ISPA Presents Awards
The International Spa Association (ISPA) named the recipients of its annual awards at the association's conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, in November. ISPA is a professional membership organization for health-and-wellness facilities and providers.

The awards given were the Alex Szekely Humanitarian Award, presented to a person who has contributed significantly toward integrative medicine or pioneers a new treatment in the field of integrative medicine; The Spa Industry Visionary award, presented to a member of ISPA who helps advance the spa industry; and the Dedicated Contributor award, presented to an ISPA member who has contributed significantly to the association. ISPA's board of directors selects award recipients.

Ruth Stricker, a philanthropist and spa founder, was the recipient of the Alex Szekely Humanitarian Award. Stricker established The Marsh in Minnetonka, Minnesota, on the belief that true wellness is dependent on both the mind and body, according to an ISPA press release. The Marsh provides guests with integrated wellness offerings, including nutrition, exercise and educational programs, in addition to spa treatments.

Stricker's philosophy and commitment to inspiring a healthy attitude toward life has taken her around the globe. She has studied and sponsored research in the People's Republic of China; and served as a teacher and advisor in the former Soviet Union.

"Ruth Stricker's accomplishments serve as a reminder of the importance of promoting a balanced lifestyle to people around the globe," said ISPA Chair Jeff Kohl. "Ruth [is] a driving force behind the evolution of people no longer seeing spas as pampering, but instead as a requisite to staying physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy."

The late Edwin Neill II (1939–2004), former chief executive officer of a leading spa company and a past member of both the ISPA and ISPA Foundation boards, received the Spa Industry Visionary award.

Neill was the CEO and owner of Neill Corporation, the largest independent distributor of Aveda products in the world. The company covers 10 states in the Southeast and is a major force in the beauty industry, according to the release. Neill Corporation encompasses several other businesses, all of which support the growth and development of the beauty industry. Other corporate companies include 10 Aveda concept salons, seven Aveda Institutes and cosmetology schools in Texas, North Carolina, Georgia and Louisiana.

Twenty years ago, Neill was one of the pioneers to address the need for a specialized software for the salon and spa industry, which resulted in SalonBiz and SpaBiz. Neill also launched etopa, a salon and spa resource.

"Even though Edwin Neill II successfully founded and led many businesses throughout each sector of the spa industry, he never stopped learning and promoting progressive thinking to shape the industry for generations," said Kohl.

Peter Sng, a former ISPA officer, was presented with the Dedicated Contributor Award.

Sng was the first elected president of ISPA's Asia-Pacific Chapter and an organizer of the association's annual Asia-Pacific Conference & Expo. Since the inaugural ISPA Asia-Pacific Conference in 1999, Sng has spearheaded the event and gained the support and endorsement of governments and tourism associations for all host countries, including Singapore, New Zealand, Taiwan and Japan, the release stated.

"The acclaimed success of the annual ISPA Asia-Pacific Conference can be directly credited to Peter Sng's steadfast commitment to ISPA and the international spa industry," said Kohl.