Salon G owner Gina Guadagnino, center, is flanked by stylists, left to right, Kara Lowery, Jeannie Jacklets, Phyllis Hindy, Julianne Teixeira, Erin Gaudet and Stephanie Delgado at a recent celebration of recognition bestowed on the salon and of Guadagnino’s five-year anniversary of being cancer-free. PHOTO COURTESY OF DENNIS DIAS EDISON — Gina Guadagnino, owner of the township’s Salon G, has multiple reasons to celebrate.
Along with having her salon recognized by ELLE magazine and Industry Magazine, Guadagnino also marked five years of being cancer-free.
Giovanna Drpic, an Emmy Award-winning broadcast journalist and the anchor of Verizon FiOS1’s business show “Money & Main$treet,” was the master of ceremonies for an Oct. 9 celebration at the salon.
“Everyone I’ve spoken to agrees that Gina is hard-working, selfless and extremely passionate about her work as a hair stylist and business owner,” she said. “She’s a very strong woman. While Gina was in the midst of developing her business, she was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma stage 2 cancer.
“This was a devastating and challenging time for Gina, but she fought a hard battle and won the fight.”
That’s not all she won. The Jersey City native, who has worked in the beauty business since the 1980s, opened Salon G in 2005, and she and her team of Redken stylists have made it one of the “100 Best Salons in America” for the past two years, according to ELLE.
Industry Magazine also honored Salon G as one of its “A-List Top-Notch Beauty Businesses” for its unique techniques, strong educational base and standout customer service at a recent red-carpet awards reception at Salon G, according to salon representatives.
Mayor Thomas Lankey joined in honoring Guadagnino with a proclamation recognizing her achievements. The proclamation encouraged Edison residents to honor Guadagnino for her hard work, commitment and dedication to improving the community and quality of life in Edison.
After being presented with both awards, Guadagnino thanked her guests.
“Owning a business is hard work every single day, whether open or closed. You must have passion for your craft and take it seriously,” she said. “ … I believe that I have followed my dream. Even after 27 years, I love my job 100 percent.”
Guadagnino continued by saying that she was grateful to have incredible people working for her, such as stylists Julianne Teixeira, Cindy Abreu, Stephanie Delgado, Kara Lowery, Erin Gaudet, Phyllis Hindy and Jeannie Jacklets.
“I share this award with all of you,” she told the stylists. “We are a team — an amazing team.”
Representatives from Ray Catena Mercedes Benz of Edison and Redken also attended the awards reception and helped sponsor the event.
Miss Atlantic States Coed Natasha Alvarez, Ms. New Jersey Coed Danielle Van Kampen and Miss New Jersey Jr. McKenna Wolcott-Wind supported Salon G by collecting donations at the event to benefit Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C). Salon G will continue to collect donations for SU2C through the end of the year.