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A
BIT
OF HISTORY
In
March 2001 the “Asociación Argentina de Químicos Cosméticos”
celebrated its 30th anniversary. Probably too much time for founding
members nowadays present, permanent witnesses
of the institution continuous development, both in the country and abroad,
striving day after day to achieve institutional
goals.
Hundreds
of fellow-members who have joined the institution along recent years
probably ignore part of this history. Perhaps they think that a longer
time was required to build such a prestigious and important institution.
I. PIONEERS’ MARKS
Everything
started in 1970, when a group of Argentine professionals of the cosmetic
industry met in Barcelona. That meeting was not hazardous: the VI Congress
of the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists (IFSCC)
was being held there.
In this way
Drs. Jaime Rubin, Amilcar Enero, Eduardo Etlin, and Mrs. Dávalos and
Smiles Waldhorn, thought of forming a society to group cosmetic
professionals, with the aim
of promoting the scientific and technological development of the cosmetic
industry. Only 6 months passed until the realization of the project. In
March the society was created, and received the name of:
ASOCIACION ARGENTINA DE QUIMICOS COSMETICOS
FOUNDING MEMBERS:
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Dr. Alberto Alami
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- Mr.
Smiles Mario Waldhorn
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Eduardo
Ettlin, Eliseo Alvarez, Jorge Vallone, Marcelo Baillot, Alberto
Alami, Abraham Rozemberg, Amilcar Enero, Jaime Rubin, Smiles
Waldhorn, and Alberto Codina as chairman, were the members of the
first Executive Committee.
Contacts
made by some of the founding members during the Congress at
Barcelona, as well as the importance of the project and the
expertise of professionals involved, made possible AAQC admission,
as member, to the International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic
Chemists (IFSCC), after only one year of existence.
In
this way AAQC started participating at international level, with
their members taking active part in congresses, either as speakers,
examiners or lecturers.
In 1973 the Society organized the I Congreso
Latinoamericano de Químicos Cosméticos (COLAMIQC) .
This
congress, presided by Dr. Jaime Rubin, took place in Buenos Aires,
and was attended by 450 people, among them outstanding professionals
from Latin America and other continents.
The positive scientific results matched the economic benefit.
Thanks to this surplus an own building at Ramón L. Falcon
street was acquired, where headquarters were set up.
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In 1974 Dr.
Jaime Rubin was elected Chairman and established new relationships
with universities and societies from abroad. An active schedule of
courses and lectures started, and the library was opened.
In the same year
the First Meeting of Argentine Cosmetic Chemist under the name of RAQCA
was held, being uninterruptedly organized year after year until nowadays.
Dr. Marcos
Mitlag presided over the AAQC in 1976. Outstanding among many other
important achievements was the remarkable growth reached by our Library.
II. A
GREAT DREAM
In 1978 Dr.
Alami was appointed Chairman and the legal procedures to organize the
Society started. Under Dr. Alami the first issue of the society Newsletter
was published and a new building bought at Thames street.
During 1980
and 1981, under Dr. Nestor Gaggero as chairman, the procedures for the
Legal Incorporation of the Society were completed.
The first floor was assigned to the Library, and the ground floor
to the Auditorium, including audio and projection equipments. Foreign
lecturers started taking part in the educational activities.
In 1983,
under Dr. Alberto Martín as Chairman, a comprehensive course on cosmetics
was organized, with the participation of over twenty lecturers and one
hundred students. During the
same year the A.A.Q.C. was honored with the Lester Conrad Award, granted
by the IFSCC. Apart from representing a significant distinction, an
important sum of money was included in the prize, which was assigned to
build the laboratory. This is
the most important award granted to societies on the basis of their
educational plans.
III. NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROJECTION
Between 1984
and 1986 Dr. Alberto Alami was the Chairman. With
representatives from 30 countries and 800 attendants, the AAQC held the
XIII CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATlON OF SOCIETIES OF COSMETIC
CHEMISTS (1.F.S.C.C.), at the “Centro Cultural Gral. San Martín”
(Cultural Center), during October 16-19, 1984, in Buenos Aires
No doubt this meeting launched a phase of international projection,
involving Dr. Jaime Rubín’s appointment as Chairman to the
IFSCC. In 1985 the first issue of the scientific and technical
Magazine " Cosmética "
was published, unique in its field in Argentina, and probably the first of
the kind in Latin America. They expected and desired the continuity of the
project. Editorial director Dr. Marcos Mitlag and collaborators knew of
the importance of the project: they achieved a solid, continuously
growing, ever updated publication.
