Janet Gurwitch
{{short description|American businesswoman and investor}}
{{blp sources|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Janet Gurwitch
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| office1 = CEO of Gurwitch Products
| term1 = 1996-2008
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1954}}
| birth_place = Hattiesburg, Mississippi, USA
| death_date =
| death_place =
| education = University of Alabama
| occupation = Businesswoman
| known_for = Founder of Gurwitch Products
| spouse =
| children =
| website =
}}
Janet Gurwitch (born 1954) is an American businesswoman and investor. She is the founder of Gurwitch Products, the manufacturer of Laura Mercier Cosmetics. She founded the company in 1995 and launched the Laura Mercier line in March 1996.
Biography
A native of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States, and graduate of the University of Alabama,{{Cite web|title=The University of Alabama|url=https://legends.ua.edu/|access-date=2020-10-18|website=legends.ua.edu|language=en-US}}{{nonspecific|date=July 2024}} Gurwitch began her career at Foley's department store in Houston, Texas, rising to the position of senior vice president of merchandising. She then moved to Neiman Marcus and served as the executive vice president from 1992 to 1995. As EVP, she was responsible for the merchandising strategy for all 35 stores.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
She founded Gurwitch Products in 1996 in order to market a boutique line of cosmetics carrying the name of French make-up artist Laura Mercier. She sold Laura Mercier to Alticor in 2006 and remained CEO until 2008.{{cn|date=July 2024}}
From 2009 to 2019, Gurwitch served on the boards of Drybar, Urban Decay, Tatcha, First Aid Beauty, La-Z-Boy and Dollar Shave Club.{{Cite web|url=http://www.castaneapartners.com/team_gurwitch.php|title=Janet Gurwitch|publisher=Castanea Partners|website=www.castaneapartners.com|access-date=2017-06-22}}
From 2020 to 2024, Gurwitch was an operating partner at Advent International, a Boston-based private equity firm, where she served on the board of Olaplex a hair care products company.{{Cite news|url=http://houston.culturemap.com/news/society/10-18-13-from-cosmetics-diva-to-private-equity-investor-this-astros-partner-shares-roadmap-to-success-1/|title=From cosmetics diva to private equity investor, this Astros partner shares roadmap to success|work=CultureMap Houston|access-date=2017-06-22|language=en}} (NASDAQ: OLPX)
Gurwitch is currently an investor and board member{{Cite web|url=http://sdjewishjournal.com/sdjj/october-2015/what-a-difference-a-year-makes/|title=What a Difference a Year Makes {{!}} SD JEWISH JOURNAL|website=sdjewishjournal.com|date=28 September 2015 |language=en|access-date=2017-06-22}} of the Houston Astros baseball team.{{Cite news|url=http://houston.culturemap.com/news/society/10-18-13-from-cosmetics-diva-to-private-equity-investor-this-astros-partner-shares-roadmap-to-success-1/|title=From cosmetics diva to private equity investor, this Astros partner shares roadmap to success|work=CultureMap Houston|access-date=2017-06-22|language=en}}
Gurwitch was inducted into the Texas Business Hall of Fame in November 2023.{{Cite web |title=Legends – Texas Business Hall of Fame |url=https://texasbusiness.org/hall-of-fame/legends/ |access-date=2025-04-11 |language=en-US}}
External links
- [http://www.lauramercier.com/corporate_management.php Brief official biography]
In the media
- [http://www.thebusinessmakers.com/episodes/shows/2009/feb09/ep193/janet-gurwitch.html Interview on The BusinessMakers Show] February 14, 2009.
- [http://www.milkeninstitute.org/events/conferences/global-conference/2018/speaker-detail/32165 Panelist at the Milken Institute Global Conference, Building a Brand] April 2018
References
- CNN/Money.com, [https://money.cnn.com/magazines/fsb/fsb_archive/2004/07/01/375665/index.htm “Yes, More Mascara: How to launch a good-looking cosmetics brand.”], July 1, 2004. Retrieved March 24, 2006.
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Category:20th-century American businesswomen
Category:20th-century American businesspeople
Category:21st-century American businesswomen
Category:American company founders
Category:American cosmetics businesspeople
Category:American retail chief executives
Category:Houston Astros executives
Category:People from Hattiesburg, Mississippi
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