Dermalogica Founder Honored in National Program

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 though 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, andthe 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.