Meet Colleen Rocafort: A World Leader in Hair Care Product Research

Welcome to TishTrek - THE JOB BLOG!

Hello Job Seekers!

Meet a very special person who is living proof to her seven brothers and sisters that operating with a quiet confidence, staying focused on a steady path and making hard work "THE" priority every day makes a difference in your career, your life in general and in the lives of others:

I'm so proud to be talking about my sister Colleen Rocafort ~a 1976 alumni of Montclair State University in New Jersey. She received a BA in Chemistry and certification from the American Chemical Society. She went on to become the 2nd graduate of the MA- Cosmetic Science Program at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ. We were excited for her as we all ran to look up the definition of "Polymer Science" in the dictionary! I have looked up to her my entire life and count her as one of the most inspiring professional women I've ever met. She is a renowned author/co-author in her field of research and development and counts 16+ U.S. patents among her accomplishments!

Our parents were the children of Irish and Polish immigrants who came to this country to give their children a better life. When Colleen graduated from college, she became the first member of our family to graduate from a university. We are in awe of her journey and remain proud of the accomplishments she has earned as a result of her commitment to excellence in education and hard work. Her love of science and determination prepared her to succeed in so many ways...

While working full time, she studied at night and on weekends to receive that Master Degree from Farleigh Dickinson University. For a period of time, she transferred her enthusiasm for and knowledge of chemistry to aspiring college students while serving as an Assistant Professor in Chemistry at St. John's University in New York. Since 1995, she has instructed Continuing Education Program (CEP) courses in-person and via Webinars for the National Society of Cosmetic Chemists. Her courses include Conditioners, Hair Treatments, Aerosol Technology, Hair Fixatives and Styling Products, Polymers, and two Hands-On Lab courses on Formulating and Testing Hair Styling and Polymeric Fixatives, and Hair Conditioners.

For over thirty years, she served as an active member and officer of the N.J. Federation of Business and Professional Women's Club, Inc. - USA where she led programs throughout the United States which encouraged women to leverage their talents to reach their goals. In our hometown, she was inducted into the Pt. Pleasant Borough High School Alumni Hall of Fame where she was honored for becoming a global leader in hair care product research and development and recognized for tireless efforts which contributed to the success of others.

Colleen is an active member of several professional associations such as the Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC), the American Chemical Society (ACS), and the Textile Research Institute (TRI) Princeton Board of Trustees where she serves her field and colleagues worldwide with a jaw-dropping commitment that would exhaust most of us to think about. She held many senior positions and recently served as president of the SCC, which is a national association which is part of the International Federation of the SCC (IFSCC).

Ten years ago, she received the National SCC Merit award for her outstanding service and distinguished leadership in Society activities especially for serving as the National SCC's 57th president, as Editor of the Journal of SCC, as a member of Committee on Scientific Affairs (COSA) and as an instructor for the Continuing Education Program spanning over 35 years as a member of the Society.

At the award ceremony held in the ballroom of the New York City Hilton, one person after another from across the globe got up and spoke about our beautiful chemist and leader who inspired them and members of their profession everywhere. They went on to state that "she takes care of everyone with a warmth and generosity that is hard to describe. She mentors others during career changes or crisis, inspires young people around the globe to consider chemistry as a profession, volunteers to manage the details of forums and trade shows to elevate events to world class status, gives speeches that leave people speechless," and the list went on...

My brothers and sisters and I roared with joy and laughter a couple of times during these speeches because they were talking about the very same person we grew up with. She was always taking care of us. She had executed with the same level of caring and excellence in our home since she was a child. To this day, she's THAT older sister who always has your back, who will defend your interests like a pit bull and who embraces you and helps you move forward no matter what the circumstances. During this breathtaking moment in New York City it was obvious that our Colleen had transferred her respect for others and the leader behaviors she had operated with since childhood to her life's work and she had obviously made a giant difference. With tears in my eyes, I almost burst with pride that afternoon!

Colleen's thirty-plus year career included management positions in Playtex Corporation and International Specialty Products. She is currently a global executive in hair care research and development with BASF which is headquartered in Germany. Before that, she was Director of Global Hare Care Research and Development for Ciba Specialty Products, Inc., which was acquired by BASF.  She manages research teams in five countries and she is regarded as an industry leader.  Because of these facts - she has been invited by companies and trade organizations in over 20 countries to share her research with others. I believe my sister, who is always quietly working to mentor others, purposely sent our family postcards from every country she traveled to as a reminder to my children that the possibilities ahead of them are endless.

