Mary Kay Inc. Green Initiative Turns Plastic Into Trees as 7,000 Independent Sales Force Members Convene in Phoenix
Economic Impact to Boost Phoenix Economy by $12 Million
Dallas, Texas, Jan. 15, 2009 – Mary Kay Inc. will host 7,000 independent sales force members from the U.S. and Canada during its annual Leadership Conference Think BigSM Jan. 18 – 28, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Ariz. During the event, thousands of older versions of Mary Kay® compacts will be collected for recycling as part of the Mary Kay Inc. Pink Doing GreenSM initiative. For every compact returned, Mary Kay will plant a tree – up to 200,000 – in the Bitterroot National Forest in Montana and Idaho through a partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and under the direction of the United States Forest Service.
Also during the event and in coordination with The Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, Independent Sales Directors will demonstrate their support for survivors and victims of domestic violence by donating professional clothing to The Sojourner Center. Since 1977, the Sojourner Center has provided shelter and support services to thousands of individuals affected by domestic violence. The Sojourner Center received a grant from the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation in 2008.
“These efforts honor the legacy of Mary Kay Ash and contribute to our overall mission of enriching women’s lives,” said Mary Kay Chief Marketing Officer Rhonda Shasteen. “It is impressive to see the commitment of our independent sales force to causes such as the Pink Doing GreenSM initiative as well as the outreach programs of the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation.”
The Mary Kay Leadership Conference is expected to infuse more than $12 million in direct spending into the local Phoenix economy. The meeting consists of three back-to-back three-day conferences designed to support and further develop the businesses of Mary Kay Independent Sales Directors. Currently, there are more than 14,000 Mary Kay Independent Sales Directors in the United States, many of whom have chosen the Mary Kay opportunity as their full-time career. Independent Sales Directors and Independent National Sales Directors offer leadership and motivation to the growing Mary Kay independent sales force, which now exceeds 1.8 million Independent Beauty Consultants in more than 35 markets worldwide.
About Mary Kay Inc.
Mary Kay Inc., one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics, achieved another year of record results in 2008 with $2.6 billion in wholesale sales. Mary Kay® products are sold in more than 35 markets worldwide, and the Company’s global independent sales force exceeds 2 million. To learn more about Mary Kay, log on to www.marykay.com or call 1-800-MARY KAY (1-800-627-9529).
About the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation
The Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation was created in 1996, and its mission is two-fold: to fund research of cancers affecting women and to help prevent domestic violence while raising awareness of the issue. Since the Foundation’s inception, it has awarded nearly $18 million to shelters and programs addressing domestic violence prevention and $10.8 million to cancer researchers and related causes throughout the United States. To learn more about the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, log on to www.mkacf.org or call 1-877-MKCARES (652-2737).