Date Joined Mary Kay:
September 1, 1963

Richard co-founded Mary Kay, Inc. in September 1963 with his mother, Mary Kay Ash. He served as the Company’s General Manager until 1965 when he was named Vice President. In 1968, he was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer, and in November 1987, Richard was named Chairman of the Board.

In 1992, Richard became Chairman of the Board of Mary Kay Holding Corporation, the parent of the Mary Kay Inc. operating company. He returned as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Mary Kay Inc. in 2001. In April 2006, Richard assumed the title of Executive Chairman.

Richard has distinguished himself as an innovative marketer and financier. In 1968, Richard took the Company public on the O.T.C. market and subsequently listed the Company on the New York Stock Exchange in 1976. In 1985, Richard led a group in the much-publicized leveraged buyout of Mary Kay Cosmetics, Inc., and returned the Company to a privately held, family-owned business.

Richard Rogers is a native Texan. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and attended North Texas State University. Richard has three grown children and is married to Nancy Rogers, who is an internationally recognized philanthropist. 

Affiliations, Activities & Recognition

• Chairman/Mary Kay Holding Corporation, Present
• Co-Founder/Mary Kay Inc., Present
• Received “Marketing Man of the Year” Award, North Texas Chapter of the American Marketing Association, becoming the youngest man to ever receive this award, 1968

Favorite Mary Kay quote:

“People will support that which they help create.”

Date Joined Mary Kay:
June 1, 1993

As Chairman of Mary Kay Inc., one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics in the world, David Holl oversees the company’s executive committee. He leads, chairs, and oversees the performance of the Board and plays a pivotal role in promoting and overseeing the highest standards of corporate governance within the Board. He ensures effective communication within the board and leads discussions of proposals put forth by the executive team, concentrating on strategy, risk management, governance, capital, and financial reporting. A highly experienced strategic player in the financial and direct selling industries, David leads by consistently fostering open relationships and inclusive discussions that challenge the status quo.

David joined Mary Kay Inc. in 1993 and in 1996, served as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer where he was responsible for the overall financial growth of Mary Kay across the globe. In 2001, he was named President and Chief Operating Officer and in 2006, David assumed the title of President and Chief Executive Officer. In 2018, David was promoted to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer.

Under his leadership, the powerhouse cosmetics company expanded into numerous new markets and successfully diversified its revenue across Mary Kay markets worldwide. The company also made significant progress on key strategic initiatives including global rebranding and global standardization of core systems and processes. During David’s tenure as Chief Executive Officer, Mary Kay’s global revenue more than doubled, with markets around the world regularly setting sales and independent sales force records.

To support the company’s growth and future needs in producing best-in-the-industry skin care, color cosmetics, and fragrances, under David’s helm, Mary Kay Inc. invested more than $100 million (USD) in the new global Richard R. Rogers Manufacturing / R&D Center in Lewisville, Texas. Mary Kay China also opened a new $125 million (USD) corporate building in Shanghai, China.

Prior to joining Mary Kay Inc., David served as Vice President in the corporate capital division at Citibank, based in New York. Prior to his career at Citibank, he was a Financial Analyst for Union Texas Petroleum in Houston, Texas. David retired from his position as CEO of Mary Kay Inc. in December 2022.

David earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance from Clemson University. He continued his education at the University of South Carolina where he earned a Master of Business Administration and was designated the outstanding MBA candidate.

Affiliations, Activities & Recognition

• Board of Directors/Mary Kay Inc., Present
• Board Member/Personal Care Products Council (PCPC) Board, Present
• Board Member/Dallas Citizens Council, 2006-Present
• Board Member/The Nature Conservancy, 2007-2020
• Board Member/Southwestern Medical Foundation, 2005-2022
• Board Member/Direct Selling Association, 2013-2015, 2017-2021 (Board Chair, 2015-2017)
• Member/World Federation of Direct Selling Association CEO Council, 2002-2022

Named University of South Carolina’s Moore School of Business “Distinguished Alumnus,” 2008

“Nothing happens until somebody
sells something”

Date Joined Mary Kay:
January 3, 2000

As Chief Executive Officer for Mary Kay Inc., an iconic beauty brand with a 60-year history and operations in more than 35 markets around the world, Ryan Rogers oversees all operational and fiscal initiatives for the multi-billion-dollar company. He is at the helm of one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics in the world, with nearly 800 products in its global portfolio, thousands of Mary Kay Inc. employees, and millions of independent sales force members worldwide. He casts the company’s global strategic vision and works closely with his C-Suite Executives to oversee the company’s fiscal activity, including budgeting, reporting, and auditing, and plans for short and long-term global and regional goals.

