<a href="http://www.kcharlesco.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/horst.png"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-273" alt="horst" src="http://www.kcharlesco.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/horst.png" width="170" height="293" /></a>

<!--StartFragment--><span style="font-family: Calibri, Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;">It is with profound sadness that today we say farewell to our Founder, Horst Rechelbacher, who left his body following a period of illness. His vision inspires us everyday, not only at work with Aveda, but in our lives. Horst led a life of extraordinary leadership, creating a vision of what he wanted to be, and then bringing that vision to reality. He became a prominent world-class stylist in his youth. Later as a salon owner, he created a unique model of economic sustainability for salons and spas. He brought holistic beauty to the industry, connecting hair, face, and body as one. He was a life-long student who journeyed around the world gathering knowledge on the benefits of plants and Ayurveda, the ancient healing art of India.

In 1978, he started Aveda with the ambition of developing beauty products that would care for professionals, their guests and our planet through the power of pure flower and plant essences. Beyond a business, Aveda became a lifestyle and a global movement empowering many to live more balanced lives to achieve a sense of harmony in body, mind and spirit. He brought a caring high-touch experience to the salon industry well before starting Aveda. He pioneered environmental responsibility, when under his leadership, Aveda became the first business to endorse the Valdez/Ceres principles in 1989.

You will be feeling his loss. In the coming days we will share with you ways in which we can come together to celebrate our founder who has taught us to be fearless and to believe in creating our path. In the spirit of the Aveda Mission, take time to share the news with your colleagues, and allow the space for them to share their feelings and thoughts as a group to help them come to terms with the sad news.

At Aveda, we are, and will be forever grateful to Horst for the Aveda passion we are honored to live everyday. Thank you Horst, we love you.

Dominique Conseil
Global President, Aveda</span> <!--EndFragment-->