Some nights stay with you forever, and Sunday 18 October 2026 is one of them. At the ANZ Hair Industry Awards (AHIA) Business gala at The Star Brisbane, Stefan Hair was named Educator of the Year (Organisation), and our founder, Stefan Ackerie AM, was honoured with the Vidal Sassoon Humanitarian Award.
Two wins, one room full of the best in Australian and New Zealand hairdressing, and a very proud Stefan family. Here's what they mean to us.
Educator of the Year (Organisation)
Sponsored by DP Exo Grow
Education has always been at the heart of Stefan. Since our first salon opened in Mackay in 1966, we've trained generations of hairdressers, from apprentices on their very first day to the master colourists and blonde specialists our clients know and love today.
2026 finalists
Industry Collective · MIG Training · Stefan Hair (winner)
To be recognised alongside Industry Collective and MIG Training, two organisations doing incredible work for our industry, is a genuine honour.
This award belongs to our educators. They're the people who show up every day to pass on the art of blonde, colour and cutting, who coach, mentor and champion the next generation, and who make sure every guest in every one of our 30+ salons gets a consistently beautiful result.
To every trainer, mentor and apprentice who has walked through our doors: this one's yours.
"Stylist Education has always been at our core"
The Vidal Sassoon Humanitarian Award
Stefan Ackerie AM · Sponsored by Mocha Group
Named after one of the most influential hairdressers of all time, the Vidal Sassoon Humanitarian Award recognises an individual whose impact reaches well beyond the salon chair. There could be no more fitting recipient than Stefan.
Stefan arrived in Australia from Lebanon as a young migrant and went on to become one of the most recognisable personalities in our industry, creating opportunities for thousands of young people over more than six decades.
But this award honours something even closer to his heart: his enduring commitment to giving back. Stefan has supported countless charitable organisations helping sick children, people living with disability, and those experiencing homelessness and hardship, giving his time, his resources and his profile to causes that reach well beyond the salon doors.
Make A Sick Kid Smile
The most personal expression of that generosity is the Stefan MASKS Foundation (Make A Sick Kid Smile). Every Easter and Christmas, MASKS brings toys, treats and a little magic into hospital wards, where children and their families are facing some of the hardest days of their lives.
With police escorts, volunteers and community supporters joining in, these visits give children something joyful to look forward to and parents the precious experience of seeing their child smile. They're also a reminder to families that a whole community is behind them, and to hospital staff that their extraordinary work is appreciated.
This latest honour joins Stefan's recognition as an industry icon, an inductee into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame, and a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to business and charitable organisations.
"His charitable work reflects a belief that runs through his life: when you have the ability to help, you do."
A celebration of our whole community
Awards like these are never won alone. They belong to our stylists, colourists, educators, apprentices and salon teams, to our partners who support MASKS, and most of all to you, our clients, who have trusted us with your hair for over six decades.
Thank you for being part of the story. We can't wait to see you in the chair.
From all of us
Experience award-winning hair
Book in with our team at any of our 30+ salons, or explore a career with Australia's Educator of the Year.
