December 26, 2023

Bettiann Gardner personified the statement, “Behind every great man there is a good woman.” She is that woman who stood, not behind, but side-by-side with her husband, Edward G. Gardner to co-found one of the largest African-American-owned haircare manufacturing companies in the United States. Bettiann Gardner passed away peacefully, Tuesday, December 19, 2023. She was 93 years old.

Born Betty Ann Louise Gueno on June 26, 1930 in Chicago, Mrs. Gardner was a graduate of DuSable High School, and a product of Chicago’s Wilson Jr. College and Roosevelt University. In 1950 she married the love of her life, Edward G. Gardner, in Chicago. The couple saved money to build their house with the help of a VA loan. However, her greatest achievement was the four wonderful children who were born from that union, and each one continued to provide her with ample reasons to be proud.

Mrs. Gardner worked briefly at Spiegel, a major catalogue company in Chicago. She also worked for several years at the Chicago Public Library. In 1964, Bettiann and Edward Gardner incorporated their own hair care company. It was Mrs. Gardner’s  idea to trademark the name, Soft Sheen. Soft Sheen Products, Inc. became one of the most recognized names in Black haircare.

Mrs. Gardner learned to balance the role of businesswoman, wife, and mother. With no previous business experience, she developed the policies and best practices for the fledgling company. In the first decade of the business, Mrs. Gardner did the bookkeeping and was responsible for the audits required by the Small Business Administration (SBA). Early on, those SBA loans kept the company afloat. Because of Bettiann’s staunch advocacy and love for the arts and African American theater, Ed Gardner purchased the once dormant Avalon Theater in 1987, and named it the New Regal in recognition of the iconic Regal Theater.

After a major renovation, Bettiann ran the theater’s major day-to-day operations. Major acts like Gladys Knight, Bernie Mac, and Tyler Perry graced the South Side theater’s stage. More important to Mrs. Gardner, The New Regal Theater produced children’s shows that played to CPS students through the 1990’s. She also chaired the New Regal Theater Foundation. As further testament to her commitment to the arts, Mrs. Gardner was a founding board member of The Chicago Sinfonietta, where she also chaired the Honorary Board of Directors and was a close friend of founder and music director, Paul Freeman.

Her love for education and reading led her to become Publisher of Shoptalk Magazine, alongside her childhood friend and editor, Jean M. Brannon. Shoptalk became the most popular magazine for cosmetologists in the nation, and because of its success, other haircare companies began publishing in-house magazines targeted to cosmetologists.

Additionally, Bettiann was a member of the Committee of 200 Chicago Network, and a member of the DuSable Museum Board of Directors.

Mrs. Gardner was the recipient of many awards, including the League of Black Women Award, Essence Business Award, Spirit of Love for Humanitarian Leadership Award and many more. She was recognized in Black Book’s 100 Business and Professional Women and was also cited as a HistoryMaker.

Mrs. Gardner is finally reunited with her husband, Edward G. Gardner, who preceded her in death March 20, 2023.