In his previous role as the Chief Investment Officer for Mary Kay Inc., Ryan was responsible for strategic direction, financial analysis, and resource allocation on key investments across various Mary Kay departments and at Mary Kay’s international subsidiaries. He developed new investment strategies and policies, personally oversaw the investment process, and made decisions on asset allocation and risk management across portfolios. Ryan is a member of the beauty company’s board of directors and the grandson of Mary Kay Inc. founder, Mary Kay Ash, one of America’s greatest entrepreneurs.

Ryan joined Mary Kay Inc. in 2000 as a Financial Analyst and has held several positions including Project Manager, Director of Strategic Initiatives, and Vice President of Strategic Initiatives. In 2013, he assumed the title of Chief Investment Officer.

Since 2001, Ryan has been serving as Vice President of The Mary Kay Ash Foundation℠. The Foundation was created in 1996 by his Grandmother and its two-fold mission includes funding women’s cancer research and ending domestic violence. Since 1996, The Mary Kay Ash Foundation℠ has contributed more than $90 million to women’s shelters and domestic violence service providers, as well as cancer research programs and related causes throughout the United States.

Prior to joining Mary Kay Inc. - a global advocate for women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship and one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics in the world - Ryan was an associate in the Transaction Services Group of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Dallas.

Ryan and his wife, Maleiah, live in Dallas with their daughter, Everlee. 

Affiliations, Activities & Recognition

• Vice President/The Mary Kay Ash Foundation℠, Present
• Board of Directors/Mary Kay Inc., Present

“You Can Do It.”

Date Joined Mary Kay:
January 12, 2009

Sheryl Adkins-Green, Mary Kay’s Chief Experience Officer (CXO), supports the success of millions of Independent Beauty Consultants by leading the global strategy that delivers a 360-degree integrated customer experience. Building on her previous role as Chief Marketing Officer, Sheryl leads the Global Brand Experience team that creates marketing campaigns, social media content, and digital tools that enable the Independent Sales Force to provide customized recommendations and unparalleled service to their customers. Sheryl’s team also supports Mary Kay’s award-winning product portfolio by developing product positioning, packaging, and education resources. 

As a member of Mary Kay’s Executive Committee, Sheryl works across corporate functions to understand and optimize every element of the Mary Kay customer journey. By leveraging global best practices and research insights, Sheryl and her team help develop innovative digital solutions that help make the Mary Kay entrepreneurship opportunity easy and rewarding. She amplifies the voice of the customer throughout the organization and facilitates collaborations that result in superior customer experiences. By combining research, data analytics, and trend forecasts, Sheryl and her team anticipate the needs of Independent Beauty Consultants and their customers around the world.

Sheryl brings significant experience in strategic planning, business development, and corporate partnerships to her role. Prior to joining Mary Kay, Sheryl held executive positions with Alberto-Culver, Cadbury-Schweppes, Citigroup, and Kraft Foods. She received a Bachelor of Science in retailing, cum laude, from the University of Wisconsin and holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School.
 
Sheryl is a member of various civic and professional organizations including the International Women’s Forum and The Executive Leadership Council.  Closely aligning with Mary Kay’s mission of enriching the lives of women and their families, she is actively involved in the community through The Mary Kay Ash Foundation℠ whose mission is two-fold: finding cures for cancers affecting women and eliminating violence against women. 


Affiliations, Activities & Recognition
• Trustee/Texas Christian University, Present
• Board Member/Dallas Museum of Art and the AT&T Performing Arts Center, Present
• @Forbes Top 50 CMO Influencer, 2018
• Received Top 100 Women in Marketing Award by Brand Innovators, 2021 & 2022
• Named to BLACK ENTERPRISE’s Most Powerful Women in Corporate America List, 2019
• Featured in the best-selling book, “Successful Women Think Differently” by Valorie Burton, 2016
• The first recipient of the Global Marketer Award from the Academy of Marketing Science, 2012

Favorite Mary Kay quote:

"Picture a sign around each person’s neck that says,
“Make me feel important.”"

