Leonard Lavin

Leonard Lavin built Albert-Culver Co. from a firm that produced a single product, AlbertoVO5 Hairdressing, into a global conglomerate that was sold to Unilever in 2011. Lavin, 97, who also was a well-known breeder of thoroughbred horses, died of pneumonia Aug. 2 2017 at his home in River Forest, his son-in-law Howard Bernick said. Lavin had lived in Glencoe for many years until moving to River Forest about a year and a half ago. Born in Chicago, Lavin grew up in the West Side Austin community and attended the University of Washington on a basketball scholarship. He began his career in sales with perfume maker Lucien Lelong in Chicago in 1940 before serving in the Navy for four years during World War II. Returning home, he rejoined Lucien Lelong for a year or so before taking a job at toiletry maker Halgar in Chicago. He left Halgar in 1949 for a sales position with another perfume maker, Jules Montenier. He then went out on his own, starting two sales companies, the Excel Sales Agency and Leonard H. Lavin & Co., which handled distribution, advertising and promotions for nationally known toiletries. Looking for a company to buy in 1955, Lavin was intrigued by the Alberto VO5 product, which movie studios were using to protect stars' hair against harsh set lighting. He borrowed $500,000 and purchased the California-based company from its original owner, Blaine Culver. Lavin and his wife, Bernice, then built the company into Alberto-Culver Co., with his wife handling back-office and internal operations. They relocated the company to offices at 251 E. Grand Ave. in Chicago. The company moved to Melrose Park in the early 1960s, where the logo for VO5 — the name stands for Five Vital Oils — was emblazoned on a water tower at the company's headquarters. Lavin and his wife broadened the company with other noted hair care brands, including Nexxus and TRESemme. They took the firm public in the early 1960s. Before long, the Lavins oversaw the company's move beyond hair care products, launching products like Static Guard and the salt-free seasoning blend Mrs. Dash. Lavin stepped down as CEO in 1994 and turned the company over to Bernick, who then was his son-in-law. He remained chairman until 2004, when, at age 84, he stepped back to become chairman emeritus. At that time, his daughter, Carol Lavin Bernick, ascended to become chairman. In 2006, Alberto-Culver spun off its Sally Beauty Supply division to shareholders of Regis Corp. Then, in 2011, Alberto-Culver was sold to Unilever. At that time, family members and their foundations together owned about 14 percent of Alberto-Culver's stock. Bernice Lavin died in 2007. A son, Scott, died in 1998. Lavin is survived by two daughters, Carol Lavin Bernick and Karen; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.