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Seymour Holtzman, Owner of Chicago’s C.D. Peacock, Dies at 88

He was also involved in a variety of other businesses.

Published

4 months ago

June 6, 2024

INSTORE Staff

Seymour Holtzman, owner of famed jewelry retailer C.D. Peacock in Chicago, has died.

He was 88.

Holtzman

Holtzman, who was born in Wilkes-Barre, PA, passed away May 28 in Palm Beach, FL, where he resided. Holtzman leaves behind his wife of 67 years, Evelyn Holtzman; sons Marc (Kristen) Holtzman and Steven (Qi) Holtzman; daughter Allison Holtzman; 12 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

He was president and CEO of Jewelcor Inc., a former New York Stock Exchange-listed company that operated a chain of stores throughout the U.S. He was previously chairman of the board and CEO of Gruen Marketing Corp,, an American Stock Exchange-listed company involved in the nationwide distribution of watches. Holtzman served as chairman and CEO of Jewelcor Management Inc., a company primarily involved in investment and management services.

He was the owner not only of C.D. Peacock Inc., but also of the Rolex Boutique Luxury Swiss in the Design District of Miami.

From 2006 to 2020, Holtzman was chairman and the largest individual shareholder of Destination XL Group Inc. (NASDAQ: DXLG), a specialty retailer of big and tall men’s apparel with over 400 locations.

More from Holtzman’s website:

In 1989, he pioneered by leading a group of internationally prominent western businessmen to invest in Eastern and Central Europe. This group purchased the General Banking & Trust Co., Ltd., in Budapest, Hungary, which was the first bank in Eastern Europe to be privatized. He then entered into the retail optical and real estate businesses in Prague, Czech Republic.

He has been an investor in the banking and thrift industry since 1972, and his actions in defense of stockholders rights have been chronicled in the The American Banker, The Washington Post and SNL Securities Monthly Market Report. Mr. Holtzman has been a featured speaker as a shareholder activist at Bank Director Magazine’s Acquire Or Be Acquired Conference in Phoenix, Arizona, which is attended by approximately 300 banking institutions.

A philanthropist, Mr. Holtzman has been honored as “Humanitarian of the Year” by the Cardinal Cushing School and Training Center in Boston, Massachusetts and “Man of the Year” by the B’nai B’rith Youth Services.

He served as the National Finance Co-Chairman for the Reagan-Bush Campaign. He was appointed by President Reagan to the United States Department of Commerce’s Industry Policy Advisory Committee for trade policy matters. As an advocate of free trade, Mr. Holtzman was invited to advise the United States Senate Select Committee on international business and other economic matters.

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