Shelley Cardoos of AHEAD Named SouthCoast Emerging Leader

(NEW BEDFORD, Mass.) – Shelley Cardoos, Creative Department Manager for AHEAD— the innovative headwear, apparel and accessories company that has been built around graphic design, eye-catching ornamentation techniques and pioneering products—has been named one of the 2015 winners of the SouthCoast Emerging Leader award.

The awards were given to five professionals at a special event held at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Presenting the awards were the SouthCoast Young Professionals Network in conjunction with SouthCoast Media Group.

To qualify for the award, nominees had to be 39 or younger as of the event date; work or live in the SouthCoast region of Massachusetts; and have demonstrated leadership in community and profession.

Shelley Cardoos

Cardoos, 35, has been the Creative Department Manager at AHEAD for 10 years. After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts, she joined the company as a color picker, choosing the thread colors for embroidery on headwear and apparel. She now oversees a department of 40.

Among her other accomplishments, Cardoos runs Craft-O-Rama, a seasonal pop-up shop in downtown New Bedford, and she also has a t-shirt and design business. Dedicated to her community, Cardoos serves on the Arts History Architecture Steering Committee and was a member and chair of the New Bedford Cultural Council, as well as the coordinator of New Bedford Open Studios in 2010. She is involved in many other local events, as well, from arm-wrestling competitions to drawing socials.

Chuck Lord, AHEAD’s Chief Creative Officer, said, “Rarely have I found someone with Shirley’s creativity, energy and enthusiasm for life bundled into one package.  She is not only an asset to our company, she is a solid member of the New Bedford community.”

For additional information about AHEAD, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, visit its website at www.Aheadweb.com.