Date Joined Mary Kay:
February 11, 2002

As President of Mary Kay’s Asia-Pacific region, Wendy Wang leads all areas of the Company that directly support the success of the company’s subsidiaries and independent sales force members in the Asia Pacific markets, which include China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan. She oversees the region’s fiscal activity, including budgeting, reporting, and auditing. She also develops and implements the region’s strategic plan and operational policies. Wendy has an uncanny ability to build consensus and relationships among executives, partners, and the workforce.

In her most recent position as Chief Commercial Officer for the Asia-Pacific Region, Wendy was responsible for the development and implementation of commercial functions to ensure alignment with corporate objectives and the company’s core values. Prior to that, Wendy was Vice President and Associate General Counsel for Mary Kay Inc. She led the team of legal professionals responsible for handling all legal issues for Mary Kay’s Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America regions. In addition, she led the continued development and enhancement of Mary Kay’s global anti-corruption program, Pink Done Right, and was the head of the company’s strategic risk management function.

Wendy joined Mary Kay in 2002 as a Staff Attorney at the leading beauty brand’s global headquarters in Addison, Texas. Throughout her tenure, she has held various roles within the company’s Legal Department including Chief Legal Officer for Mary Kay China where she was responsible for the overall assessment and management of legal risks and efforts to ensure a proactive stance toward legal governance and compliance. In her role at Mary Kay China, Wendy was instrumental in establishing the Legal Resources Department, which received the ‘Team of the Year’ award at the International Law Office’s 2013 Asia-Pacific Counsel Awards.

Wendy earned her Doctor of Law (J.D.) and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin.

Affiliations, Activities & Recognition

• Named an ‘Outstanding Deputy General Counsel/Associate General’ by D CEO magazine, 2017.
• Given the ‘Corporate Executive Diversity’ award by the Greater Dallas Asian American Chamber of Commerce, 2017

“It really is true that all you send into the lives of others comes back into your own.”

Date Joined Mary Kay:
March 8, 1993

As Region President for Mary Kay Europe, Tara currently oversees 19 markets: Armenia, Belarus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.

She personally led the start-up teams for Mary Kay Ukraine, Mary Kay Kazakhstan, and Mary Kay Poland, all of which have become thriving markets. In 2002, Tara was promoted to Mary Kay President, Europe Region, taking on the management of additional countries and subsequently opening new markets. Under Tara’s visionary leadership, the Mary Kay® brand has become a leading cosmetics brand and one of the most respected women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship companies in the European Region.

Tara is passionate about helping girls and women realize their dreams and achieve financial independence. As Mary Kay Russia grew, Tara knew early on that she had to help give women in neighboring former Soviet Union countries an opportunity to provide for their families and grow their entrepreneurial skills. She took on the additional challenge of expanding Mary Kay operations into other European countries to empower women.

Tara was born and raised in the U.S.A. She moved to Russia as a young adult as she yearned to make a difference in the lives of girls and women in developing countries. Tara cherishes the opportunities she has had in her Mary Kay career which have allowed her to meet women across Europe and the former Soviet Union where she found a common thread uniting women in wanting a stable life of opportunity and certainty for themselves and their families full of opportunity and certainty.

Tara holds a Bachelor’s degree in Russian Studies and International Relations from the University of Virginia. Tara is married and is the mom of two thriving school-age children.

“Mary Kay is a unique way of life that provides the brushes, the oils, the pigments and the canvas on which you can
paint your life as you really want it to be. You choose your own colors, your own design and your own pattern.
It’s a place where you can reach higher, think bigger, grow greater and live deeper than anyplace else on the face of the earth.”

Date Joined Mary Kay
November 15, 1993

As Chief People Officer for Mary Kay Inc., a top beauty brand with almost a 60-year history and operations in more than 35 international markets, Melinda Foster Sellers is responsible for human resources, real estate, employee health and safety, and corporate services functions. 

A member of the company’s executive team since 2006, Melinda has been instrumental in leading a shift toward global support for Mary Kay’s operations. She is responsible for implementing global systems and processes that provide efficient, consistent, and strategic support for Mary Kay, one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics in the world. 

With thousands of Mary Kay Inc. employees and millions of independent sales force members worldwide, Melinda implements programs with the goal of supporting the company’s mission of enriching women’s lives, while uniting employees, independent sales force members, and consumers to say: “I Love My Mary Kay.”

Melinda joined the iconic beauty brand in 1993 and will be celebrating her 30th anniversary with the company in 2023. She has been a member of Mary Kay’s Culture Committee since its inception in 1998. The committee is dedicated to preserving the culture and values that were established by the company’s founder, Mary Kay Ash.

