Management Team
Advisory Board
BUSINESS TEAM: Led by industry expert Francis X. Acunzo
Francis X. Acunzo, President/CEO
Francis X Acunzo (FXA) has over 25 years of experience and a wealth of knowledge in the spa, retail healthcare, hospitality, beauty, and fitness industries. As an entrepreneur, business owner, operator and investor, Mr. Acunzo possesses a critical perspective and an ability to provide visionary leadership to a variety of industry opportunities.
As CEO of various spa, health and wellness companies he and his team have executed upon 24 acquisitions involving over 60 spa and club locations, completed over 100 feasibility studies, operated a national chain of 22 Day Spas and managed a West Coast chain of 37 medical spas.
Mr. Acunzo is known for his firsts in the industry: In 1999, Mr. Acunzo had the vision to create the industry's first consolidation of day spas aggregating almost $50M in annual revenue through the acquisition of 22 of the best spas in top U.S. markets. In 1996, he opened the country's first medical spas through a merger between his Spa Company and Candela Laser, one of the leading cosmetic laser manufacturers in the U.S. In 1991 he was the first spa operator to place lasers into spas. In 1985 he led the development of the first resort spa in the Northeast at the Norwich Inn in Norwich, CT.
Mr. Acunzo is a noted industry speaker presenting keynote addresses, seminars and webinars at many industry events, conferences and conventions including:
- Medical Aesthetics Conference & Expo
- International Esthetics Cosmetic & Spa Conference (IECSC)
- The Medical Spa Society Web Education
- International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA) Annual Convention
- International Spa Association (ISPA) Annual Conference.
In addition he is actively published and has been a contributing writer for:
- Club Business International
- Spa Business International
- Massage Magazine
- Medical Spa Report
- American Spa Magazine
He has also guest lectured at:
- Cornell's School of Hotel Administration
- Babson College's School of Business
- Boston University's School of Hotel Management
- Quinnipiac University's School of Business
Mr. Acunzo is very active with industry associations participating on the board level with the following organizations:
- Board Member for the Medical Spa Society 2003 - present
- President of the ISPA Foundation 2003 - 2004
- ISPA Foundation Board Member 2000 - 2003
- Board Member of the ISPA Board 2003 - 2004
- Member of the Advisory Board for the Day Spa Association 1996 - 2002
- Chairman of IHRSA's Spa Advisory Council 2000 - 2001
- Member of the IHRSA Spa Advisory Council 1998 - 2000
Mr. Acunzo holds a BS degree in Business Administration from Providence College, Providence, Rhode Island. He resides on the beautiful Connecticut Shoreline with his wife and 2 boys.
Barbara Murphy-Shannon, Business Development
Ms. Murphy-Shannon has over 30 years of marketing and sales experience in the hospitality and service industries including spas, country clubs, dining clubs, and athletic clubs. As Vice President of Business Development with Acara, she interacts with all new clients, determining their goals and objectives, ensuring a smooth transition during development.
She founded BMS Sales in 2002, providing manufacturers with representation in the Arizona market servicing hotels, resorts, spas and high-end retail. Some of her clients included The Four Seasons Resort & Spa , The Golden Door Spa at the Boulders, The Scottsdale Fairmont Princess, Royal Palms Resort, and The J. W. Marriott's to name a few. Founder and visionary of Arizona Babies, a children's botanical skincare line, has given her extensive experience in product development and sales.
She is on the adjunct faculty at Arizona State University. She instructs Sales and Marketing for Spas for the ASU Spa Management Certificate program in the Exercise and Wellness Department. She has also taught at Mesa Community College.
She has also worked as a Vice President with Sage, one of the country's leading spa management & development groups that became Stonewater, the country's second largest day spa organization. Ms. Murphy-Shannon's marketing experience includes developing strategic sales and marketing plans, market research, and conducting sales training at prestigious resorts and clubs such as The Phoenician Resort, The Mist Spa, Gainey Ranch Golf Club, Red Mountain Ranch Club, Candela Spa and Le Pli Spa in Boston. She has also worked on numerous spa and club development projects. Ms. Murphy-Shannon holds a BA degree in Communications from Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts.
Debra Roberts, Marketing and Advertising
An award winning designer and marketing expert, Debra has over fifteen years in her field. Ms. Roberts has managed national healthcare, retail and medical spa accounts.
As Vice President of Marketing, Debra develops all MedSpa marketing strategy, planning and implementation. She oversees branding, design and advertising for each location, including: name and logo design, website, promotional campaigns, business collateral, on-line marketing and strategic marketing programs.
Clients have included over 50 medical spas, and Pilot Pen, Gerber Scientific, The Greater Hartford Open, Arrow Pharmacy, The Department of Children and Families and Momentum Fitness.
Debra regularly shares her expertise via industry webinars as well as tradeshows. Ms. Roberts graduated magna cum laude from Moore College of Art and Design, where she earned her BFA in Graphic Design. and Communication.
