In 1991 Hannelore Leavy, founder of the DSA, was looking for a Spa in Chicago and landed in the “wrong place.” It was 1991 and it was the very beginnings of the Spa business in the USA. We take for granted that Spa has been part of many cultures for thousands of years, yes we’re late to the game, but here we are.
Hannelore founded the DSA initially to help consumers find a place they could get therapeutic massage. This morphed into the modern day DSA, which provides the industry with education, community, resources, benefits and much, more.
The DSA is a way-stop for consumers looking to find qualified locations to have services. It is also a clearing house for the Press who write about our industry and are looking to find experts in the field.
In 2000, about the time that Medical Spas were appearing in our communities, the IMSA was formed to deal with the integration of Spa with Medicine. Integrating Medicine with Wellness is not to be overlooked. The IMSA is dedicated to helping provide our industry with a myriad of benefits that include: clinical education, practice management, workshops, legislative watch, malpractice insurance, risk management and legal support. The biggest benefit is not hard to quantify and here it is; we are a wonderful question and answer station. Most of the calls that come in to the IMSA (housed in the same office as the DSA) relate to “how do I find…?” or “where to get information on…” and we may not have the answers, but probably know where to send you to get the information you’re looking for.
In 2010, Allan Share, who previously owned New Life Systems and Lotus Touch, took over the helm as President. Allan’s 20 years of experience as a distributor and manufacturer to make him uniquely qualified to run the DSA. Allan sold his companies to a Private Equity Group in 2007, stayed on as an industry consultant for several years and now heads up the fastest growing, most innovative Association in our industry. He has spoken at many trade shows on topics ranging from “How to buy equipment correctly” to “Trends in the Industry.” Visit Allan SPEAK on the Home page to stay connected.
The DSA and the IMSA are incredible resources for connecting people in the spa and medical community. We would love to hear from you. Please call us at (877) 851-8998 or email to dsa@DaySpaAssociation.com