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Scott H. Rauch

Advisory Board Member

President, Simmons Jewelry Co., New York

Scott H. Rauch, the 36-year-old President and CEO of SHR & Simmons Jewelry Group, LLC, started his career fourteen years ago at M. Fabrikant and Sons after graduating with a business degree from Syracuse University in May of 1993. Beginning there as an account executive, by the late 1990’s Scott had quickly transitioned into the diamond wedding band division. As divisional Vice President of the company, he was able to take the division to $12MM from $3MM in only two years and by July of 2003, Scott had built the division to a $50MM business and was subsequently named Senior Vice President of the company.

In 1999, while still managing his day-to-day responsibilities at Fabrikant, Scott founded a company with his father, Marvin, named SHR, Inc. The new venture was focused exclusively on the men’s sector of the jewelry business. As its managing partner, the combination of Scott’s merchandising skills, and strong relationships with retailers and vendors, consistently allowed the company to bring innovative product and patents to market, which quickly separated SHR Inc. from the rest of its competition. As a result, SHR is today the leading manufacturer of private labeled men’s jewelry in the United States.

Wanting to capitalize the spending power held by the youth culture of the hip hop generation and its enormous potential for bringing the mall jeweler a new customer, Scott partnered with entrepreneur Russell Simmons and designer Kimora Lee Simmons in 2003 to create the Simmons Jewelry Co. which introduced a visionary new strategic plan and fresh design aesthetic for the jewelry industry with a series of licensed brands where fashion met fine jewelry. In March of 2005, Scott resigned from his position at Fabrikant to commit his interest full-time to both SHR and the quickly up-and-coming Simmons Jewelry Co.

The Simmons Jewelry Co. Steel Collection, an innovative line of stainless steel, rubber and diamonds targeted to the 18 to 45 year-old male demographic is found in approximately 2000 doors of distribution that include Kay and Jared Jewelers (a division of Sterling Inc.), as well as Zales and Gordon Jewelers.

Kimora Lee Simmons for Hello Kitty, a primarily diamond fine jewelry and watch line, is currently available through Neiman Marcus stores and other select, high-end independent jewelry stores. The brand was prominently featured in a recent episode of Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane, a reality series currently airing on The Style Network.

Baby Phat by Kimora Lee Simmons watches are available at approximately 500 doors of distribution that include Macys, DEMO, Man Alive, babyphat.com, and select specialty doors.

During the past year Scott Rauch and business partner Russell Simmons have been dedicating large amounts of their time in forming the Diamond Empowerment Fund™ (DEF), a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting educational programs in African nations where diamonds are a natural resource. Scott also serves on the organization’s Board of Advisors.

Simmons Jewelry Co. holds the distinction of being the first in the jewelry industry to recognize the important need for the DEF by participating and executing a national, product-driven awareness plan through it’s design and sales of it’s iconic “Green Bracelet” of genuine green malachite and a natural rough diamond from Africa. It’s national advertising campaign featuring Kimora Lee Simmons was met with a positive public response, captivating audiences with its strong messaging and mesmerizing image. The campaign has been seen and will continue to be been seen in future issues of publications including Vanity Fair, GQ, Ebony, VIBE, XXL, TeenVogue, Hamptons, O Magazine and InTouch.

Scott, who was recently featured as one of “New York City’s 100 Most Eligible Bachelors” in the October 2007 issue of Gotham magazine, lives in New York City with his son Jordan, age 4. He also dedicates time as a member of the Advisory Board of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University.

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