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Kathleen Marie "Kathy" Ireland (born March 20, 1963) is an American
former model, actress, and entrepreneur. She is the CEO and designer of
her eponymous brand product marketing company, Kathy Ireland Worldwide.
****
Background Information
Born Kathleen Marie Ireland
March 20, 1963 (1963-03-20) (age 48)
Glendale, California,
United States
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Hair color Auburn
Eye color Blue
Spouse Greg Olsen
(m.1988-present; 3 children)
Website
www.kathyireland.com
****
Life and career
Ireland was born in 1963 in Glendale, California, the daughter of John, a labor
union organizer, and Barbara Ireland, who worked in charity.[1] At age 17,
Ireland was "discovered" by an agent for the Elite Model Management company, and
by the time she graduated from San Marcos High School (Santa Barbara,
California) in 1981, she was working steadily as a model.[2]
Sports Illustrated
Starting in 1984, Ireland was featured in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
Issue for 13 consecutive years, with her final appearance in 1996.[3] In
addition to her long tenure within the pages, Ireland appeared on the cover of
the annual issue three times, a feat tied by Christie Brinkley and Cheryl Tiegs
and surpassed only by Elle Macpherson (with five appearances). Ireland was the
cover model for the first time on the 25th Anniversary Swimsuit Edition, which
became SI's best selling swimsuit issue to date.[4][5] She returned to the cover
in 1992 and in 1994. In her third appearance, she was accompanied by Rachel
Hunter and Elle Macpherson; notably, both Hunter and Ireland were pregnant at
the time.[5]
Acting
Ireland has appeared in a number of television and movie roles. Her first movie,
1988's Alien from L.A., was later skewered during the fifth season of Mystery
Science Theater 3000.[6] Ireland's other appearances include Melrose Place, Boy
Meets World, The Larry Sanders Show, Muppets Tonight, Side Out, Mr. Destiny,
Necessary Roughness, Mom and Dad Save the World, National Lampoon's Loaded
Weapon 1 (alongside William Shatner), Once Upon A Christmas, and its sequel
Twice Upon A Christmas (her final film to date). She also appeared in the ninth
season of Dancing with the Stars, however, hers was the third couple eliminated
in the second week of competition.
Entrepreneur
In 1993, Ireland put her name on a line of socks. After they proved a
best-seller for Kmart, the retailer gave Ireland her own clothing line.[7] She
then founded "Kathy Ireland Worldwide," a brand product marketing company in
which she holds a majority stake.[8] By 2004, Ireland was marketing products
from 16 manufacturers, including those of Standard Furniture.[7][9] Ireland's
long-term exclusive contract with K-mart Corporation lasted until 2003, after
which the company contracted with thousands of independent mid-tier retail
stores for distribution.[10] By 2005, KIWW products were sold at over 50,000
locations in 15 countries, generating an estimated $1.4 billion in retail
sales.[9] Ireland's annual take is thought to be around $10 million, which has
prompted Forbes to name her the "prototype for model-turned-mogul," in an
article about the trend of modelpreneurs.[11]
Since 1994, Ireland has published several fitness videos.
Books
Ireland has written six books, including three for children.
Her debut effort (with Laura Morton), Powerful Inspirations: Eight Lessons that
Will Change Your Life, was first published by Doubleday in June 2002. It is
laced with discussions of her faith in God and the reasons for her strong
pro-life stance.[12]
Her children's books, Mona's Favorite Words, What Do Mommies Do? and An Angel
Called Hope, were released by Publications International Ltd. in November 2005
as part of their Story Reader series.[13]
Ireland's Real Solutions for Busy Moms: Your Guide to Success and Sanity was
published by Howard Books in April 2009. It was released in both English and
Spanish. According to the jacket, in her book Ireland shares "stories from her
own life and wisdom she has gained through her years from teenager with a paper
route to successful supermodel to mom to entrepreneur."
