Jerome Chazen Explained

Jerome Chazen
Birth Date:21 March 1927
Birth Place:New York City, New York, U.S.
Death Place:Upper Nyack, New York, U.S.
Spouse:Simona Chivian
Known For:Co-founder of Liz Claiborne
Alma Mater:University of Wisconsin - Madison
Columbia Business School (M.B.A.)

Jerome A. Chazen (March 21, 1927 – February 6, 2022) was an American businessman who was the founder and chairman of Chazen Capital Partners. He was also one of four and last surviving founders of Liz Claiborne.

Early life and career

Chazen was born to a Jewish family, in New York City, New York where his mother Rose was a seamstress, and his father David worked in commercial heating.[1] and received a bachelor's degree in economics in 1948 from the University of Wisconsin - Madison[2] where he was a member of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity and an MBA from Columbia Business School in 1950. He served in the Navy from 1945–46 and it was at UW-Madison where Chazen met his future wife, Simona, and Liz Claiborne co-founder Art Ortenberg.

Chazen's first job was as an analyst on Wall Street at Sutro Brothers before he transitioned to a career in fashion beginning with Rhea Midwest, an apparel manufacturer. In 1968, Chazen left his job at Winkelman's, where he was hired as a merchandising manager in 1960,[3] for a job in fashion on the east coast.[4]

In 1976, he co founded Liz Claiborne Inc with Liz Claiborne, her husband Art Ortenberg, and Leonard Boxer. Chazen was initially in charge of direct marketing operations.[5] When Liz Claiborne retired from the company in 1989, Chazen was named Chairman of the company and also served as CEO. He was named chair emeritus upon his retirement in 1996.[6] [7] [8] Chazen saw the company through a time that significantly changed what women wore to work.[9]

Chazen wrote and published My Life at Liz Claiborne in 2012.[10] [11]

Philanthropy

In 1991, Chazen donated $10 million to found The Chazen Institute of International Business at Columbia Business School and the Chazen Museum, formerly the Elvehjem Museum of Art, at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to which he and his wife also made donations of works of art.[12] [13] [14] [15]

Chazen served on the boards of the Newport Jazz and Louis Armstrong House and was chair emeritus at the Museum of Arts and Design.[16]

Personal life and death

He was married to Simona Chivian whom he met at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.[12] They had three children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandson.[17] [18] He died at his home in Upper Nyack on February 6, 2022, aged 94.[19] [20] [21]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Taliaferro. Lanning . Rockland Philanthropists Honored at Community Celebration - These are the first-ever Philanthropy Awards from the West Nyack-based Jewish Federation of Rockland County . Nyack Patch. October 1, 2014 .
  2. News: Tornabene . Juliana . UW-Madison remembers art advocate, philanthropist Jerome Chazen . en . February 8, 2022.
  3. Book: Winkelman, Stanley J. . A Life in the Balance: The Memoirs of Stanley J. Winkelman . 2000 . Wayne State University Press . 978-0-8143-2942-9 . 92 . en.
  4. News: Daily . Investor's Business . January 27, 2012 . A Retail Legend Rebounds From A Career Misstep . en-US . February 7, 2022.
  5. Web site: Hayes . Lisa . 2009 . Changing Business Practices in Fashion: Liz Claiborne, an American Innovator: A New Era of American Design .
  6. News: June 27, 2007 . Designer Liz Claiborne Dead at 78 . February 7, 2022.
  7. News: Johnson . Rebecca . December 30, 2007 . Queen of the Separates . en-US . The New York Times . February 7, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  8. News: Strom . Stephanie . May 17, 1992 . Fashion Avenue's $100 Million Woman . en-US . The New York Times . February 7, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  9. Book: Fine . Gary Alan . Whispers on the Color Line: Rumor and Race in America . Turner . Patricia A. . May 18, 2004 . Univ of California Press . 978-0-520-22855-9 . 105 . en.
  10. Book: Chazen, Jerome A. . My Life at Liz Claiborne: How We Broke the Rules and Built the Largest Fashion Company in the World a Business Memoir . January 19, 2012 . AuthorHouse . 978-1-4670-3603-0 . en.
  11. News: Ukura . Kim . Chazen shares role he played at fashion giant . en . The Capital Times . February 7, 2022.
  12. News: February 7, 2022 . Jerome Chazen leaves lasting impact on UW–Madison and the arts . en-US . February 8, 2022.
  13. News: September 25, 2015 . $28 million to support art education: Chazens pledge pieces from personal collection . en-US . February 7, 2022.
  14. Web site: September 6, 2021 . Meet Jerome A. Chazen, The Jerome A. Chazen Institute for Global Business . February 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210906054904/https://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/chazen/about/chazen . September 6, 2021 .
  15. Book: Feldberg, Meyer . No Finish Line: Lessons on Life and Career . May 5, 2020 . Columbia University Press . 978-0-231-55179-3 . en.
  16. Web site: Jerome A. Chazen . February 7, 2022.
  17. Web site: May 6, 2021 . Chazen Capital Partners, Corporate Bios . February 7, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210506152403/http://www.chazen.com/bios.html . May 6, 2021 .
  18. Web site: First Annual Philanthropy Award Recipients - Simona and Jerry Chazen . Jewish Federation & Foundation of Rockland County. October 5, 2018.
  19. News: Hirsch. Lauren. February 9, 2022. Jerome Chazen, Original Partner in Liz Claiborne Empire, Dies at 94. en-US. The New York Times. February 10, 2022. 0362-4331.
  20. News: Obituary: Jerome Chazen, Fashion Executive And Philanthropist. Patch. February 7, 2022. February 8, 2022.
  21. News: Lockwood. Lisa. February 7, 2022. Jerome Chazen, a Former Chairman and CEO of Liz Claiborne, Dies at 94. en-US. WWD. February 7, 2022.

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