Cary Collier - Founder and Principal
Cary Collier, a principal and spa designer | project manager for Blu Spas, and Principal of Collier Concepts has applied his design and spa operation expertise and experience for nearly 400 spas in 40 countries.
A native Texan, Cary has been a health club owner and has held positions as Managing Director, Director of Projects, and Spa Designer and Planner for spa projects around the world since the late-80’s. He co-founded Blu Spas, Inc. and Collier & Collier Spas (Collier Concepts); both companies are industry leaders in developing and planning wellness concepts and spas for developers and operators of hospitality, mixed-use, wellness residential/community, and hot springs projects.
Cary and his wife, Kim, are credited with being among the original pioneers of the spa industry in Asia. He has worked on spa projects for hotels ranging in size from 25 rooms to 3000 rooms. In addition, he was one of the founders of the ISPA Asia Pacific and served as VP on the Board of Directors and Advisory Board for Asian Spa Summits. He has been a speaker for numerous conferences, including Global Wellness Summits, Hospitality Design Expo & Conference, ISPA (USA & Asia), Urban Land Institute, Cornell University, and Hotel Executive. He has served on the Editorial Advisory Board for Organic Spa Magazine, Whitefish City Planning Board, Planning & Design, and Budget & Oversight Boards for the new high school in Whitefish and volunteers for the North Valley Food Bank serving the Flathead Valley in Montana.
Cary has lived in Dallas, Aspen, Hong Kong, Jakarta, Bali, Carmel and now resides in Whitefish, Montana with his wife, Kim. They have two daughters, Cierra and Asia.
Doug Chambers - Founder and Principal
Doug Chambers, a principal and co-founder of Blu Spas, Inc., heads business affairs and spa operational issues for Blu Spas. Additionally, Doug provides project management throughout all phases of project planning, pre-opening, and post-opening.
Doug has been involved in the wellness, spa, salon, and fitness industries for more than twenty years. A business and real estate lawyer by training, he has been intimately involved from planning and start-up through the operation and expansion of wellness facilities, spas, salons, fitness facilities, and product companies.
Chambers’ experience includes all phases of project planning, with special emphasis on feasibility analysis and concept development, and all phases of operations, including pre-opening, lease negotiations, financial planning, fiscal overview, employment matters, compensation schedules, litigation liaison, marketing, advertising, and public relations. He has had primary responsibility for identifying, negotiating and implementing expansion opportunities.
Doug has been key in the creation and advancement of product branding and has had principal responsibility for all phases of the design, development, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of an extensive line of hair, spa, and skin products. Chambers contributed as an advisor for Billy Yamaguchi Feng Shui Beauty. He has served as a creative consultant for various brands and has been a speaker or panelist for spa conferences on topics including technical innovation for the spa industry (Global Spa Summit) and spas as amenities for gaming and casino resorts (Gaming and Casino Conference). He recently spoke as a panelist at the HD Expo on the topic “Design RX: Hospitality’s Positive Influence on Health and Wellness.” Chambers has authored or contributed to several articles for wellness, spa, and salon industry publications.
Doug lives in the Los Angeles area and fields Blu Spas’ West Coast office.
Kim Collier - Spa Practitioner, Educator & Wellness Experience Planner
Kim brings a multitude of expertise to wellness projects. She is a founding partner in CollierConcepts (with her husband Cary Collier) founder of JAMUspa, Licensed Massage Therapist & NCBTMB Instructor, Australian Trained Esthetician & Energy Medicine Yoga instructor.
Currently, Kim is curating wellness retail and offering holistic massage sessions at VIBE Wellness Lounge, in her hometown of Whitefish, Montana. A seasoned professional and adventurous soul, Kim has contributed to the global spa community as Spa Director, Consultant in Hong Kong, Indonesia (Java, Sumatra, Bali, Lombok), Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, Australia, Russia, Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
Kim's volunteer projects include serving on Global Wellness Institute Initiative (Massage Makes Me Happy & Healthy) as well as community time at her local food bank and schools. With a rich respect for natural healing and a solid understanding of industry trends, Kim offers our clients newsworthy spa experiences, many of which have been featured in international publications. Kim received the “Top 25 Trendsetter” award from Conde Nast Publications and was recognized as a top consultant and educator via American Spa “Women In Wellness”.
