Luxury Brand Holdings, Inc., the parent company of Ross-Simons and Sidney Thomas fine jewelry, announced today that it has hired James M. Speltz for the position of President. Mr. Speltz will join the Company’s Board of Directors and oversee all business activities for Luxury Brand Holdings, reporting directly to Darrell S. Ross, CEO and Chairman of the Board. Additionally, the Company announced the long-planned retirement of veteran EVP and COO Robert Simone. Mr. Simone has served Luxury Brand Holdings as its Chief Operating Officer for 19 years and will remain with the company through the second quarter of 2017.

Mr. Speltz brings 20 years of direct-to-consumer and merchandising experience to Luxury Brand Holdings. Mr. Speltz previously served as Chief Executive Officer for Brookstone, the multi-channel specialty retail company. During his 18-year tenure with Brookstone, he additionally held roles of Chief Operating Officer, VP Business Development, VP of Supply Chain, and various other management positions. Most recently, Mr. Speltz was the Chief Operating Officer for Teikametrics, a software and service provider to Amazon.com third-party merchants.

“I am incredibly excited about Jim joining Luxury Brand Holdings,” said Darrell Ross. “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.

“Moreover, I also wish to thank Bob Simone for his operational excellence, leadership, and management of the company since 1998. He has been an invaluable part of our team and will forever be woven into the legacy of our brands. He will be missed, but we wish him all the best in his much-deserved retirement.”

“The LBH brand umbrella represents the best of luxury, beauty, service, and value in the fine jewelry market,” said Speltz. “I am honored and proud to join Darrell and the entire management team for our next chapter of growth. The brand equity that has been built up since 1952 is an immensely powerful asset as we take an ambitious approach to growing our portfolio and customer base.”

About Luxury Brand Holdings, Inc.

As America's favorite jeweler for 65 years, Ross-Simons has provided exceptional service and delivered fabulous jewelry to more than four million satisfied customers. Luxury Brand Holdings was formed in 2011 to encompass the expansion of the company’s brand offerings as the Sidney Thomas chain of upscale jewelry stores was introduced. With designer jewelry collections and couture straight from the runway, Ross-Simons and Sidney Thomas have dazzled generations of families with amazing selection and great prices. Visit www.luxurybrandholdings.com for more information.