Melinda is a visionary leader who has established and implemented global Human Resource efforts to effectively communicate and support Mary Kay’s mission and strategic vision. With her acute leadership, she has brought forth comprehensive strategic recruiting and retention plans to meet the compensation, career & leadership development, retention, and ongoing training, which serve the human capital needs of today’s global and expanding markets.

A graduate of Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, she earned undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Biology. She continued her education at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa where she earned a master’s degree in Industrial Relations.  

Affiliations, Activities & Recognition

Member, Mary Kay Culture Committee, Present

“Your attitude determines your altitude. It really is true that if you think you can, you can; and if you think you can’t – you’re right.”

Date Joined Mary Kay:
September 9, 2013

As Chief Operating Officer, Deborah Gibbins has broad responsibility for Mary Kay’s product strategy, research and development, supply chain, financial operations, and information technology. Deborah is part of executive committees responsible for IT security, enterprise risk management, and facilities planning. Deborah joined Mary Kay as Chief Financial Officer in 2013.

Before coming to Mary Kay, Deborah held senior leadership roles within the finance function of PepsiCo’s Frito Lay North America division, including Senior Vice President, Revenue Management, and Senior Vice President, Controller. Before her PepsiCo career, Deborah was a senior manager at Arthur Andersen LLP in Dallas.

Deborah has a proven track record of delivering performance through cost management, creating business efficiencies through the understanding of metrics, and the ability to objectively improve and streamline operations.

Deborah is a regular on the speakers’ circuit with her latest engagements speaking at various UN Women events about entrepreneurship and women’s economic and social empowerment. She was also instrumental in launching the Women’s Entrepreneurship Accelerator (WEA), which is a multi-stakeholder partnership initiative on women’s entrepreneurship convening 6 United Nations agencies (ILO, ITC, ITU, UNDP, UNGC, UN Women) and Mary Kay Inc. to empower 5 million women entrepreneurs by 2030 and to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by creating an enabling ecosystem for women entrepreneurs around the world.

Deborah is a Certified Public Accountant and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Southern Methodist University. Deborah and her husband Robb reside in Dallas and have two sons.

Affiliations, Activities & Recognition

• Board Member/Dallas Chapter of International Women’s Forum, Present
• Board Member/SMU Texas-Mexico Institute, Present
• Member/Cox Executive Board, Present
• Member/Dallas Assembly, Present
• Member/National Association of Corporate Directors, Present
• Board of Directors, Personal Care Products Council, Present
• Board of Directors/Direct Selling Association, Present
• Board of Directors/Bush Brothers & Company, Present

Named the Southern Methodist University Cox School of Business “Distinguished Alumnus,” 2014

“Never hide behind policy or pomposity.”

Date Joined Mary Kay:
March 20, 2017

Dr. Lucy Gildea has over 20 years of experience in global product development across numerous product categories. As Chief Innovation Officer, Product and Science, Dr. Lucy Gildea stands at the forefront of cutting-edge scientific research. Since joining Mary Kay Inc. in 2017, she has helped secure its status as a leading skincare and nutrition innovator in the direct selling and cosmetics industries.

With more than 1,600 patents for products, technologies, and packaging designs in its global portfolio, Dr. Gildea leads the company’s Global Research and Development, Product Portfolio Strategy and Planning functions to deliver Mary Kay products and their Innovation Pipeline for the future.

Prior to joining Mary Kay, Dr. Gildea excelled during a 15-year career at Procter & Gamble. Working primarily in beauty technology and beauty/skin product development she also held senior roles where she managed the global research and development teams for upstream technology, product development, and measurement sciences across formulated consumer product categories. During her tenure at P&G, Dr. Gildea lived in Singapore, advancing her experience with international markets.

Dr. Gildea oversees and implements changes in methods, products, and processes to enhance Mary Kay’s competitiveness and improve organizational efficiencies. Her strong leadership and analytical skills have helped the company to identify, develop, and drive transformative initiatives while aligning overall business strategy with innovative product development initiatives.

Having lived abroad, she enjoys traveling for leisure, good food, and spending time with her husband Jerry and their four children — Jack, Sean, Louie, and Ty.

A graduate of Georgetown College in Georgetown, Kentucky. Dr. Gildea earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology. She continued her education at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine where she earned a Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology, Immunology, and Infectious Diseases. Her academic career also included a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Immunology in a joint appointment with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the University of Cincinnati Department of Immunology.

