HELENE CURTIS INDUSTRIES, INC. APPOINTS NEW CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT

    CHICAGO, Feb. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Helene Curtis Industries, Inc. (NYSE: HC) today announced a number of executive appointments which will be effective March 30:  Michael Goldman has been named corporate chief operating officer and executive vice president; Gilbert P. Smith has been named as executive vice president and president of Helene Curtis U.S.A.; and Colin J. Morgan has been named as senior vice president and president of Helene Curtis International.
    Charles G. Cooper, 64, who has been with Helene Curtis since 1953 and its corporate chief operating officer since 1985, will be moving into a new position with the company as a senior vice president, responsible for corporate business development.  Mr. Cooper will continue as a member of the board of directors, a position he was elected to in 1984.
    "While many executives seek retirement at 65, I have personally asked Chuck Cooper to continue giving Helene Curtis his counsel in his new position directing our corporate business development activities," said Ronald J. Gidwitz, Helene Curtis' president and chief executive officer.  "During Chuck's 40 years with Helene Curtis he has helped the company achieve many significant goals, including our recent rise to $1 billion dollars in sales and the company's position as the leader in the highly competitive U.S. hair care category."
    Mr. Gidwitz continued, "We are also pleased to name Mike Goldman as the company's new corporate chief operating officer.  His leadership over the past 30 years has been instrumental to our success.  As a member of the company's senior management committee and board of directors, he has established an especially strong track record with Helene Curtis.  Together with Gil Smith and Colin Morgan, these three officers help give us a very strategic top management team -- they will continue to work together to achieve significant future milestones for the company."
    Goldman, 55, has been with the company for 30 years and was elected a corporate vice president in 1975, senior vice president in 1986 and a member of the board of directors in 1989.  In his current position as a senior vice president, Mr. Goldman is responsible for the company's corporate management of the International, Professional and Research & Development divisions.
    Gilbert P. Smith, 55, has been with the company since 1976 and was named president of the company's Consumer Products Division in 1982, elected a corporate vice president in 1983, senior vice president in 1986 and a member of the board of directors in 1989.  Currently, Mr. Smith oversees the company's Consumer Products Division, including the hair care, antiperspirant/deodorant and skin lotions categories.
    Colin J. Morgan, 57, has been with the company since 1986 as president of the company's International Division and a corporate vice president.  In his current position as president of the International Division, Mr. Morgan supervises the operations of subsidiaries and businesses worldwide spanning over 100 countries.
    Helene Curtis Industries, Inc., a Fortune 500 company and the leader in the U.S. hair care category, is one of the nation's major producers of brand-name personal care products.  The company markets its products to consumers through drugstores, supermarkets and mass merchandisers and to beauty salons through distributors.  Helene Curtis products are sold in more than 100 countries.
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    /CONTACT:  Diane Falanga, 312-661-2056, or Pete Wentz, 312-661-2224, both of Helene Curtis, Inc./
    (HC)

CO: Helene Curtis Industries, Inc. ST: Illinois IN: HOU SU: PER

CK -- NY048 -- 4049 02/08/93 11:13 EST