From the Houston Chronicle website:

July 20, 2002, 9:24PM

Mary Kay sales reps think pink at annual convention
Associated Press

DALLAS -- With perfectly styled hair and manicures, thousands of diamond-clad Mary Kay sales representatives gathered in Dallas for their annual convention, the first since the death of their inspirational leader and founder.

About 50,000 women from around the world were expected for "Seminar," which started Thursday and ends Aug. 3.

Mary Kay Ash, whose pink Cadillacs and business savvy made her famous, died in November at age 83. But as the day began Saturday, an enthusiastic crowd filled an auditorium at the Dallas Convention Center to watch a message from Ash taped in 1994.

"You have made my dream for women come true," said Ash, who wore a bright red suit with matching lipstick and nail polish. The speech was filled with advice like "Remember that anything in this world you can have if you want it bad enough."

Ash, who had a stroke in 1996 that rendered her unable to speak and write, had not attended a convention since 1995 except for an appearance in 1997.

"This company was always concerned about the eventuality of her passing," said Tom Whatley, president of global sales and marketing. He said the decline of her health gave the group time to get used to the idea carrying on without their founder.

"One of the tenets of our corporate strategy is to amplify her soul through everything we do," said Whatley, who like many others wore an oval-shaped picture of Ash on his lapel.

Mary Kay Inc., which has a sales force of 600,000 in the United States and 350,000 internationally, had more than $2.8 billion in retail sales last year.

The convention is held partly to acknowledge the achievements of the sales force with gifts such as diamonds and trips.

Whatley said Ash had a clever response to anyone who might poke fun at the company often known for its award of a pink Cadillac. Whatley said she would ask, "Tell me what color Cadillac does your company give you?" My favorite line.. Tell me what color Cadillac does your company give you?"

After earning a college degree and working for a year, 33-year-old Keita Powell Nelson, of Bowie, Md., decided to follow her mother's footsteps selling the cosmetics and skin care products. It's now her full-time job.

"I mean, to get diamond rings like this for your hard work," said the heavily bejeweled Nelson.

Mary Kay isn't afraid of change, either. For example, the well-known light pink cosmetics containers are being phased out to make way for platinum and gold containers, said Diana Gold, manager of global corporate communications.

The meeting Saturday featured a drawing for one of Ash's purses, song-and-dance numbers and talks from top sellers.

Sisters Monique Todd and Lise Clark were among those making their debuts this year as independent national sales directors, the top spots on the Mary Kay career ladder.

Clark, 44, was in her 20s when she embraced a career with Mary Kay. The former beauty pageant contestant who lives in Englewood, Colo., had been trying to make ends meet in Los Angeles with three jobs.

She eventually helped persuade her skeptical sister to join Mary Kay, and they both earned six-figure incomes last year.

"We became women in Mary Kay," said Todd, 41, of Colorado Springs, Colo.

Clark said Ash had been preparing the company for the time when she would no longer be with them.

"We hold in our heart her dreams and visions," Clark said.

Todd's husband was among the men accompanying their wives to the convention, even joining other husbands in a parade across the stage.

Jeff Todd, 43, said part of the fun of the convention is to watch the women get so excited about what they're doing.

"They don't get a lot of sleep, but somehow they have enough energy to get through," he said