– Teri DiMarino
athy Rose didn’t set out to change the grooming industry, but she left her indelible mark wherever she went. Throughout her career, whenever she saw something that needed done, she would accept the challenge, saying, “I have work to do.” She took on those tasks joyfully and did not stop until she was satisfied she had done her best.
With a voracious appetite for learning and mostly self-taught, Kathy became certified by the NDGAA and ISCC, and also achieved her entire International Professional Groomers Master Certification in one weekend. And, just 18 months into her grooming career, she became a business owner when she purchased her salon, Pets of Perfection, in Boynton Beach, Florida.
Kathy did a lot of specialty grooming in her salon and was one of the pioneers in the creative grooming arena. In the beginning, creative was not so much the intense, bold colors we see today, but intricate coat carvings—a skill that came naturally to Kathy.
Back row, left to right: Kathy Rose, Maureen Parolini, Liz Paul, Lynn Carver. Bottom row, left to right: Lynda Cottrell, Melissa Verplank.
It wasn’t only the grooming competitions that she loved; Kathy also loved the groomers. Helping them attain their best was of the utmost importance to her, and she would take the time to answer questions and help anyone who asked her.
“As my skills increased, I entered a competition,” Tammy continues. “Kathy was a judge and was the ring coordinator for Barkleigh. She was always smiling and encouraging. Years later, I was the secretary for GroomTeam USA and Kathy became a board member. Kat and I really became close and got to know each other on a personal level. We spent time judging together in Brazil. For me it was yet another learning opportunity; getting to judge with someone who had so much experience.
“Our friendship of more than 30 years started with Kathy’s friendly ‘Hi’ to me at Intergroom,” Tammy adds. “She gave me inspiration early on in my career, then became my judge, mentor, and someone I looked up to. Then it went full circle when I had the joy and privilege of working with her at industry events.”
Kathy Rose gave of her time and talents unselfishly. When she took on a project, she worked tirelessly to see it through. One monumental undertaking was when Kathy helped to iron out the protocol and formalities of the contest ring to bring consistency and standardize the contest rules. She looked at and studied all sides of the rules—weighing the good and the bad of each. In the end, Kathy led the way to creating consistent rules for grooming competitions at the shows throughout America, which provided competitors the peace of mind knowing that the rules would be the same at every show. However, getting all of the show promoters to accept and implement the standardized rules didn’t happen overnight. There was a lot of behind-the-scenes work that had to be done.
Kathy was a sought after-speaker, sharing her knowledge at countless industry events, and was a columnist for Groomer To Groomer magazine. Among her many articles were tutorials on how to groom everyday “Bread and Butter” dogs with style. In addition to speaking and writing, Kathy did multiple videos for Learn2GroomDogs.com, hosted the TV event Extreme Poodles shown on the Learning Channel and was featured in the “Mutt Makeover” episode of Animal Planet’s popular TV series Petsburg USA.
Kathy met her long-time friend and fellow industry legend, Teri DiMarino, in 1984. They became fast friends, traveling to Canada, France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Brazil, Australia, Thailand, China, and South Korea for grooming industry events and assignments. And, they probably traveled to as many locations for vacations with each other, their children and their families.
Teri’s thoughts of adoration are echoed by another dear friend and industry icon, Melissa Verplank: “Kathy Rose had a passion and zeal for life,” Melissa says emphatically. “Whatever she did, she put her whole heart into it.
Kathy’s daughter, Tori Montville, shares these kind thoughts of her devoted mother: “Mom was the epitome of strength and unconditional love. Her guidance, wisdom, and unwavering support shaped me into the woman I am today. From scuba diving the Great Barrier Reef to skiing black diamond runs together all over the world, her sense of adventure was contagious. She taught me to be resilient and adaptive in any situation”
Well done, Kathy Rose. Well done indeed.