DIVINE DESIGNS SALON & SPA - Brandon, Florida

OWNER

Geri Rashid, owner of Divine Designs Salon & Spa in Brandon, Florida, has many years experience in the field of cosmetology.

Geri’s life long dream to have her own salon began as a teenager as she enjoyed an apprenticeship with her mother, the owner of several salons during their postings as an Air Force family. Geri graduated from high school in Hawaii and received her cosmetology license at the young age of seventeen. Geri eventually became the salon director of a five star hotel for Glemby International, while attending the University of Hawaii and Grace Bible College. She moved to Brandon , Florida, in 1981 and while waiting for her cosmetology certification, she was employed as the salon manager of a local Brandon Salon. During her career in the 1980’s Geri was employed by Matrix to assist with salon education for hairstyling and color techniques as well as representing their line of products at major styling and fashion shows throughout the United States . She retired from behind the chair in 1986 to start a family and has been proud to be a full time mother to her daughter, Jade, her son, Jordan , and wife to her husband of twenty one years, Sam. In January, 1999 Geri opened Divine Designs Salon, specializing in hair and nail care. She offered health insurance, a matching 401k and a paid vacation to her associates - benefits that are rare in the beauty industry. The salon quickly grew from a staff of three to over twenty in four years. During this growth stage, Geri also started an apprenticeship program to continue in the tradition of mentoring stylists and began the groundwork to build a premier salon & spa in Brandon . She hired Takara-Belmont, the designers of the Spa at Bellagio® to design and create a unique facility. In July, 2003, after two years of planning and construction, over five hundred visitors celebrated the grand opening of their new 5,000 square foot facility, Divine Designs Salon & Spa. Divine Designs Salon and Spa expanded on February 14, 2005 to meet the demands of our divine guests and staff. The spa presently offers 3 facial suites, 3 massage suites and a larger couple's suite. The expansion also added a changing room and hydro Swiss shower for our male guests to enjoy. A beautiful cosmetic and waxing bar and larger chemical area was created for the salon. All of this making Divine Designs Salon and Spa 7,500 square feet of luxury and one of the finest and largest in Hillsborough county.

Geri has served on the boards of Center Place for Fine Arts in Brandon, The Charter Review Board for Hillsborough County and The University of South Florida Friends of Research in Psychiatry. In 1999, she was proud to have received the Cesar Medina Award from The University of South Florida for outstanding community service.

SALON DIRECTOR

Doris Rudkin
Originally from Maryland, Doris has over 25 years of experience in every facet of salon management with total dedication to customer service & satisfaction. At a very young age she had an aspiring career as a ballet dancer with the Washington ballet. Unfortunately due to an unforeseen career ending knee injury, she had to change the direction in her life. she graduated from the University of Maryland with a four year degree in business management but continually missed the arts and the creative side of her life. She finally decided how best to utilize her artistic talents. She had a flair for hair and started pursuing her goal. After moving to the Tampa area in the 80's she worked for some quality salons all the while continuing her education.
Doris studied with some of Redken's most famous educators and became knows as a master designer, finishing in state competitions in the top 3 over 10 times. She has trained personally with Sam Villa and Justin Isaac just to name a few. In the early 90's her forte had become color and she was recognized as master color expert and part time educator with various local hair academies. Since the late 90's her focus has been salon management. She had been working in management for a major salon chain where she was named Florida manager of the year. With this recognition came the offer to move "to where the snow falls" home office. Loving this area, her family and friends, it became apparent that, to utilize her vast knowledge, dedication to excellence and be able to remain in Florida, she would have to find the right environment if possible and luckily she did. She is thrilled to be a part of the Divine Designs team and as a Divine Designs guess you will be too.

SPA DIRECTOR

Tina Leno
From 1986 to 1999 The Home Shopping Network peaked and held my interest. I could foresee the complexities of this vast electronic shopping media and wanted to be part of it. I began as a display coordinator moved to control room and the fashion department landing as an executive producer.
In 2000 the time came to do something of value, healing, calming, and nurturing. My interests lie in massage, physical and occupational therapy. In 2000, I graduated with both esthetics and massage licenses. My new career lead to the spa industry and guided me to Divine Designs Salon and Spa in the spring of 2003. An opportunity to become a trainer for Essential Elements body care company presented another avenue in my career path before the position was dissolved due to a merger. I continued with esthetics and bodywork with thoughts of becoming a spa director in the future. 2005 reconnected me with Divine Designs who were seeking a spa director. The rest they say is history.
It is a honor to once again be working with Geri and her team at Divine Designs Salon and Spa and my pleasure to be of service to our guests.