Rodolfo Valentin
{{Short description|American model and hairdresser}}
{{distinguish|Rudolph Valentino {{!}} Rodolfo Valentino|Rodolfo B. Valentino}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rodolfo Valentin
| other_names =
| image = rodolfovalentin.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Valentin at work
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|06|22}}
| birth_place = Buenos Aires, Argentina
| death_date =
| death_place =
| death_cause =
| known =
| occupation = Hairdresser
| years_active = 1972—present
| title =
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party =
| boards =
| spouse =
| children =
| relations =
| website =
| footnotes =
| employer = Rodolfo Valentin
| height =
}}
Rodolfo Valentin (born June 22, 1944) is a New York City hairdresser and entrepreneur. Beginning his career as a fashion model in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Valentin later emigrated to New York and opened an elegant salon in Madison Avenue. Now he owns three hair salons within the New York City area with products and services that include hair extension,{{cite web| last = Schiro | first = Anne Marie | title = Pulse, Pretty, Quick | work=The New York Times | date = November 30, 1997 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/30/style/pulse-pretty-quick.html | accessdate = July 31, 2009}} and hair coloring.
Valentin is also an active philanthropist. He currently supports the AFSP, Alzheimer's Association, and has set up his own charity organization Sofia's Hair 4 Health Foundation.{{cite web| url = http://rodolfovalentin.com/Sofia/sofias_hair_4_health.htm | accessdate = September 19, 2009 | title = rodolfovalentin.com}}
Early life and career
Valentin was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The son of Spanish and Italian parents, from an early age he had dreams of becoming a plastic surgeon when he grew up.{{cite web | url = http://nymag.com/listings/beauty/rodolfo-valentin/ | title = Profile for Rodolfo Valentin | accessdate = August 1, 2009 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120602121137/http://nymag.com/listings/beauty/rodolfo-valentin/|archivedate=June 2, 2012}} However Valentin became more interested in his future profession after years of playing the hairdresser to his mother and sister. His aunt, who had studied at a local beauty school in Buenos Aires, would later teach Valentin some of the techniques she had learned. He initially worked as a fashion model.{{cite web | last = Shalomoff | first = Rebecca | title = Fabulous salon has arrived | publisher = Herald Community Newspapers | date = June 28, 2001 | url = http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=2012703&BRD=1601&PAG=461&dept_id=62803&rfi=8 | accessdate = May 2, 2007 | archivedate = September 30, 2007 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930030952/http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=2012703&BRD=1601&PAG=461&dept_id=62803&rfi=8 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}
Moving to Europe, Valentin assisted hair stylist Alexandre de Paris in Spain and Italy. It was around this time that Valentin found a liking for the Five Towns area of Long Island, New York, later claiming "Five Towns is my Beverly Hills". He purchased a mansion in Hewlett Bay Park with his partner in life and business Jorge Perez, he would go on to stay in the area for eighteen years.
Two years after immigrating to Long Island in 1984, Valentin opened Rodolfo Valentin's salon and spa to the general public. Since then he has opened two further salons in the New York area.
Valentin's patented method of hair extension, the "Hair Infusion", was featured in the book Forget the Facelift by dermatologist Doris J. Day.{{Cite book| title = Forget The Facelift – Doris J. Day | id = {{ASIN|1583332324|country=uk}} }}
Philanthropy
File:Yasmin Aga Khan (center) with Margo Catsimatidis and Rodolfo Valentin.jpg, Yasmin Aga Khan and Rodolfo Valentin at an Alzheimer's Association Rita Hayworth Gala]]
When he was a child Valentin had decided to help those suffering from hair loss due to chemotherapy treatment. His desire to do so arose after seeing the depression his mother (who later died from breast cancer) suffered from after losing her hair. "I promised my mother that I would help everyone with this, and make the perfect piece for chemo patients", he said.
To accomplish this, in 2002 Valentin founded the Sofia's Hair 4 Health foundation which offers free hair pieces for those undergoing chemotherapy treatment. To qualify the person must earn fewer than thirty thousand dollars per year. "Some ladies don't make enough money", he said. "If they make $20,000, they don't make enough money to pay for the prosthesis."
Between one and three people are chosen every month by the organization. Nominations can originate from the person's own application, his or her friends, family members or medical caretakers. Applicants must also currently be under treatment and suffering hair loss due to treatments.{{cite web
| last = Connor
| first = Tracy
| title = Big Town, Big Heart
|work=New York Daily News
| date = March 3, 2007
| url = http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/03/03/2007-03-03_keeping_a_promise_society_hairdresser_ma-2.html
| accessdate = April 26, 2007}}{{cite web
| last = Santucci
| first = Christina
| title = Gift of hair from Valentin
| publisher=The Queens Courier
| date = April 5, 2007
| url = http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2007/04/05/news/news08.txt/
| accessdate = April 26, 2007}}
Valentin also helps other charity organizations by donating money to them. He currently supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Alzheimer's Association and the Hellenic Times Scholarship Foundation.{{cite web
| last = Jedell
| first = Joan
| title = Silver celebration
| publisher = Hampton Sheet
| date = November 14, 2007
| url = http://www.hamptonsheet.com/winter2009/silver-celebration.htm
| accessdate = July 31, 2009
| archive-date = September 12, 2019
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190912030442/http://www.hamptonsheet.com/winter2009/silver-celebration.htm
| url-status = dead
| title = Big greek gala
| publisher=Hampton Sheet Magazine
| date = September 2008
| url = http://www.hamptonsheet.com/september2008/greek-gala.htm
| accessdate = July 21, 2008}}
On October 27, 2011, Valentin donated 1,000 hair prosthesis to the "Hewlett House 1 in 9". The organization name derivates from the fact that 1 in 9 people living in Long Island are diagnosed with breast cancer.{{cite web
| last = CBS
| first= Channel 2 News
| title = Rodolfo Valentin Donates One Thousand Wigs for Cancer Patients
| publisher=CBS News, Cindy Hsu
| date = October 27, 2011
| url = http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/27/rodolfo-valentin-donating-1000-wigs-to-cancer-patients/
| accessdate = October 27, 2011}}
On October 23, 2012, Rodolfo Valentin was named "New Yorker of the Week" by New York Television Channel 1.{{cite web
| last = NY1
| first= Time Warner
| title = Rodolfo Valentin - New Yorker of the Week
| publisher=NY1 News Television
| date = October 23, 2012
| url = http://wigblogs.com/tag/ny1-new-yorker-of-the-week/
| accessdate = October 23, 2012}}