During the 2015-17 period, Jones, serving as Convener and Board member, forged an alliance between leading global multicultural health and beauty care industry competitors to create the Global Beauty Alliance (GlobalBeautyAlliance.com), which represents the combined voice of the Multicultural Beauty Category.

Prior to this, At two Chicago minority-owned powerhouses --Johnson Publishing Company (Fashion Fair Cosmetics, Ebony magazine) and Johnson Products Company (Ultra Sheen, Gentle Treatment) he served as VP and General Manager before Founding and serving as President of the American Health and Beauty Aids Institute (AHBAI). He created the highly successful Orville Redenbacher Gourmet Popping Corn and Hunt’s Manwich strategies at ConAgra and served Procter & Gamble, Kraft, General Mills and Unilever as a sales and marketing executive. Jones is a beauty industry thought leader and decades long magazine columnist for Beauty Industry Reports, CosmoBiz, OTC Beauty, Sophisticates Black Hair care, Beauty Times and publisher of Urban Call Custom publications.

Dennis Richelieu has recently been named to the Fast Company 2017 Most Creative People list, recognized in the list’s Fashion and Beauty segment for his efforts to “break down the walls” separating ethnic beauty sections from the rest of the beauty department in their stores. His Amityville, N.Y.-based company is the maker of the SheaMoisture, Nubian Heritage, Madam C.J. Walker Beauty Culture, and Nyakio personal care brands. Fast Company pointed to Sundial’s natural formulas for multicultural consumers and cited Dennis’

Born in Liberia, Sundial Brands CEO Richelieu Dennis came to the United States to attend renowned business school Babson College. When he graduated in 1991, he was unable to return to Liberia because of civil war. Driven by his passion for entrepreneurship and sustained by a vision to fill unmet consumer needs, Richelieu partnered with his best friend and college roommate, Nyema Tubman, to pursue a bold concept: address skin and hair care issues traditionally ignored by mass market companies. Drawing from deep traditions born out of his family’s roots in Africa and passed down to him from his grandmother, Richelieu incorporated four generations of recipes, wisdom and cultural experiences into natural bath and body care products, co-founding Sundial with his mother – Mary Dennis – and Nyema.

Sundial remains true to the deep family legacy and inspiration of Richelieu’s grandmother, Sofi Tucker. 

Named one of the 50 Most Influential People in the Multicultural Market by Women’s Wear Daily in 2015, Michelle Breyer is a visionary entrepreneur who took a personal frustration over out-of-control curls and built it into one of the largest media platforms for hair. What started as a hobby for the former award-winning newspaper reporter 19 years ago with NaturallyCurly.com has grown to a community that now spends more than $1 billion a year on hair care.

Michelle has consulted with companies both large and small to help shape their strategies for coils, curls, and waves, whether it be developing the right products or communicating effectively with this consumer. Michelle has shared her message of empowerment with other female entrepreneurs, inspiring them to channel their own passions into successful careers.

TextureMedia is the largest hair care platform and trusted thought leader that empowers and inspires millions of textured-hair women to embrace their naturally beautiful selves. By engaging beauty enthusiasts through original content, branded entertainment, social media, product reviews and commerce, it influences up to $5 billion in hair care sales each year. Her new book is titled, The Curl Revolution

For clients and brand partners, the platform is a creative powerhouse delivering impactful marketing services and data driven insights that translate to increased brand exposure and greater market share. Its monthly social, consumer reach is 26 million strong across a portfolio of digital brands including NaturallyCurly, CurlyNikki, Shop NaturallyCurly and its Market Research & Insights division. NaturallyCurl is the flagship brand and first-to-market platform, which has amplified the needs and voice of its textured-hair community since 1998.

Sandra Miller Jones was the first African-American woman to receive an MBA from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Business. After leaving Kellogg, she worked as a marketing executive for the Quaker Oats Company, managing a variety of national brands, including the $100 million plus Quaker Oatmeal, Captain Crunch and Quaker Grits franchises. During her 35 years in business, Jones’ company has helped numerous clients expand their multicultural businesses, including Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, AARP, Aetna, Magic Johnson Enterprises, General Mills General Motors and other leading companies and brands. 

During her 35 years in business, Mrs. Jones has helped numerous other women entrepreneurs start and expand their businesses, which is her passion. She has also employed hundreds of community residents each year, including local outreach managers in 36 top cities. SMSi’s proprietary networks (SegmentedMarketing.com) for community outreach include 10,000 churches, 40,000 beauty and barber shops, 20,000 independent retailers and other locations where multicultural consumers can be accessed. The company distributes millions of free product samples and promotional materials via the networks gatekeepers.