Her specialties include product development, wellness treatment design, evidence-based education programs, and herbal healing. With a commitment to appointing the highest quality products for retail and wellness offerings, along with technical service standards, Kim enjoys empowering spa teams and their valued guests to reach their highest human potential.
Maggy Dunphy – Planning and Operations
Recent Career Summary – Operations and Planning:
Corporate Director of Spa and Wellness, Americas – Hyatt Hotel Corporation
Corporate Director of Spa and Wellness, Two Roads Hospitality, Destination Hotels & Resorts, and on-site Director at La Cantera Hill Country Resort & Spa (Loma de Vida Spa & Wellness), San Antonio, Texas.
My personal mission statement in life is to add value to the people, the planet, and the business I serve.
My career has spanned from high school lacrosse coach to massage therapist to corporate spa director – and many things in between.
Every day I strive to lead gracefully, teach wisely, learn & listen patiently, grow beautifully – and create spaces for others to do the same.
Maggy is a principal and partner of SP-OZ SOLUTIONS.
Brian Lombardi - Project Design and Technical Specifications
Brian has worked with Blu Spas as a project consultant since early 2004 and has excelled in spa design through his firm grasp of function and technical services.
Though Brian’s prior ten-year work experience was in management, he currently collaborates in the programming and design phases of Blu Spas’ design division, working with the architects and engineers of projects regarding the intricacies of spa design.
Brian has been intimately involved in all phases of project planning for various projects worldwide.
Fluent in English and conversational in Spanish after 10 years in Mexico, Brian resides in Montana.
Scott Elden – Design Layout and Facility Planning
Scott was raised in a family of professional artists, engineers, and interior designers. Today, the pursuit of scale, style, and creativity carries on. Since 2009, over 75 commercial, residential, and municipal projects are delivered annually.
“A consistent effort through the work has been finding, shaping, and communicating life and soul into my diverse projects. While technology speeds our design process, and valuable practical issues press at every turn, it’s keeping a sacred and soulful integrity of experience that is perhaps the most interesting of interests and rare of skills to offer.”
Scott’s recently completed projects include the Two Bear Ranch, Montana, $100m, 55,000 sq. ft. private estate; Center for Sustainability and Entrepreneurship, Montana’s first annual energy net zero building, greenhouse, and education center; Spa Concept Design for Le Meridien, Bora Bora; Pronghorn, Bend Oregon; St. Regis Santa Marta Resort, Marbella, Spain; Katara, Doha, Qatar; Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix, Arizona; Resort World Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada; The Houstonian, Houston, Texas; and Belmond Maroma, Mexico.
Scott has received several Montana Addy Awards for Commercial Branding, Signage, and Logo Design.
Scott is a founding partner and principal of Montana Creative Architecture & Design.
Lisa Jacobs
IN LOVING MEMORY
It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Lisa Henry Jacobs. Lisa was the first addition to our Blu Spas team. She made an immediate impact through her exceptional operational expertise and unique talent for finding the germ of an idea and crafting it into a spiritual connection between a project, its location, and its core concept. Her magnetic personality, generous spirit, and genuine warmth made people feel deeply connected to her. Because of how frequently people in our industry and beyond would tell us how much they adored her, we sometimes joked with Lisa that we would make more money selling “I love Lisa” t-shirts than from consulting. Her intense passion for our industry and the people in our industry, and her endless quest to discover compelling ways to make wellness more accessible made her a leading and respected voice. We are better having had her in our lives, and we are grateful for every moment of our time with her.
