanetwork.org. To register for conference, visit salonspanetwork.org.
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