Biography Carol Perkins

1 biography

1.1 life, ford model
1.2 moving south start harry barker
1.3 personal life
1.4 media appearances

biography
early life, ford model

perkins born , raised in sarasota, florida, father high school principal , mother painter. spent weeks on end @ winter home of ringling bros. , barnum & bailey circus, tumbling , playing children of emmett kelly , flying wallendas. perkins moved new york city when sixteen, having graduated high school year early.

a statuesque brunette blue eyes, perkins signed eileen ford of ford modeling agency. appeared on cover of victoria s secret catalog, in pages of vogue, harper s bazaar , dozens of fashion magazines. perkins lived in paris , london several years, traveling world on modeling assignments.

in 1990, met performer penn jillette while preparing “penn & teller” event nbc-tv, , appeared in special “don’t try @ home.” recruited star in fire eating segment of first broadway production, “the refrigerator tour.” new york times hailed “incendiary performance, although wasn’t without risk career based on looks.

it wasn’t fire-eating ended modeling career, however, near-fatal bout brain cancer , cushing’s disease. in mid 1990s, perkins gained 70 pounds, developed hump on , round face. went scores of doctors on course of 2 years, no avail.

“i disfigured , unemployable,” said perkins went jet-setter shut-in. started walking dogs , sewing dog beds friends. visiting acupuncturist in chinatown, told had cushing’s disease, rare syndrome caused tumor on pituitary gland. had brain surgery remove tumor, during had dream starting company animals. recovered surgery , regained normal hormone equilibrium, editor friend featured 1 of perkins’ hand-crafted dog beds in woman’s magazine , perkins overwhelmed orders around nation. may, 1997, , perkins knew next career move be.

moving south start harry barker

perkins sold owned , left new york city, opening “harry barker” retail shop in savannah, georgia, sold bedding, treats , toys dogs , cats. after met , married david rawle, moved business charleston, south carolina , focused on selling products through wholesale distribution , on internet @ harrybarker.com

from start, perkins used recycled products in manufacture of pet beds, toys, collars , leashes. each bed fluffed special material made 30 recycled plastic bottles. perkins’ designs have been acclaimed consumers , media alike: harry barker products regularly featured in magazines such in style, coastal living, o, real simple, , martha stewart living. because made recycled products, harry barker wins industry acclaim sustainability groups , manufacturers’ groups such treehugger.com , pet product news.

harry barker privately owned company , not reveal sales figures, revenues have doubled in last 5 years. company’s products sold through more 3,000 retailers around world. website sales @ harrybarker.com have doubled every year since 2006. company garners attention policy in employing adult workers hope disabilities center, community partnership benefits many in charleston area. every year new york international gift show names harry barker or 1 of products “most sustainable products , practices.”

the product line regularly expanding, , company sales expected keep growing years come.

personal life

perkins dedicates many resources benefit medical university of south carolina, such donating portion of company proceeds children’s hospital. raises money fund hospital’s program therapy dogs. perkins has served on board of local no-kill animal shelter, pet helpers. still represented ford models , travel on assignment time time. husband, david rawle, owns large marketing communications agency in charleston, rawle-murdy associates. have 2 dogs: harry barker, of course (perkins’ beloved shetland sheepdog) , josephine, elegant briard.

media appearances

women’s magazines , home magazines have long raved harry barker , products. in 2008 , 2009, business media started catching up. perkins appeared on multiple segments of cnbc’s “big idea”with donny deutsch (who reprised has become sort of media sobriquet: “model gets new leash on life”). appeared in business pages of usatoday , newspapers coast coast through regular associated press wire stories on status of pet product industry.

carol perkins has appeared on paula deen’s tv cooking show (the 2 became friends in savannah years ago) countless local tv , newspaper interviews around country.