ALBERTO CULVER CO
SC 13D/A, 1996-05-22
PERFUMES, COSMETICS & OTHER TOILET PREPARATIONS
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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                  Schedule 13D

                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. 5 )*

                             ALBERTO-CULVER COMPANY
                                (Name of Issuer)


                    CLASS B COMMON STOCK, $.22 PAR VALUE PER SHARE
                         (Title of Class of Securities)


                                    013068101
                                 (CUSIP Number)
Marshall E. Eisenberg                              Carol L. Bernick
NEAL GERBER & EISENBERG                            2525 Armitage Avenue
Two North LaSalle Street, Suite 2200               Melrose Park, IL 60160
Chicago, Illinois  60602                           (708) 450-3051
(312) 269-8000

                  (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
                Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)


                                 April 12, 1996
                          (Date of Event which Requires
                            Filing of this Statement)



If the filing person has previously  filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the  acquisition  which is the subject of this  Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box .

Check the  following  box if a fee is being paid with the  statement . (A fee is
not required only if the reporting person:  (1) has a previous statement on file
reporting  beneficial  ownership  of more  than  five  percent  of the  class of
securities  described  in Item 1;  and (2) has  filed  no  amendment  subsequent
thereto reporting  beneficial  ownership of five percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7.)

Note: Six copies of this Statement, including all exhibits, should be filed with
the Commission.  See Rule 13d-1(a) for other parties to whom copies are to be
sent.

* The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting  person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter disclosure
provided in a prior cover page.

The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).

                        (Continued on following page(s))

                                Page 1 of 5 Pages

<PAGE>



- ----------------------                            ------------------------------
CUSIP NO. 013068101                  13D                       Page 2 of 5 Pages
- ----------------------                            ------------------------------


- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     1        NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
              S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON

                       CAROL L. BERNICK

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     2        CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP *

                                                                    (a)
                                                                    (b) X
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     3        SEC USE ONLY

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     4        SOURCE OF FUNDS *

                       Not applicable
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     5        CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDING IS REQUIRED PURSUANT 
              TO ITEMS 2(d) OR 2(e)
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     6        CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                       U.S. Citizen
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                    7      SOLE VOTING POWER

NUMBER OF                                              837,720
                               -------------------------------------------------
                                    8      SHARED VOTING POWER
SHARES BENEFICIALLY
                                                      466,108

                               -------------------------------------------------
OWNED BY EACH                       9      SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

                                                      837,720
REPORTING 
                               -------------------------------------------------
                                   10      SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON WITH
                                                      466,108

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    11        AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

                       1,303,828

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    12        CHECK BOX IF THE  AGGREGATE  AMOUNT IN ROW (11)  EXCLUDES  CERTAIN
              SHARES * Excluded  are 300,000  shares held  directly by Bernick's
              spouse.  Bernick  has no  beneficial  interest  in such shares and
              beneficial ownership of them is disclaimed.
                                                                              X
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    13        PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11).

                        7.78%
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    14        TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON *

                       IN
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    * SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!


<PAGE>



- ----------------------                            ------------------------------
CUSIP NO. 013068101                  13D                       Page 3 of 5 Pages
- ----------------------                            ------------------------------


Item 1.           Security and Issuer.

         Title of Class of Securities: Class B Common Stock, $.22
                                       par value per share (the "shares")

         Name and Address of Issuer:   Alberto-Culver Company (the "Company")
                                       2525 Armitage Avenue
                                       Melrose Park, IL  60160

Item 2.           Identity and Background.

         (a)      Name of Person Filing:   Carol L. Bernick ("Bernick")

         (b)      Address:                 Carol L. Bernick
                                           2525 Armitage Avenue
                                           Melrose Park, IL  60160

         (c)      Principal Business:   Bernick, an individual, is a Director
                                        and Executive Vice-President and
                                        Assistant Secretary of the Company and
                                        the President of Alberto-Culver USA,
                                        Inc., a subsidiary of the Company.

         (d)      Prior Criminal Convictions:                 None

         (e)      Prior Civil Proceedings With
                  Respect to Federal or State
                  Securities Laws:                            None

         (f)      Place of Organization:                      U.S. Citizen

Item 3.           Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.

         Not applicable. On February 21, 1996, Bernick, as co-trustee of the LHL
         April, 1994 Grantor Annuity Trust (the "LHL Trust"), u/a/d 4/11/94, fbo
         Leonard H. Lavin,  Bernick's father ("Mr. Lavin"),  transferred 140,267
         shares to Mr. Lavin as  beneficiary.  Similarly,  on February 21, 1996,
         Bernick,  as  co-trustee of the BEL April,  1994 Grantor  Annuity Trust
         (the "BEL  Trust"),  u/a/d  4/11/94,  fbo Bernice E.  Lavin,  Bernick's
         mother ("Mrs.  Lavin"),  transferred  140,267  shares to Mrs.  Lavin as
         beneficiary.