Affiliations, Activities & Recognition

• Board Member/Baylor Scott & White Dallas Foundation, Present
• Board Advisor/Baylor Scott & White Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Present
• Board Director/Cancer Support Community North Texas, Present

“Success is largely a matter of stumbling forward.
We fail forward to success.”

Date Joined Mary Kay:
November 17, 2014

As Chief Supply Chain Officer for Mary Kay Inc., one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics in the world, Chaun Harper oversees the company’s Global Manufacturing, Global Integrated Supply Chain, Global Quality, Global Procurement & Strategic Sourcing and Innovation, Corporate Engineering, and Global Transportation and Logistics. A member of the iconic beauty brand’s executive team, Chaun leads the company’s supply chain operations and partners with Mary Kay market teams around the world to ensure every Mary Kay customer has their products when they want, how they want, and where they want.

With operations in more than 35 international markets, Chaun’s team is responsible for implementing an efficient, highly flexible, and technologically advanced supply chain operation while delivering best-in-the-industry products. Chaun joined Mary Kay Inc. in 2014 as Director of Production Operations. During his tenure, he has been instrumental in creating a culture of continuous improvement at Mary Kay’s U.S. Richard R. Rogers Manufacturing/R&D state-of-the-art, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver-certified facility.

Under Chaun’s leadership, the teams have dramatically increased production efficiency and implemented key development opportunities for employees with the goal of elevating their technical skills and advancing their careers. Chaun has been instrumental in the acquisition of the latest and advanced equipment and resources for manufacturing, planning, and monitoring of efficient workflow procedures. He empowers his teams to develop and implement standard operating procedures, timelines, schedules, and practices for maximized efficiency and timely distribution of products to the branches within the U.S. and globally.

Chaun is passionate about utilizing new technologies and data for accurate forecasting, production calculation, and tracking how those results impact other areas of the business such as marketing and sales. Chaun is committed to revolutionizing the Mary Kay Supply Chain to become one of the best supply chains in the world.

Prior to joining Mary Kay Inc., Chaun excelled during a 17-year career at L’Oréal where he held several positions within the operations, logistics, and quality functions.

Chaun earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, Arkansas. He continued his education at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri where he earned a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Management and Leadership degrees.

“People must be managed with respect. This entails always treating
both employees and customers fairly and in good faith.”

Date Joined Mary Kay:
June 29, 1998

As Chief Information Officer (CIO), James oversees Mary Kay systems for both Mary Kay’s independent beauty consultants and employees globally. 

Prior to joining the Executive Team as CIO in January of 2023, James was instrumental in designing systems that ensure an Independent Beauty Consultant can run her business anytime, anywhere. As one of the largest direct sellers in the world, Mary Kay processes millions of orders through its commerce site empowering millions of independent sales force members to achieve their goals.

When he joined Mary Kay in 1998, James immediately initiated building cutting-edge Independent Beauty Consultant systems which eventually led to a book deal, co-authoring Building e-Commerce Site with the .NET Framework. From there, James led the development and support of Mary Kay’s global consumer and Independent Consultant applications, including e-commerce and consumer-facing applications like MaryKay.com, Mary Kay InTouch (an internal portal used by Mary Kay’s independent sales force), and Personal Web Sites.

As a change champion, James has been instrumental in transforming a home-grown IT Application/Infrastructure to a “cloud first “strategy allowing Mary Kay’s IT systems to be safer, more efficient, and innovative. In addition to Independent Beauty Consultant systems, his team also supports the systems that make, move, and sell Mary Kay^® products. Most notably, he led the establishment of a key partnership with Salesforce.com, which is transforming how Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants serve their customers and more efficiently run their businesses. James also serves on several Customer Advisory Boards for Salesforce.com, which seeks to provide solutions on how to better serve their customers.

James is motivated first and foremost by finding solutions for the Mary Kay independent sales force while at the same time creating environments that foster teamwork and trust and strong partnerships amongst the company’s global partners in more than 35 markets around the world.

James holds a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from the University of New Orleans. Before joining Mary Kay, he worked at Software Spectrum and Electronic Data Systems (EDS) in software development and consulting roles. James is a graduate of Mary Kay’s rigorous leadership program, Legacy Leadership, in which he showcased his strategic skills and technological expertise, and propelled him to the position of Vice-President of Digital Business Solutions and now to the Chief Information Officer.

