An entrepreneur who has helped thousands of women fund and start their own businesses, Dermalogica founder Jane Wurwand was recognized in June 2016 as a PAGE (Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship) Entrepreneurial Ambassador. United States President Barack Obama made the announcement at the 7^th Annual Global Economic Summit held in Palo Alto, CA, in front of entrepreneurs and investors from around the world. Wurwand was one of four new Ambassadors welcomed into the program, which now boasts 21 members overall.

Established in 2014, the PAGE initiative is a first-of-its-kind collaboration between celebrated American entrepreneurs, the White House, the State Department, and the Department of Commerce, to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs both in the USA and abroad. Each PAGE Ambassador lends their platform, time, and leadership to support entrepreneurship and commit to a signature initiative to further that aim.  Wurwand was chosen to represent this prestigious program thanks to the work she has done through Dermalogica’s FITE (Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship) initiative which empowers women and girls through education, vocational training, and entrepreneurship opportunities worldwide.

Wurwand is a seasoned entrepreneur, establishing the International Dermal Institute (IDI) together with her husband and partner Raymond Wurwand, in 1983 as a way for skin care professionals to further their education and better secure their financial future. Recent immigrants unable to get a bank loan, the Wurwands self-funded the company; today, there are 38 IDIs worldwide, and the brand has supported more than 100,000 professional skin therapists, many of whom have started their own businesses within the skin care industry. They launched Dermalogica in 1986 which is today the global leader in professional skin care.

In 2011, Dermalogica continued its mission to support women’s financial independence through the launch of FITE, which provides women with access to small loans and business resources. FITE also supports educational efforts for women and girls as well as local initiatives that allow them to highlight important issues in their communities. Since its launch, FITE has assisted more than 75,000 women worldwide.

“It is an incredible honor to be given this platform to support entrepreneurship in the United States and around the world,” Wurwand said. “I’ve seen first-hand how giving women the opportunity to follow their dreams can spark a chain reaction that not only changes her life, but the lives of the people around her. The salon industry is a blueprint for entrepreneurial success and women own 64% of all salons globally as compared to 32% in any other business’ sector. With the support of the PAGE program I am confident that we can help even more women access education and resources that will help them succeed as an entrepreneur, benefitting her community – and our economy – as a whole.

About Dermalogica:Dermalogica® revolutionized the skin care industry when it launched into the marketplace in 1986 with innovative formulations, which excluded common irritants, including SD alcohol, lanolin, mineral oil and artificial colors and fragrances. Co-founder Jane Wurwand developed the products to better support the advanced curriculum she had developed a few years earlier for The International Dermal Institute, which she also co-founded. Wurwand led the company’s growth from an idea to the world’s most-requested professional skin care brand, which is today sold in over 100 countries worldwide. In 2011, Wurwand established FITE (Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship) Dermalogica’s social impact initiative to support women entrepreneurs around the world start and grow businesses so they can support their families and communities at large. Dermalogica® products are made in the USA; the company’s global operations are based in Carson, CA, just south of Los Angeles. To learn more, visit www.dermalogica.com, www.dermalinstitute.com, or www.joinfite.org.