Brenda Palumbo, Spa Development & Operations
Ms. Palumbo joined Acara MedSpas as Vice President of Development with a wealth of first hand experience and formal education in the spa industry. She currently oversees all new medical spa development, including: market assessment, feasibility, and pre-opening implementation.
Since graduating from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration in 1991, Brenda has worked exclusively in the spa segment of the hospitality industry. Brenda's experience includes single- and multi-unit management experience covering destination, hotel/resort and day spas. She has also worked as an industry consultant specializing in spa development and pre-opening services.
As a Regional Director of Spa Operations for Stonewater Spas, Brenda oversaw the operations of ten day spas in seven states. Playing an active role in this startup company, Brenda assisted in the development of company wide operating procedures, marketing and sales initiatives, budgets, and brand standards.
Brenda also served as Spa Director at the Hilton Short Hills and the Hyatt Regency Newport. As a consultant, Brenda has been involved in numerous spa openings and development projects with a variety of spa owners and developers (Intrawest, Health Fitness Dynamics, Marriott Hartford, Cortiva Education). She began her career at New Age Health Spa, a small destination spa in Neversink, NY where she served as General Manager.
Joseph J. Acunzo, Technology and Software
As a veteran of more than 28 years in the software industry, Mr. Acunzo has a wealth of experience from both a business and technical standpoint. For much of his career, he has been involved with software start-up or turnaround situations in one form or another. He is the architect of numerous award winning software products on the Microsoft Windows and UNIX platforms and former VP of Software Development for a CT based software company.
In the world of medical and day-spa technology with Acara Partners, Mr. Acunzo has reviewed, recommended and integrated point-of-sale and scheduling solutions. Most recently, he put in place a national solution for Lumity Med Spa with 37 locations, including a centralized system at corporate headquarters.
In addition to spa technology, as a software consultant, architect and developer, Mr. Acunzo’s work includes design and development of solutions in the areas of workflow, document management, web and database solutions, and more. He has designed and delivered mission critical software solutions for numerous organizations, including a national cancer research center in Maryland, an international design and construction firm in Boston, an aerospace company in Montreal, a grant foundation in New Jersey, and others.
Mr. Acunzo graduated in 1980 summa cum laude with a BS in a dual major of Mathematics and Computer Science, as well as a degree in Accounting, both from Quinnipiac University in the same four-year period.
Sandi Unkrur, Operations & Sales Management
Mrs. Unkrur has extensive experience in retail healthcare, including the operational oversight of a chain of 37 medical spas as well as numerous independent new location launches. As MedSpa Director for Acara, Sandi oversees day to day operations and sales at every location. She has assisted with the development of numerous locations from construction and planning to opening and start-up operations.
Sandi has written Standard Operating Procedures manuals, had a team of Regional Managers reporting to her to manage a complex multi-site operation with responsibility for payroll, personnel management, sales and marketing, business development, training, equipment maintenance and procurement along with OSHA and HIPPA regulatory implementation. Sandi holds a BA in Business Administration from the Goldey Beacom College.
Pia Prevost, Architectural Development and Interior Design
Pia Prevost possesses over twenty years of wide ranging international experience in the field of Architectural and Interior Design.
Pia Prevost is dedicated to providing a customized approach to each design. This entails working closely and knowledgeably with each Client in order to define and enhance a unique concept, and to closely examine the Client’s operations, goals and objectives. These key elements form the foundation of Prevost’s design process.
Her design philosophy is to articulate a space that is both dramatic and utilitarian. This is ultimately achieved through skillful attention to the space, finishes, colors, and through the use of distinctive artwork / accessories.
Among her accomplishments in architectural and interior design are numerous day spas for Stonewater one of the nation’s leading Day Spa Companies now known as Premier Spas and Salons. With this company, she worked closely with the Corporate Director of Retail to develop retail display units that were used throughout the locations. Most recently she created a design concept to renovate and upgrade a chain of 37 Medical Spas on the West Coast.
In addition to her formative spa experience Pia has extensive hospitality experience with ten years in the Real Estate Division of Swissair Transportation Inc. as the Owner’s Representative and Project Manager for new construction and renovation projects in the field of hospitality. During this time, she completed projects within budgets up of $ 40 million.
In 1999 Pia Prevost was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Restaurant Design in the
United States and this work was published. Pia Prevost graduated with a Master of Architecture in Switzerland where she gained solid experience working as a Design Architect and in construction.
Advisory Board
Ralph Massey, MD, Aesthetics Dermatology & MedSpa Expert
Board Certified Dermatologist
Deborah Pan, MD, Medical Aesthetics & Cosmetic Surgery
Medical Spa Owner & Plastic Surgeon
Rebecca Jackson, Esq., Legal & Regulatory Healthcare
Senior Legal Counsel for Medtronic, Inc.
Charles T. Lelon, Private Equity, Investment & Financial
Founder & Managing Partner of Kamylon Capital, LLC