Like father like son: Christopher Combe recognized with CHPA's lifetime achievement award
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — The Consumer Healthcare Products Association on Tuesday awarded the Ivan D. Combe Lifetime Achievement Award to Christopher Combe, son of Ivan Combe.
“It’s altogether fitting that Christopher be honored with the award named after his father as he has certainly carried out his father’s legacy not only as a strong leader of Combe Incorporated but also in upholding the principles of this award," said Scott Melville, CHPA president and CEO. "As an industry leader and as a true philanthropist committed to various social and educational causes, Christopher exemplifies the ideals celebrated by this honor," he said. “On the business front, one of his greatest accomplishments was expanding Combe Incorporated’s international market. He took the company global before ‘going global’ was a thing, and today international sales represent 40% of the overall business.”
Prior to his retirement, Combe served as chairman of Combe Incorporated, a 64-year old, privately held global manufacturer and marketer of health and beauty care products, headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., Combe markets well-known brands such as Vagisil, Just For Men, Aqua Velva, Lectric Shave, Brylcreem and Sea-Bond.
Combe spent five years in sales and marketing with American Hospital Supply Corp. (now Baxter International) before joining Combe Incorporated as manager of international marketing services. He attained positions of increasing responsibility, rising to VP international and VP marketing, and assumed the position of president and chairman in early 2000.
During his 10 years developing Combe’s international affairs, he launched its business in Japan, Australia and New Zealand, and lived in Europe for four years managing the company’s business throughout that area. He was chairman of the World Self-Medication Industry and a member of the board of directors of the Personal Care Products Council.
He serves on the board of Malaria No More, not just giving financial support but traveling to Thailand to help spearhead a program to eradicate the disease. He also serves on the board of Heartcare International, which has a mission of improving the health of indigent children with heart disease in developing countries. The One Acre Fund, which is focused on poverty in sub-Saharan Africa and AmeriCares are additional causes to which he is dedicated. Combe is also very active in civic and charitable organizations as a member of the Boy Scout Board of Directors for Greenwich, Conn., as well as the Boy Scout Advisory Council of Westchester, N.Y. He is involved with the American Heart Association, serves as chairman of the men’s ministry at his church, and is a member of the board of trustees at Northwestern University.
The Ivan D. Combe Lifetime Achievement Award is the industry’s highest honor. This award is bestowed upon an outstanding individual whose actions have created a positive impact upon and/or benefit to the consumer healthcare industry and as a result, has directly improved self-care for U.S. consumers. The award was established in honor of Ivan Combe who was exceptionally active in CHPA activities and served on the association’s board of directors from 1958 until January 2000. This award is presented annually to an individual based on the following criteria: experience, leadership qualities, outstanding service to the consumer healthcare industry/community, and professional excellence.