MR publisher Stu Nifoussi is our guest blogger this week, covering Randa Accessories 100th anniversary event in Chicago on Monday, April 26.

I was fortunate to be present this week at the celebration of Randa Accessories’ 100th anniversary, which took place at the company’s annual managers meeting in the Trump Tower and Hotel in Chicago with very few outsiders invited. Like almost everything Randa does, it was celebrated in a rather low key manner, without much hoopla or personal praise for its savvy CEO Jeff Spiegel or his father, the very engaging and creative Herb Spiegel. They deserve more than that.

MR and Randa go back to the first issue of the magazine 20 years ago, when Randa was one of the few men’s companies to quickly commit to regular advertising in the new publication, helping us to garner the support of many others. At that time, a young Paul Rosengard was our advocate, helping to convince Jeff and Herb that MR was worth the investment. So, it’s with more than a little fondness that I relate the story of the company’s climb to its current position as one of the largest privately owned companies in our business.

Harry Spiegel began selling hand-sewn ties to men’s specialty stores in 1910 working out of his office on New York’s Lower East Side. A few years later, he was joined by his brother Sam who traveled the country picking up business from Sears, Marshall Field, Carson Pirie Scott, Famous Barr, May Company and others, gradually creating nationwide distribution.

In 1935, two Hackensack, New Jersey merchants named Rosenberg and Aptaker formed a neckwear business named by combining their first initials “R” and “A”, called Randa. That business was acquired and managed by Herbert Spiegel, the next generation of the Spiegel family, who kept the name for the combined company. Herb was a neckwear visionary. He opened proprietary factories, utilized innovative production techniques, and was the first to purchase raw silk directly from China and transport it to Italy for printing.

Randa grew and prospered as Herb’s son Jeffrey joined the business in the 1980’s. Jeff established a design center in Como, Italy and then acquired Woodstock Neckwear in London, Forsythe Neckwear in Canada, Countess Mara Neckwear in New York, and Wembley Neckwear in New Orleans. To assure low cost and high quality supply of materials, Randa established proprietary sourcing offices in China. Continuing their dynamic growth, the company acquired accessories companies Humphreys and Trafalgar, established sales and distribution businesses in the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, South Africa, and Australia and acquired MCG: Market Connect Group and built it into the largest department store merchandising company in the country. Most recently, in 2007, the company acquired luggage maker Badanco, now called Randa Luggage, moving into yet another business.

Today, Randa produces products under brands including Geoffrey Beene, Dockers, Levi’s, Perry Ellis, Nautica, Tommy Bahama, Diane von Furstenberg, Ben Sherman, Chaps, Columbia Sportswear, Dickies, Liz Claiborne, Marc Ecko, Pierre Cardin, Weatherproof and Anne Klein. They bill themselves as the largest men’s accessories business in the world with more than 3,000 associates on five continents, selling product into 10,000 stores. David Katz, Randa’s Sr. VP and Chief Marketing Officer, tells me proudly that the company shipped their one billionth tie recently, quite an accomplishment by any measure.

CEO Jeffrey Spiegel, manages to keep a very low profile despite his many accomplishments. He refuses to have his photo snapped at events (I finally got him to relent for this special occasion), and lets others get quoted in the media. However, it should be noted that at the time he joined the company in the early eighties, the total volume was $6 million. Now its volume is measured in the hundreds of millions, and it is a formidable competitor in each market it serves.

In my conversations with Jeff last night, he related a maxim that comes from a very smart friend. “There are two big choices you make as an entrepreneur… to eat well or to sleep well.” I’m sure that Jeff has had many sleepless nights on the road to success, but when you look at what he’s accomplished and the team he’s assembled it was certainly worth it. Kudos to Jeff, Herb and the entire Randa team. Thanks for letting me share in your celebration.

For photos from the event, visit our Schmoozing page.