Colleen started her journey as a shy person with a mission, but quietly she has always had the courage to take risks, stay the course and apply her talents. As a result of these facts, she took a unique journey which transformed her into a respected thought leader and voice in her field. My family and I know that her story began in our house when we were kids where she received encouragement and gained confidence("You are able, if you think you are" was actually our family motto!). In our little Jersey Shore town she found teachers and mentors in high school who recognized her potential and armed her with the tools, knowledge, and information to succeed the world over. Oh and there were ten of us in the house, so I admit she had a lot of home-grown fans too!

Colleen is married and resides in Florida. Her son graduated from Florida State University with a Master's from the Criminology Graduate Program! The cycle of success continues thanks to her incredible example.

Okay Job Seekers, what risks are you willing to take to move your career to the next place? Are you a tad shy? Worried you can't get ahead or network appropriately because you're not a "Type A" personality?  Think again! In lots of great careers, this is GREAT news - thoughtful research and a humble calculated path works just as well!

So go for it; find your inner confidence and run like hell! My sister Colleen did and it worked. She's respected around the world!

Best regards,
TishTrek

#CultureOfGiving - Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King: Meet Charles A. Brady from New Jersey

Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King: Charles A. Brady from Point Pleasant
Celebrating our local connection to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.


By Tish Ferguson, Patch Poster and TishTrek



Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with respect & reverence today & always. Dr. King was assassinated 50-years ago on April 4th 1968. Before he died he leveraged "meaningful engagement" inside the #CultureOfGiving he created to inspire change worldwide. 

From his amazing "Mountaintop," Dr. King motivated others to use their passion to follow his lead. My remarkable friend and personal hero Charles Brady is one of the people who carried Dr. King's torch and legacy forward for the last 60+ years... (Read his story below). 

In my little town we grew up understanding the power-of-engagement and the definition of giving-to-give because men & women motivated by a higher purpose were always within our reach to watch.

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As we honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I want to share the inspiring story of a Pt. Pleasant resident and explain his local connection to Dr. King and his wife Coretta Scott King.


I spoke with Charles A. Brady in 2007 to learn more about his background when the Pt. Pleasant Foundation for Excellence in Education was on-track to induct him into the 10th Annual Hall of Fame as the Community Leader Award Recipient. I sat in awe for days after we finished talking.


I learned Mr. Brady's commitment to children and his efforts as a peacemaker, promoting nonviolence and equal treatment for all races caught the attention and gained the support of Dr. and Mrs. Martin Luther King, Jr. early on. As a result – a relationship of mutual respect and friendship between the King Family and Mr. Brady dates back to 1965. He would later author a biography on Dr. King for the National Catholic Encyclopedia.


In the 1960's, on the inside flap of a book entitled, "My Life with Martin Luther King, Jr.," Coretta Scott King sent the following handwritten note to Mr. Brady, "Charley - With deep appreciation for your concern and support of those ideals of love, justice, truth, peace and brotherhood. May our common efforts hasten the day when Martin's dream will be realized. Coretta Scott."


Mr. Brady, a Certified Financial Planner in Manasquan NJ since 1981, graduated from St. Benedict's Prep in Newark. After graduating from Seton Hall University in 1958, he served as an assistant to the vice president of a major gas corporation. Mr. Brady's strong desire to help others led him out of Corporate America and into the Immaculate Conception Seminary where he was ordained a priest in 1966.


He served in several black communities in New Jersey, while assigned assistant pastor of Holy Spirit Church and St. Peter Claver Church in Orange and Montclair. Among his many accomplishments, he taught Dr. King's nonviolent philosophy to black youth, and established athletic teams that won 3 national championships in 8 years. Mr. Brady's efforts as an educator, coach, mentor and father figure inspired many of his students to become athletes and stars in college; and most became productive members of their communities.


Mr. Brady was a guest of Dr. King at the Southern Christian Leadership Convention; he had also been a guest in the King home; and often represented Mrs. King at functions in New Jersey.


Mr. Brady's commitment to civil rights during this volatile time in our country's history was met with resistance in some circles in NJ and as a result, Mr. Brady was forced to repel a myopic mob mentality that was behind a no-holds-barred effort to remove him from the important work of his parish.


