CONTACT: Debra Locker                                                                                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
International SPA Association                                                                                                           Jan. 27, 2005
T 1.859.226.4374
F 1.859.226.4445
E debra.locker@ispastaff.com
www.experienceispa.com

ISPA 2004-2005 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

LEXINGTON, Ky. – As the International SPA Association begins its 15th year, the association’s new Board of Directors looks strategically to the future. Led by newly-elected Chairman Kate Mearns, the ISPA Board is responsible for overseeing the affairs of the organization, which includes approximately 2,300 members in 69 countries.

“As ISPA commemorates its 15th anniversary and we look ahead to the next 15 years – there are many focuses to enhance the lives and businesses of our members,” said Mearns. “From promoting the sustainability of our members’ businesses in a changing economy, to enhancing ISPA’s research to ensure that it remains a valuable tool for spa professionals worldwide - we look forward to the opportunities that are on the horizon.”

Members of the 2004-2005 ISPA Board of Directors are as follows:
Officers
Chairman: Kate Mearns, director of sports and spa, The Spa at Kingsmill Resort
Vice Chairman: Sharilyn Abbajay, owner/general manager, S.P. Abbajay & Associates, LLC
Secretary/Treasurer: Jean Kolb, spa director, Kohler Waters Spa

Newly Elected Board Members
Jeremy McCarthy, spa director, La Costa Resort & Spa
Jennifer Wayland-Smith, spa director, Spa at The Hotel Hershey
Susan Wheeler, spa director, Avanyu Spa at the Equinox, a Rock Resort

Returning Board Members
Mary Bemis, founder and editorial director, Insiders Guide to Spas.com
David Erlich, spa director, Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
Orlando Hidalgo, owner, Hosteria Las Quintas Eco Spa
Celeste Dunn Hilling, founder, Skin Authority, LLC
Jim Root, spa director, Miraval Life in Balance
Peter Sng, founder and managing director, Cosmoprof International PTE LTD and Spacare International PTE LTD
Merrill Williams, public relations director, Ojai Valley Inn & Spa

ISPA Immediate Past President
Jeff Kohl, owner, Spa & Club Ideations Inc.

ISPA Foundation President
John Korpi, principal, SpaQuest International

About ISPA

Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2005, the International SPA Association strives to advance the professionalism of the spa industry by providing invaluable educational and networking opportunities, to promote the value of the spa experience to society and to be the authoritative voice of the spa industry.

Spas are entities devoted to enhancing overall well-being through a variety of professional services that encourage the renewal of mind, body and spirit.

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