Her sixth book, Real Solutions: 52 God Inspired Messages from My Heart was also
published by Howard Books and released on November 24, 2009. This book says it
"shares inspirational messages from one busy mom to another."[14]
Personal life
Kathy Ireland became an evangelical Christian at the age of 18, when she read
the Bible out of curiosity.[15] She has said that she switched her previously
pro-choice stance on abortion to pro-life after researching her husband Dr. Greg
Olsen's medical books.[15]
Ireland gave a speech at the fourth Youth Assembly at the United Nations
Headquarters on August 13, 2007. The purpose was to encourage activities among
young people towards ending poverty. Ireland spoke on a subject of social
entrepreneurship and partnerships.[16]
In May 2009, Ireland and her family were evacuated from two homes endangered by
the Jesusita Fire near Santa Barbara, California: one belonging to Ireland's
parents, and the other being the home where Ireland, her husband and their three
children reside.[17]
Ireland appeared on Larry King Live in 2009 to discuss her weight gain and
women's health. She had gained a pound a year for 25 years and the cumulative
effect had become obvious to her in a candid photograph her son had taken.
Ireland said in the interview, "Weight is a symptom of something that needs to
change in your life."[18]
References
1.^ Kathy Ireland Biography (1963-)
2.^ "Kathy Ireland - Profile". E! Online. http://www.eonline.com/celebrities/profile/index.jsp?uuid=67c3c82c-7d5a-4e66-8d20-7cfc12989337.
Retrieved 2008-07-30. [dead link]
3.^ "Collosus Collectibles Sports Illustrated Swimsuit". http://www.colossuscollectibles.com/calendars/siswimsuit/index.html.
Retrieved 2008-07-30.
4.^ "SI Swimsuit Collection - Kathy Ireland". Sports Illustrated. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/swimsuit/collection/issues/ultimate_swimsuit/ult_kireland_01.html.
Retrieved 2008-07-30.
5.^ a b "Sports Illustrated 50: The Anniversary Book, Rob Fleder, 2005, p.286,
ISBN 1-932273-49-2". CNN. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/swimsuit/collection/issues/ultimate_swimsuit/ult_kireland_01.html.
Retrieved 2010-05-07.
6.^ "Mystery Science Theater 3000". TV.com. November 20, 1993. http://www.tv.com/mystery-science-theater-3000/alien-from-l.a./episode/46964/summary.html.
Retrieved 2008-07-31.
7.^ a b Blakeley, Kiri (2004-05-07). "The Model Mogul". Forbes. http://www.forbes.com/celebrities/forbes/2004/0705/116.html.
Retrieved 2008-08-01.
8.^ Boone & Kurtz (2007). Contemporary Business 12th Edition. Thomson
South-Western.
9.^ a b Blakeley, Kiri (2006-12-06). "Most Entrepreneurial Supermodels". Forbes.
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2006/02/02/fashion-supermodels-licensing-cz_kb_0203fashion2_ls.html.
Retrieved 2008-08-01.
10.^ Gale Group (October 27, 2003). "Troy, Mich. — model Kathy Ireland reports
that her apparel will retail in some 3,000 stores in addition to Kmart next
spring, ending its long-term exclusive". BNET Business Network, DSN Retailing
Today. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FNP/is_20_42/ai_109665978.
Retrieved 2008-08-01.
11.^ Blakeley, Kiri (2006-12-06). "Models Turned Moguls". Forbes.
http://www.forbes.com/2008/07/17/supermodel-entrepreneur-gisele-ent-sales-cx_kb_0717modelpreneurs_slide_11.html?thisSpeed=20000.
Retrieved 2008-08-01.
12.^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/0385503075 Amazon page for Powerful Inspirations
13.^ http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BUTA5U Amazon page for Story Reader
3-Pack
14.^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/1416563520 Amazon page for Real Solutions
15.^ a b Blim, Julie (2002-08-20). "Kathy Ireland: Designing Woman". CBN.
http://www.cbn.com/700club/features/kathy_ireland-interview.aspx. Retrieved
2009-04-21.
16.^ "End Poverty 2015/Millenium Development Goals". September 11, 2007.
http://www.mdg-gateway.org/MDG-Blog/?cat=4&paged=2. Retrieved 2009-05-27.
17.^ Livingston, David (May 08, 2009). "Wildfire Causes Kathy Ireland and Family
to Evacuate Homes". ET: Entertainment Online.
http://www.etonline.com/news/2009/05/73790/. Retrieved 2009-05-27. [dead link]
18.^ "Former model: Fret over being fit, not how you look - CNN.com". CNN.
2009-05-05.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/diet.fitness/05/05/lkl.celebrities.weight/index.html.
Retrieved 2010-05-07.
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