Pulse June 2017 | Page 55

ISPA FOUNDATION THE SECRET TO ALL AROUND PRODUCTIVITY: FOUNDATION Supporting the Future of the Spa Industry 2017 ISPA FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS CHAIRMAN Frank Pitsikalis ResortSuite VICE CHAIRMAN Sharilyn Abbajay Abbajay & Associates, LLC DIRECTORS Todd Shaw ISPA Chairman Todd Hewitt ISPA Vice Chairman Lynne McNees ISPA President MEDICAL ADVISOR Brent Bauer, M.D. Mayo Clinic HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS Ruth Stricker The Marsh, A Center for Balance and Fitness Deborah Szekely WELLNESS WARRIOR The ISPA Foundation wishes to thank the following supporters for their generous contributions: LUMINARY Ruth Stricker BENEFACTOR Dr. Howard Murad PATRON The Foundation holds a key to the productive future of the industry by supporting future and current students through the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship. It is the ISPA Foundation’s hope that students touched by these scholarships will not only provide comfort and care to people who need it, but also serve as an inspiration to others to join the spa profession. In the spirit of reflecting on personal productivity, I’ve connected with two previous Mary Tabacchi Scholarship recipients, Margot Mangiarotti (2016) and Kate Sornson (2010), to see what they have gained from the scholarship and where the industry has taken them. Frank Pitsikalis: How has receiving the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship enriched your professional life? Margot Mangiarotti: Receiving the Mary Tabacchi Scholarship has been impressive to the companies that I have applied to and has offered an opportunity for thoughtful conversation related to the spa industry and wellness! In addition, the scholarship has given me exposure to a variety of companies, especially those that are in the ISPA family. Kate Sornson: When I began my spa management degree at the Conrad N. Hilton College, I was the only one of my friends pursuing a career in spa. Receiving the scholarship and attending the 2010 ISPA Conference in Margot Kate Sornson D.C. opened my eyes to the thousands of others Mangiarotti pursuing the same dream and hardened my desire to make a living in spa and wellness. The connections I made through applying for the scholarship and those made annually at the ISPA Conferences have opened many doors I wouldn’t have otherwise found. P: What have you learned from being in the industry that you would share with current students? M: I have learned the importance of relationships! These relationships include those between employees, managers and clients. S: That no matter what your passions are, there’s a place for you in spa and wellness. As a $3.7 trillion global industry, wellness offers endless opportunities. For example, my career has allowed me to travel the country promoting wellness, develop and implement a Five-Star training program for a large urban spa, assist in the creation of The Global Mentorship Program, and manage spas from three rooms to 22. There are so many ways to make a spa and wellness career your own! Red Door Spas ResortSuite TO READ the rest of Frank’s interview with Margot and Katie, click here. —FRANK PITSIKALIS, ISPA FOUNDATION CHAIRMAN June 2017 ■ PULSE 53