         On April 12, 1996, Bernick, as co-trustee of the LHL Trust, transferred
         103,029, 103,029 and 103,028 shares to herself as trustee or co-trustee
         of the KSL GRAT  Trust,  u/a/d  9/15/93,  fbo of her  sister  (the "KSL
         Trust"),  the SJL GRAT Trust,  u/a/d 9/15/93,  fbo of her brother ("the
         SJL Trust"), and the CLB GRAT Trust, u/a/d 9/15/93, fbo of herself (the
         "CLB Trust"),  respectively.  Lastly,  on April 12, 1996,  Bernick,  as
         co-trustee of the BEL Trust,  transferred 103,029,  103,028 and 103,029
         shares to herself as trustee or co-trustee of the KSL Trust,  SJL Trust
         and CLB Trust, respectively.

Item 4.           Purpose of Transaction.

         Transfers of securities  were caused by trust funding and for the Lavin
         family's estate planning rather than corporate purposes.  The transfers
         were not undertaken for purposes of effecting any of the actions listed
         in this item.





<PAGE>



- ----------------------                            ------------------------------
CUSIP NO. 013068101                  13D                       Page 4 of 5 Pages
- ----------------------                            ------------------------------


Item 5.           Interest in Securities of the Issuer.

(a)(i)      Amount Beneficially Owned:  1,303,828 shares total: 180,104 shares
            directly; 303,808 shares held as co-trustee of the CLB Trust;
            303,808 shares held as trustee of the SJL Trust; 303,808 shares held
            as trustee of the KSL Trust; 50,000 shares as trustee of the Lavin
            Survivorship Trust; 150,300 shares held as co-trustee of a trust for
            Bernick's benefit; and 12,000 shares held by Lavin Family
            Foundation, a charitable foundation of which Bernick is a Director
            and Vice President.

   (ii)     Percentage of Class: 7.78% total: 1.1% directly; 1.8%
            as  co-trustee  of the CLB Trust;  1.8% as trustee of
            the SJL Trust; 1.8% as trustee of the KSL Trust; .30%
            as trustee of the Lavin  Survivorship  Trust;  .9% as
            co-trustee of a trust for Bernick's benefit;  and .1%
            as a  Director  and Vice  President  of Lavin  Family
            Foundation;  based  upon  16,766,240  Class B  shares
            outstanding as of March 31, 1996).

(b)         Number of Shares as to Which Bernick Has:


           (i)    Sole power to vote:                            837,720(1)
           (ii)   Shared power to vote:                          466,108(1)
           (iii)  Sole power to dispose:                         837,720(1)
           (iv)   Shared power to dispose                        466,108(1)



(1) Bernick shares the power to vote and dispose of the shares in the CLB
    Trust with Marshall E. Eisenberg.  Bernick also shares the power to vote
    and dispose of the 12,000 shares held by Lavin Family Foundation with Mr.
    Lavin and Mrs. Lavin.  Bernick, in her capacity as co-trustee of a trust
    for her benefit, shares the power to vote and dispose of 150,300 shares
    held by such trust with Mrs. Lavin.  Certain information regarding Mr.
    Lavin, Mrs. Lavin and Mr. Eisenberg is presented below:


   (i)      Name of Person:           (1)      Leonard H. Lavin
                                      (2)      Bernice E. Lavin
                                      (3)      Marshall E. Eisenberg

   (ii)     Address:                  (1), (2) 2525 Armitage Avenue
                                               Melrose Park, Illinois  60160

                                      (3)      Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg
                                               Two North LaSalle St., Suite 2200
                                               Chicago, IL 60602
   (iii)     Principal
             Business:                (1)     Leonard H. Lavin, an individual, 
                                              is a Director and the Chairman of
                                              the Company

                                      (2)     Bernice E. Lavin, an individual, 
                                              is a Director and the Vice 
                                              Chairman,Secretary and Treasurer 
                                              of the Company

                                      (3)     Marshall E. Eisenberg is an 
                                              attorney and a partner at the law 
                                              firm, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg, 
                                             Chicago, Illinois

   (iv)     Prior Criminal
            Convictions:              None.




<PAGE>


- ----------------------                            ------------------------------
CUSIP NO. 013068101                  13D                       Page 5 of 5 Pages
- ----------------------                            ------------------------------



(v)      Prior Civil
         Proceedings With
         Respect to Federal
         or State Securities
         Laws:                         None.

(vi)     Place of
         Organization:                 U.S. Citizen.


         The foregoing  does not reflect  50,100,  76,238 and 278,044  shares of
         Class A Common Stock of the Company owned by Bernick and Mrs.  Lavin as
         co-trustees of a trust for Bernick's benefit, Bernick individually, and
         Lavin Family Foundation, respectively. Also excluded are 300,000 shares
         and 125,000  shares of Class A Common Stock held  directly by Bernick's
         spouse and 20,000  shares of Class A Common Stock held by the Carol and
         Howard  Bernick  Supporting  Foundation,   of  which  Bernick  is  Vice
         President, Secretary and a Director. Bernick has no beneficial interest
         in such shares owned by her spouse and beneficial  ownership of them is
         disclaimed.

         (c)      None, except as reported in Item 3 above.

         (d)      None.

         (e)      Not applicable.

Item 6.           Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with 
                  Respect to Securities of the Issuer.

                  None.


Item 7.           Material to be Filed as Exhibits.

                  None.


         After reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information  set forth in this statement is true,  complete and
correct.


Date:  May 16, 1996





Signature:    /s/ Carol L. Bernick

Name/Title:                Carol L. Bernick, Individually; and
                           as trustee or co-trustee of various
                           trusts for her benefit or the benefit
                           of her siblings.




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