Michael is the second son of second sons--generations going back to Eastern Europe and Isaac Spiewak, who came to this country to find a better life. Intelligent, responsible, enterprising, physically massive and strong, Spiewak began the same way as so many others. He learned leather cutting from a cousin, then set out on his own. 1904--a single room in Brooklyn, pushcarts, making and selling an item which ordinary working people desperately needed. Young Spiewak had 1 goal: to provide for his family.
Because of his size and strength, Isaac Spiewak was able to bale heavy sheepskins, the material used for winter warmth in those years. He made vests, then coats. He went from direct selling on the streets, to jobbers--wholesalers who represented him in retail trade. In 1919, the trade name “Golden Fleece” was born. Spiewak moved to 14th St. No longer a peddler, he had become a businessman.
Isaac determined his family of 8 children would thrive. However, each argued for control as he became a partner in the young business. It was disaster. The patriarch figured a way to keep his promise to his family, ease tensions, increase his own productivity: He established several outerwear corporations, sending various children to manage each. Rubin & Sons, Bronco, Ram Mfg., Robert Louis Sportswear, United Sheepwear, are all offspring of Isaac Spiewak.
Transition through the generations has been possible because each successive owner has had a unique perspective of technology and the marketplace. None of them has forgotten Isaac’s commitment to family and business ethics—“We work to live; we do not live to work,” said second generation Philip Spiewak.
“Quality of life has always mattered, whether it be a family member’s satisfaction with job fulfillment, or an employee’s civil rights issue,” reiterates Gerald, current Chairman of the Board and third generation. The story of Spiewak is not so much about warm, protective jackets as it is about genuine, caring people.
World War I came, bringing wool in addition to leather, and contracts from the military. In the early ‘20’s, the company moved to Haverstraw, NY; son Philip was involved by this time. With a degree in architecture and a keen business sense, he understood garment construction and plant expansion. Technology advanced, styles changed, World War II exploded. Larger still, the factory had moved to New Jersey. Cotton had been introduced to flight jackets, along with leather “bombers,” 32 oz. wool pea coats, and sheepskin flight suits. As many as 300 garments a day went out of a single plant, different buildings producing varying styles & fabrics.
Philip became head of Spiewak in 1948, bringing his 3 sons with him: Bob had a degree in journalism, understanding finance and administration; Jerry graduated from the Wharton School of Business, focusing on sales and industrial management; Marty studied at the Fashion Institute @ NYU, knowing design, pattern-making, quality control.
After the War, nylon was introduced along with other synthetics: “It used to take 35 pounds to provide warmth for a street cop on horseback; with synthetics, it took 3,” Jerry proudly reminisces. Jerry, the “outside man,” became president. Communications, transportation had improved; jobbers and wholesalers were no longer needed; Spiewak went directly to retailers. In the 50’s, the firm outfitted American Airlines, and now handles most of the world’s airline trade. Spiewak learned to adapt to its clients’ needs—the job, the climate, the look--from Greenland to the equator, the corporate world to television & cinema.
Growth spawned factories in Mississippi and overseas. Always ahead of its time, Spiewak created Titan Cloth, which Jerry invented by adapting automobile seat-coverings for wearability.
One of the primary reasons for the company’s huge success was Jerry’s wife, Shirley (deceased in August). Her social skills and business acumen won hearts and cemented corporate relationships. With her support, Jerry was strengthened in his presidencies: The National Outerwear & Sportswear Association, N.A.M.U.D., the Uniform Association; and as Board member of the American Manufacturers of Apparel Association. He also created a tradeshow company for surplus and outerwear businesses. “Without Shirley, most of what we did would have been impossible,” Jerry recalls sadly. “Mom knew and loved everyone,” added Michael. But, when asked about retiring, Jerry is adamant. “Dad (Philip) retired at 72, quit working at 93. I intend to do the same.”
Jerry’s leadership brought 2 enormous changes: Export-import; and the idea of producing a fashion item as a separate entity from uniform wear. “My father stepped back about 30 years ago. I stepped back about 10 years ago for Michael and Roy—if you want continuity, you have to do that. They’ve been terrific about developing in these directions.”
Michael (son of Jerry) graduated Syracuse with degrees in philosophy and English. At first a guitar player with a rock band, Michael was influenced to join Spiewak by Jerry’s “Try it, you’ll like it” philosophy. He found his niche by changing the focus of the company from factory production to sales & marketing. “People don’t care about how it’s made,” he tells. “They care about how they look, how they feel.”
Michael has taken Spiewak into the marketplace. “At any time, you can find us under our own label, and under private label, sometimes with as many as 5 different names in the same store.” Bloomingdale’s & Saks now sell Spiewak fashion lines as confidently as policemen & security guards wear Spiewak uniforms. “’Synergy’ is the best word to describe how we blend product, people, and jobs,” Michael says. He handles sales, pricing & costing, product development. “What makes us special is that we can design a different look for every area. We have locations all over the world--Scandinavia, Montreal, Japan, South America…”
Michael is definite about loving work, being very fond of his colleagues. “I especially love working with my dad.” “Work? I’d better love it, because it’s how I spend most of my day. If I don’t enjoy it, I’m missing out on a whole part of my life.”
41 year-old Roy Spiewak (Marty’s son) is current president. A graduate in economics from Cornell, he also has a Master’s degree in social work (focusing on policy development), and an MBA in finance & accounting--both from the University of Chicago. Brilliant and diverse, thoughtful and unassuming, he considers himself “…not particularly creative, but a good communicator; I’m analytical when it comes to detecting and solving problems.”
Consulting work with accounting magnate Coopers & Lybrand; 10 years as a controller (first for an Israeli optical company, then an Israeli software manufacturer): Roy was adamant about making his own way before coming into the family business. “I needed to know my own worth,” he recalls. “Since I’ve come, the business has become more diversified. We have agents all over the world who speak different languages, understand different cultures, but who represent our terms and philosophy.”
Roy travels to the Far East, supervises the Mississippi plant. He is responsible for the financial and manufacturing ends of Spiewak, and concentrates on overall organization and modernization. “Managing a business is about doing so many things yourself. It’s more important to have consistency and stability rather than runaway growth. The important thing is not to become a household name, but to survive and maintain our integrity.“ He volunteers, “I think what I like best is knowing I’m a link in a chain—my great-grandfather, my grandfather, my dad, me, and maybe my own children one day.”
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