PPB November 2017

Ellis International’s founder/ executive chairman and CEO/ president, respectively), had no idea he would one day lead a top fashion empire in the United States. The Doral, Florida-based Perry Ellis International—PEI, for short— is publicly traded on the NASDAQ and houses a portfolio of more than 20 well-known fashion brands and licensed labels. Under the PEI umbrella, household names such as Perry Ellis and Original Penguin have propelled the company toward success. Brands specific to the promotional products industry, such as Callaway, Munsingwear and Cubavera, have also garnered strong market share. As one of the largest fashion corporations in America, Perry Ellis International’s global annual retail sales exceed $3 billion and its workforce includes some 2,500 employees. Today, Perry Ellis International produces apparel of all kinds for different market segments, from high-end fashion labels such as Laundry by Shelli Segal to men’s golf apparel under the PGA TOUR brand. But in the beginning, the company had a much narrower focus. From Communism To Capitalism Born in Havana, Cuba to Russian-Jewish parents, Feldenkreis immigrated to Miami in 1961. By 1967, he and his brother had founded a company called Supreme International that imported school uniforms and guayaberas, a style of traditional Latin men’s shirts. “I realized early on that I really needed to think outside the box,” he says. “I tapped into my savviness for sourcing internationally the types of products that could become successful in the United States.” The Feldenkreis family’s success with the Latin market gave them the retail clout to expand rapidly. In 1993, Supreme International went public and acquired Munsingwear, a menswear company that owned the Original Penguin label. In 1999, Supreme acquired the Perry Ellis brand and changed its name to Perry Ellis International. “I started this company 50 years ago by manufacturing guayaberas and school uniforms,” he says. “With the support of my family, it has now grown into one of the world’s leading apparel companies.” American-Made Man Now in his early 80s, Feldenkreis recently stepped down as CEO to spend more time with the charities he supports. “I have always believed that if you make money, you should give back,” he says. “To be able to give and continue giving to society; I think it is important.” Feldenkreis sits on the board of trustees for the University of Miami, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. He is also a benefactor of numerous medical, educational, social and philanthropic organizations. His diverse ethnic background has clearly influenced Perry Ellis International’s corporate philosophy, which emphasizes workforce diversity. “Personally, I feel that I’m a ‘bridge person,’ having been on the board of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation since the early ’70s as the first Hispanic member,” says Feldenkreis. “I have many friends from different nationalities and from different religious backgrounds. I am truly very proud to be able to represent a different culture among different ethnic groups.” While Feldenkreis is proud of his diverse ethnic heritage, he is grateful to be an American living in a free country where he and his business can flourish. “I feel very American, and I love this countrymore thanmost Americans who are born in the United States,” he says. “I amvery proud and lucky that I’ve been able to inculcate tomy children the same things that my father taught me. This is sincerely the best country in the world. To this great country, I owe everything. I am wholly and completely American.” Having achieved the American Dream despite great odds, Feldenkreis serves as an inspiration to many. “Take advantage of all the opportunities this great country offers,” he says. “The freedoms to take risks, to be adventurous and entrepreneurial—these freedoms are not available in all countries. Not every country offers these types of liberties to its citizens. It’s all about working hard and being diligent.” Time To Pass The Torch In 2014, after more than two decades as CEO of Perry Ellis, Feldenkreis recognized the company was ready for its next fearless leader. It was time to pass the torch to the next generation of the Feldenkreis family dynasty. Oscar Feldenkreis—who joined the company in 1979 “The freedoms to take risks, to be adventurous and entrepreneurial —these freedoms are not available in all countries.” —George Feldenkreis, Founder andExecutive Chairman of Perry Ellis International | NOVEMBER 2017 | 69 THINK