Stylists can stand shoulder to shoulder with us while we care for our everyday guests, learning our approaches, techniques, ideas and philosophies of our success they can incorporate into their own successes in their salon. I have always felt if it works for them, and I like the outcome.

About a year ago when Paul Dykstra and Frank Gironda invited me, on behalf of Cosmetologists Chicago, to be involved with the Color America event, I thought, "what a great opportunity to learn from friends." So when we sat down in New York to discuss Color America, the idea of getting successful friends who own salons or train the teams of great salons and friends who understand the struggles we all have everyday was appealing. That’s who I want to learn from. How about YOU?

So with a date locked in and the idea of getting together an amazing group of artists on the same stage who have never worked together before, we knew this would be so helpful to learn from so many different successful industry leaders in one place.

So, I picked up the phone and called my friend James Edick, Color Director for Nick Arrojo at Arrojo Studio in NYC and a Wella artist. I just didn’t realize that when he answered his cell he would be in Sweden with his wife and daughter.

So then I called someone whose work has always blown me away for the balance, placement, beauty and amazing images—John Simpson. I instantly knew that I would learn a lot from John, the salon owning, 2008 NAHA HairColorist of the Year and Goldwell Artist.

My friend and fellow Matrix family member Chrystofer Benson was the first person who said he would do Color America. Chrystofer is Logics Artistic Director for Matrix and the weekend before he had just been named 2010 NAHA HairColorist of the Year.

Kelly Cardenas, I have known the longest. I had the chance many times to meet Kelly and share venues with him. But we were always on different stages, usually at the same time, which meant I never had the chance to learn directly from Kelly and with two successful salons in two different cities I was so excited when he said yes.

So with an amazing line up of friends, celebrity colorists and stylists, we are so proud to share with you at COLOR AMERICA on October 3 and 4 in Oak Brook, Illinois. Don’t miss this one-time opportunity to learn not just how James, John, Chrys and Kelly are successful, get the chance to understand WHY they are and learn about them so you’ll have new friends to learn from.


Patrick McIvor is the artistic color director with Matrix – the leading professional haircare and haircolor company in the United States and part of the L’Oreal USA Professional Products Division. He owns patrick mcivor color studio (Bethlehem, PA) and studio two (Allentown, PA) – the two hottest hair studios in the Lehigh Valley. As one of the most respected colorists in the industry, McIvor mentors his team by involving them in runway work at New York Fashion Week; fashion/beauty editorial shoots and interviews with publications like Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Real Simple, Seventeen, Family Circle and Allure (editors named him best colorist in the USA); and television segments on “The 10! Show”/NBC Channel 10, WFMZ “Channel 69 News” and “Good Housekeeping Reports.” His studio provides stellar hair services inspired by international cosmopolitan influences such as fashion, cultural and global trends. In other words, guests leave with beautiful, sexy believable hair. McIvor is also featured in the book “50 Hairstylists.”