Mr. Brady prevailed and he again found strength and support in the words of Mrs. King when she wrote in a letter dated, August 30th, 1968, "Dear Charley, ... the trouble you described in the Newark school was in many ways painfully familiar… it certainly requires more love, courage and strength to prevail and endure than it does to retaliate in kind. Your courage and determination to lovingly demonstrate the nonviolent brotherhood so desperately needed in the world is a source of inspiration and encouragement… With love, Coretta."


No matter what the challenge, Mr. Brady continued to live the tenets of courage and encouragement every day. Beyond the establishment of the youth sports teams that won 3 national championships, he also helped kids - who could count on his commitment to them - win 4 eastern championships, 8 state championships, and 23 count championships!


He established and coordinated an alternative high school in Orange, NJ for students who could not learn within a normal structured environment. No matter what the challenges, Mr. Brady worked tirelessly to build confidence by inspiring each kid one unique student at a time. He helped every child find a place to contribute something meaningful because his experiences proved to him that every child had something meaningful to give and share.


A year after resigning from the priesthood, Mr. Brady met his wife, Carmie. A year later they married and had three sons: Matthew, Scott and Patrick - all of whom were exceptional athletes and graduates of Pt. Pleasant Borough High School.


When Carmie Brady passed away from cancer at age 50 on May 21, 2004, Mr. Brady and his sons decided her spirit would live on in their actions. They created a not-for-profit organization called The Carmie Brady Foundation which is dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults facing cancer and other devastating illnesses.


Author Charlie Brady wrote and published a book which is a moving tribute to his late wife's triumphs & struggles entitled, "I Will Live. My Children Need Me.: The Love and Life of Carmie Brady." I keep the signed copy Mr. Brady left in my mailbox in a special place because it provides a wonderful window into what motivates his family and so many of their first-circle friends to keep hope alive for complete strangers in Carmie's name.


Mr. Brady told me that his mission was to write a book that "could speak to the heart of everyone who has ever lost hope or the will to survive due to life's unfortunate circumstances." His mission was achieved and all proceeds from the sale of this book go directly to the Carmie Brady Foundation.


The Foundation has successfully raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and helped countless families & children. "The Brady Bunch" Walk for the Cure Team is 500 volunteers strong and growing.


This tremendous family has two annual events to aid more people and to continue their decade of support for the Carmie Brady Room at Hope Lodge.** Hope Lodge is located just a few steps from New York Penn Station & Madison Square Garden and is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Cancer patients from all over the world can stay at the lodge free of charge while they are receiving treatment at any New York hospital.


What was clear to me in 2007, was that every community Mr. Brady's remarkable life touched became a better community because he was in it. His biography has appeared in Who's Who in the World and Who's Who in the East because he earned it. He has appeared on CNBC's Money Talk and other TV programs.


For anyone who judges a man by the company he keeps, this information will satisfy you: Mr. Brady is a 35 year member of the Elk's Handicapped Children Committee and was 2003 Shillelagh of the year for the Friendly Sons of the Shillelagh, a club that has given over $300,000 to local charities and families.


Helping fellow citizens plan for their future & retirement while mitigating risk to help them reach financial goals and their dreams is also a noble calling. Mr. Brady is on the Presidential Advisory Committee of USAllianz, Franklin Templeton Funds, Hartford, and ING. He was also named to "America's Best Financial Planners" by the Consumer's Research Council of America in 2006.


In 2003, this past-President of the Sea Girt Chamber of Commerce was selected NJ State Businessman of the Year by the National Congressional Committee; he has founded organizations dedicated to supporting people in the field of Financial Planning and he has been a contributor to countless other local organizations including: Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, Friends of Manasquan VFW, "Think Tub" - a group dedicated to raising funds for sick children; and finally he is a loyal repeat sponsor and supporter of many important organizations in Ocean & Southern Monmouth Counties.


Dr. King often called for "personal responsibility" in fostering peace. Our small town hero with the local connection to a mentor named Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has made a difference in the lives of others for over five decades. The personal responsibility and leadership skills displayed by Mr. Brady throughout his life honors Dr. King's legacy and all of us in untold ways.


** Yearly Events supporting the Carmie Brady Foundation: Wine Tasting Event sponsored by Gerard's Wines & Spirits at the Crystal Point / The Spring Fundraiser at Jenkinson's on the Pt. Pleasant Beach Boardwalk, (see www.carmiebradyfoundation.com for details).