Between 1986
and 1988 the chair was in charge of Eng. Norberto Delic. During
those years several innovative projects were submitted, undertaking the
risks that innovations imply. Out of them the following activities deserve
to be mentioned: courses on introductory computation, folkloric dances,
Arts - under Professor Amado
Sosa; pictures exhibitions, one by fellow-member Dr. del Campo and another
by artist Bernardo Condeau, both organized at our headquarters. Every
proposal was accompanied by an intensive educational plan and AAQC
attendance to internationally relevant congresses and meetings.
Eng.
Norberto Delic was succeeded by Dr. César Fernández Tudela as Chairman
for the period 1988 - 1990. In this new stage the organizational level
reached by the library was remarkable. Among other advancements, the
access to the KOSMET DATA BASE (data bank of the cosmetic industry with
base in London) was achieved, over 2500 bibliographic files were
registered and a professional librarian was hired to guarantee the
continuity of the work undertaken, who also instructed about bibliography
indexation.
In 1990 Dr. Marta de la Vega was appointed Chairman. A
bundle of ambitious projects accompanied her appointment. While she was in
the position the Society celebrated its 20 years. Dr. Marta De La Vega
died on September 16, 1991, a very painful event for her fellow-members.
The vacant position was covered by Dr. Fenoglio.
IV. THE AAQC AND THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY
Dr. Daniel
Waldhorn assumed as chairman over the 1992 - 1994 period. This new
Executive Committee undertook improvement works at the Auditorium and lab
equipments. Regarding institutional issues, relationships with SAFYBI and
the Pharmacists Society of the Province of Buenos Aires were deepened. The
Library was named "Ing. A. Codina" after the first chairman of
the society.
Dr. Lucio Laserna chaired the AAQC along two subsequent terms, from 1994
to 1998. At ANMAT’s request the society cooperated in the organization
and lecturing of a training course for cosmetic industry inspectors.
In November 1994, a cooperation agreement with the U.B.A. School of
Pharmacy and Biochemistry was subscribed. Under said agreement the AAQC
was appointed academic unit for additional university studies, taking part
in the courses for the post grade career in cosmetic industry.
Eng. Alberto Codina and Dr. Gerardo Hermann deceases occurred
during that year.
In March 1996 the Silver Anniversary (25 years) of the Society was
celebrated at the academic headquarters. As a distinction the AAQC was
appointed by the Economy Ministry of the Nation to take charge of the “Proyecto
Joven” (“Youth Project”) courses.
The objective of this project was training young professionals for
their insertion into the labor market. Dr. Lucio Laserna was designated
Coordinator for Latin America before the IFSCC. In 1997 the AAQC won the
Lester Conrad Award for the second time, thus becoming the first society
in the world receiving the award twice.
V. THE
NEW MILLENIUM
Dr. Cristina
Cicconi chaired the Society between 1998 and 2000. During said period the
second agreement for additional university studies was subscribed with La
Plata National University. The construction of the second floor of the
headquarters building started. In May 1999, during the XIV COLAMIQC held
in Chile, a video with flashes of Buenos Aires and music by Astor Piazzola
was exhibited, aimed at promoting the XV COLAMIQC to take place in our
country in 2001.
In the year 2000 elections two lists of candidates were submitted,
and after the scrutiny the list presided by Eng. Carlos Pasta was declared
winner.
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AAQC
CHAIRMEN
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- Eng.
Alberto Codina
(1971 - 1974)
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- Dr. Marta
de la Vega
(1990 - 1991)
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- Dr.
Jaime Rubín
(1974 - 1976)
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- Dr.
Daniel Waldhorn
(1992 - 1994)
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- Dr. Marcos
Mitlag
(1976 - 1978)
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- Dr. Lucio
Laserna
(1994 - 1996)
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- Dr. Alberto
Alami
(1978 - 1980)
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- Dr. Lucio
Laserna
(1996 - 1998)
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- Dr.
Néstor Gaggero
(1980 - 1982)
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- Dra.
Cristina Cicconi
(1998 - 2000)
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- Dr. Alberto
Martin
(1982 - 1984)
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- Eng. Carlos
Pasta
(2000 - 2002)
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- Dr. Alberto
Alami
(1984 - 1986)
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- Dr. Silvia Pérez
Damonte (2002 - 2004)
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- Eng.
Norberto Delic
(1986 - 1988)
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- Dr. Silvia Pérez
Damonte (2004 - 2006)
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- Dr. César
Fernández Tudela (1988 - 1990)
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For some
readers this history will only mean strokes of anecdotes and memories.
Some others will read much more between lines...
Sources
: Column "¿Sabías
Que?" (“Did
you know that...?) from AAQC Newsletter,
coordinated by fellow-member Paula Schaievitch.
We invite you to contact us and take part in this
adventure, so we can continue writing together this passionate history
along the new millennium.
Thirty
years since the first
COLAMIQC (Spanish)
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