Carmen DePasquale, was born and raised in Paterson, NJ, came back from serving in the US Air Force in the mid 1960's and began to search for a "career". Unsure of quite what he wanted to do, and influenced by members of his family in the beauty industry, DePasquale became a stylist. It was a time of great transition and new possibilities, both in the world and with regard to beauty; and DePasquale was both inspired by the times and moved to the realization that knowledge is not enough, and rather it was the execution of knowledge that ultimately broadens one's range of possibilities - his entrepreneurial spirit was ignited!

Being a stylist gave DePasquale the tools necessary to grow in all directions of the beauty world. Today, his beauty empire, the eponymous DePasquale Companies, encompassess five subsidiaries which he refers to as the "DePasquale Circle of Beauty." They are as follows: DePasquale The Spa, DePasquale Salon Systems, Artistic Academy of Hair Design and Aesthetics, ECRU NewYork, and Cures by Avance. Each one supports and reinforces the next.

DePasquale created DePasquale The Spa (Morris Plains, NJ) to be a revolutionary beauty and wellness environment. The salon is widely recognized for its color and design artistry. The spa pioneered the way for its approach to wellness through treating conditions while working in harmony with physicians providing specialized medical services.

DePasquale formed DePasquale Salon Systems, a profession beauty distributorship, to provide professional products, services, and education to salons and spas along the East Coast.

DePasquale's Artistic Academy of Hair Design and Aesthetics is the progressive cosmetology school. Students of Artistic are versed in both the technical and interpersonal aspects of the business. The school not only provides well-trained employes for his own salon and spa, but also for the salons within his distribution network.

DePasquale also entered the world of manufacturing through the following: ECRC New York which produces boutique collections of products which target specific lifestyles; including ECRU New York, the signature collection, New York Streets, a hair culture collection, and Beauty Addicts, a cosmetic collection - and also Cures by Avance, a curative and corrective collection of professional skin and body therapies; treating skin conditions from the inside out.

Though DePasquale is still deeply involved in his businesses, he is more than an entrepreneur. He is an active philanthropist who prides himself on giving back. He raises funds and awareness.