James and his wife Jenna live in North Dallas and have two adult children - James and Julia.    

Favorite Mary Kay quote:

"In today’s fast-changing, highly competitive world, standing still is the same thing as moving backward. If you don’t go forward, others will zoom right past you."

Date Joined Mary Kay:
November 20, 1995

As President of Global Sales and Marketing, Nathan Moore is responsible for Mary Kay’s markets across the world. Since 2017, he has successfully led Mary Kay as Region President of North America, after serving as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary for 13 years. In 2022, his role expanded to oversee all areas of the Company that directly support the success of Mary Kay’s global independent sales force members, who are the heart of the business. Nathan has a talented team of leaders around him including the Region Presidents of Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. The Chief Experience Officer and the Global Brand Experience team also report to him.

In keeping with the company’s mission of enriching the lives of women and their families around the world, Nathan has aligned the company’s talent and resources to seamlessly support the success of the Mary Kay Independent Sales Force. He is leading the implementation of a data-driven business strategy that enables more than 35 global markets to provide personalized services and omnichannel shopping experiences for both Independent Beauty Consultants and their customers.

Nathan joined Mary Kay Inc. in 1995 as a Staff Attorney and in seven years was named General Counsel and appointed to the Company’s Executive Team. In 1998, Nathan was a founding member of the Mary Kay Culture Committee, which is dedicated to preserving the unique culture and strong values established by our trailblazing founder Mary Kay Ash.

Nathan has a passion for the Mary Kay opportunity and the direct selling industry, having served as Chairman of the Direct Selling Educational Foundation and the Direct Selling Association. He remains committed to developing a rewarding opportunity, offering irresistible products, and making the world a better place through his role at Mary Kay Inc., and while serving on the Board of Directors for the Mary Kay Ash Foundation.

Nathan earned a B.B.A. in Finance from Texas A&M University with honors and a Law degree from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. He and his wife, Joy, both grew up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, where they have raised two wonderful sons. 

Affiliations, Activities & Recognition

• Board of Directors/The Mary Kay Ash Foundation, Present
• Founding Member/Mary Kay Culture Committee
• Chairman/Direct Selling Educational Foundation, 2005 - 2006
• Chairman/Direct Selling Association, 2007 - 2008

Favorite Mary Kay quote:

“People are definitely a company’s greatest asset.
It doesn’t make any difference whether  the
product is cars or cosmetics. A company is
only as good as the people it keeps.”

Date Joined Mary Kay:
March 1, 1994

As President of the Latin America Region (LATAM) for Mary Kay Inc., one of the largest direct sellers of skin care and color cosmetics in the world, Jose (Pepe) Smeke oversees operations for six Mary Kay markets: Argentina, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay.

Pepe joined Mary Kay Mexico in 1994 as a Manager in the Sales Development group. He quickly achieved success, earning the titles of Sales Director and General Manager of Mary Kay Mexico. Pepe was promoted to President of Mary Kay Mexico in 1999, and in 2000, he was named President, Mexico and Latin America Region. Pepe possesses an approachable leadership style and is known for his business hunch and taking calculated risks, which have proven to be crucial in the success of Mary Kay LATAM growth.

During his nearly 30-year tenure with the iconic beauty company, Mary Kay LATAM  has experienced extraordinary growth. With operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, the global cosmetics powerhouse expanded its Latin American presence with the opening of two new markets: Mary Kay Colombia in 2015 and Mary Kay Peru in 2017. Under Pepe’s leadership, the Mary Kay brand has not only been elevated in the region but also attracts a younger generation of Independent Beauty Consultants and Mary Kay brand lovers. With an understanding of the needs and preferences of the region, Pepe spearheaded the development of specific product lines in the color cosmetics and fragrance categories, which have been instrumental in the rapid growth and adoption of the Mary Kay brand in LATAM.

Pepe has successfully steered the company’s Latin American growth while also overseeing two of the company’s top five global markets: Brazil and Mexico. The Latin American region has also received numerous awards, and brand awareness in the Latin American region is one of the highest within Mary Kay’s international markets. Working with fashion designers and key influencers, Pepe and his team have secured Mary Kay’s status as an “it” brand with an “it” opportunity. 

Prior to joining Mary Kay, Pepe held numerous positions within the sales industry and is fluent in English and Spanish. Pepe earned a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Universidad La Salle in Mexico City.

“You cannot teach what you don’t know
and you cannot lead where you won’t go.”