This month marks the 30th anniversary of CND. And since we all know how the company started in Dr. Stuart Nordstrom’s garage, we thought we’d bring you 30 things you might not already know.

1. Creative Nail Design’s first “poster girl” was Susie Bono —Sonny Bono’s third wife!

2. Solarnail liquid monomer (CND’s first product) was named during the first “solar powered craze” of the ’70s — who said history doesn’t repeat itself?

3. CND’s first nail tips — the Solar Pointé, introduced in 1984 — were made of nylon, and if you found a tray of them today, they would STILL be impossible to file!

4. John Heffner, president and CEO of CND has been a front row guest at the Grammy Awards for the past five years and is grateful to have met almost all of his musical idols over the years!

5. Marie Warne, Creative Nail Design’s first employee outside of “family” was hired in 1979 and still works for CND!

6. There are friendly ghosts at the office. The ghost of Mary Nordstrom lives in the ladies restroom on the second floor and often moves objects such as doors and paper towels.

7. All CND events and working meals are catered with health-conscious foods to promote a healthy work-style.

8. Tequila is the CND party beverage of choice.

9. One of CND’s graphic designers has completely decorated her work space with colorful shag carpet — desk chair and all.

10. The UK CND distributors met at CND Boot Camp and fell in love in three days. They have been married now 10 years. They are both named Sam Sweet and have a company called Sweet Squared.

11. Everyone knows CND has heart and works diligently to raise funds for breast cancer research, but did you know they do lots of little things behind the scenes to help others? CND donates product to the American Cancer Society’s Look Good Feel Better program and has provided manicure services at veteran hospitals to Wounded Warriors and their families!

12. Jan Arnold used to wear a “page boy” hairstyle.[PAGEBREAK]

13. When the Nordstrom family started the business, the labels were put on by hand by all the children at the dining room table.

14. All CND Education Ambassadors have to attend “boot camp” to get certified, and it requires all that the name indicates — early rise, stringent exercise, power breakfast, then mandatory attendance at a nail table by 7:30 a.m.

15. CND Sea Serum has 20% AHAs. Left on for five minutes, an 80-grit file will remove the problem corn or callus simply by buffing, eliminating the need for a pedi razor.

16. At CND’s corporate office in San Diego, there was a heated “American Idol” pool valued at $300.

17. Mom (aka Mrs. Nordstrom) personally signed all CND paychecks until Revlon took over.

18. Every product CND sells is concepted, researched, developed, and tested in CND’s own in-house laboratory in San Diego.

19. CND has 500 Education Ambassadors in 92 countries.

20. Did you know that Nail Fresh has an off-label ability to immediately dry up pimples?

21. CND has three in-house hotline customer service representatives who are also licensed nail professionals and Boot Camp-certified Education Ambassadors.

22. Co-founder and style director Jan Arnold has personally buffed the fingernails of such stars as Ricky Martin, Green Day’s lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong, Fergie, and Slash, to name a few.

23. Even CEO John Heffner knows how to do a proper nail enhancement (...though it did take him three hours to do one nail).

24. CND’s top nail professionals are jetted to New York, London, and Paris to do manicures for nearly 100 fashion shows per season.

25. John Heffner has every single issue of NAILS Magazine since 1997 chronologically and meticulously arranged in his office.

26. CND was one of the first advertisers in NAILS in 1983.

27. Education Ambassador Amanda Fontanarrosa has racked up approximately 36,983 per year for CND travel.

28. Three of the Nordstrom children met their spouses through CND. Co-founder Jim Nordstrom married an Education Ambassador; Tom Nordstrom married a nail professional; and Jan Nordstrom married the guy in charge of the company’s ad agency (at the time).

29. CND was founded by the Nordstrom family, but they are not related to the Nordstrom department store family.

30. Karen Sheaffer, CND’s Front Desk Coordinator (receptionist) really is the secret first level of screening for new hire candidates. How they treat her has a bearing on the hiring process.

 To see more pictures of CND throughout the company’s 30 years, log on to www.nailsmag.com/hotoffthepresses and click on Galleries. For more information on CND go to www.cnd.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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