Horst Rechelbacher, founder of Aveda Corp., is dead at the age of 72.  Rechelbacher died at his home in Osceola, WI on Saturday after a 3-year fight with pancreatic cancer.  Rechelbacher is survived by his wife Kiran Stordalen, his son Peter and wife Mindy Rechelbacher, his daughter, Nicole Thomas, and his grandchildren Emma, Richard, Evan, Ruby and Jada.

Global President of Aveda, Dominique Conseil, says that Rechelbacher will be remembered for his vision and leadership.

“He brought holistic beauty to the industry, connecting hair, face and body as one,” said Conseil.

Horst Rechelbacher founded the company, based out of Minneapolis, in 1978.  At the time, Rechelbacher mixed his own shampoos and hair fair products.  Aveda started as one salon before Rechelbacher expanded Aveda into a chain, turning it into a large company.  In 1997, Estee Lauder Cos. bought Aveda from Rechelbacher for $300 million.

After he sold Aveda to Estee Lauder Cos., Rechelbacher started a new Minneapolis-based health and beauty company, Intellegent Nutrients.  During his time with Intellegent Nutrients, Rechelbacher pioneered nontoxic and certified organic products, food-grade ingredients, and a vision of what a safe and beautiful world should be.

After learning about Rechelbacher’s death, Aveda released a statement which read,

“The planet has lost one of its most passionate friends.  So have we.  To know Horst was to wake up the world around you, to your own potential, to a new way of thinking.  His impact truly does live on in salons, shops, fields and minds worldwide.  And his mission continues.”

Rechelbacher as a great entrepreneur and had a great taste for beauty and creativity.  His main goal in life was to create health and beauty products that were both high quality, and safe to the people and environment.  Rechelbacher’s family plans to hold a private funeral service.