IndependentsJan 03, 2025
Kelly Newton, Shipley Award Winner and Devoted Family Man, Dies at 74Newton owned and operated Newton’s Jewelers in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and is remembered for being positive, honest, and loving.
MajorsJan 25, 2017
Ross-Simons Parent Co. Names New President
James Speltz will report directly to Darrell Ross, who was president and CEO and now will serve as CEO and chairman of the board.
James Speltz, the former CEO of Brookstone, has been named president of Luxury Brand Holdings, the parent company of Ross-Simons and Sidney Thomas Jewelers.
Cranston, R.I.--Luxury Brand Holdings, the parent company of retailers Ross-Simons and Sidney Thomas Jewelers, has hired James Speltz as president.
He will oversee all business activities for the company, reporting directly to Darrell Ross, who was president and CEO and now will serve as CEO and chairman of the board.
Speltz has 20 years of direct-to-consumer and merchandising experience, most recently serving as the chief operating officer for Teikametrics, a software and service provider to Amazon’s third-party merchants.
Prior to that, Speltz was the CEO of Brookstone. During his 18 years at the specialty retailer, he also held the roles of COO, vice president of business development and vice president of supply chain.
In addition, Luxury Brand Holdings announced the long-planned retirement of Executive Vice President and COO Robert Simone, who held the latter title for nearly two decades. He will remain with the company through the second quarter of 2017.
Luxury Brand Holdings was formed in 2011 to encompass the expansion of Ross-Simons’ brand offerings as the Sidney Thomas chain of jewelry stores was introduced.
Ross-Simons was tied for No. 41 on the Top 50 Retail Jewelry Chains list in National Jeweler’s 2016 State of the Majors issue, with 12 stores as of the end of 2015. It also appeared at No. 17 on the $100 Million Supersellers list.
“I am incredibly excited about Jim joining Luxury Brand Holdings,” Ross said in a company news release. “As a company, we look forward to working with him in his new leadership role. Jim is a seasoned direct marketer who brings a fresh perspective to the ever-changing retail landscape. Together, we will expand and innovate on our brand footprint, build upon our strong corporate culture, and develop new strategies for providing high-quality fine jewelry at an exceptional value.”
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