Carolyn Rafaelian

Last updated
Carolyn Rafaelian
Born1966or1967(age 56–57) [1]
CitizenshipAmerican
Alma materAmerican College in Los Angeles
OccupationEntrepreneur
Known forFounder and 80% owner, Alex and Ani
Children3

Carolyn Rafaelian is an American-Armenian entrepreneur and businesswoman. She is the founder of the accessories and jewelry company Alex and Ani, [2] and the owner of the Belcourt of Newport, Bar and Board Bistro in Newport, Rhode Island and Carolyn's Sakonnet Vineyards.

Contents

Background

Rafaelian's father opened a jewelry factory in 1966, Cinerama Jewelry, in which Rafaelian and her sister worked. [3] Over time she helped her father design pieces and produced original designs herself for her father's jewelry manufacturing company. [4] She attended Prout Memorial High School for Girls (later known as The Prout School). She attended the University of Rhode Island between 1987 and 1989, and then she transferred to and graduated from the American College for the Applied Arts in Los Angeles. [5] [6] In 1994 she joined her father's business, and eventually began to work on her own line. In 2002 Rafaelian became co-owner of Cinerama with her sister. Rafaelian's designs became the main seller for the company, [7] and in 2016 Alex and Ani bought the manufacturing facility for an undisclosed sum. [8]

Business career

In 2004 Rafaelian founded Alex and Ani, a jewelry line named after her two eldest daughters. [4] The brand started with five cocktail rings and expanded into a full line of jewelry anchored by its patented expandable wire bangle. [7]

Rafaelian has been interviewed by newspapers regarding current events, including the New York Daily News . [9] Rafaelian received the 2012 Rhode Island Small Businessperson of the Year award from the Small Business Administration for her work with Alex and Ani, [10] and also the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year in the products category for New England. [11] Her firm's revenue grew from $5 million in 2010 to over $500 million in 2016 and the company's Charity By Design initiative, where 20% of sales go to charity, makes up 20% of sales. [12]

Rafaelian owns Bar and Board Bistro in Newport and a cafe franchise called Teas and Javas; [13] some of its cafes are attached to Alex and Ani stores, and some are independent. [14] She is also the owner of the Rhode Island winery Carolyn's Sakonnet Vineyard, purchased in 2012 which features wine making, dining area and locally sourced foods. [15] [16] [17] [18] Since taking over, the vineyard has won a number of awards in international competition. [19] [20]

Personal life

Rafaelian is divorced from her first husband. [21]

Rafaelian is the owner of a 60-room mansion, the Belcourt of Newport, formerly known as Belcourt Castle, in Newport, Rhode Island, built in 1894. [21] [22] [23]

Rhode Island Monthly described Rafaelian's charitable work as including "Project USA, a nonprofit, which has raised funds for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, survivors of breast cancer, and endangered species" as well as separate projects with the Humane Society of the United States. [24]

Rafaelian was listed 22nd in Forbes America's Richest Self-Made Women in 2016, with net worth estimated at $700 million in June 2016. [25] In May 2017, she was recognized by the David Lynch Foundation for her humanitarian efforts. [26] In June 2018, Rafaelian was estimated to be worth $1 billion, and 18th on the Forbes list of America's richest self-made women, owning 80% of Alex and Ani. By June 2019 her net worth had dropped to an estimated $520 million. [27]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Compton, Rhode Island</span> Town in Rhode Island, United States

Little Compton is a coastal town in Newport County, Rhode Island, bounded on the south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by the Sakonnet River, on the north by the town of Tiverton, and on the east by the town of Westport, Massachusetts. The population was 3,616 as at 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Belcourt of Newport</span> Mansion in Newport, Rhode Island

Belcourt is a former summer cottage designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt for Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont and located on Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island. Construction was begun in 1891 and completed in 1894, and it was intended to be used for only six to eight weeks of the year. Belcourt was designed in a multitude of European styles and periods; it features a heavy emphasis on French Renaissance and Gothic decor, with further borrowings from German, English, and Italian design. In the Gilded Age, the castle was noted for its extensive stables and carriage areas, which were incorporated into the main structure.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge</span> Bridge in Between Jamestown and Newport, Rhode Island

The Claiborne Pell Bridge, commonly known as the Newport Bridge, is a suspension bridge operated by the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority that spans the East Passage of the Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. The bridge, part of RI 138, connects the city of Newport on Aquidneck Island and the Town of Jamestown on Conanicut Island, and is named for longtime Rhode Island U.S. senator Claiborne Pell who lived in Newport. The Pell Bridge is in turn connected to the mainland by the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Veuve Clicquot</span> French Champagne house

The Prout School is a private, coeducational, college-preparatory high school located in Wakefield, Rhode Island. It is a member of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and is an International Baccalaureate school. It is the only International Baccalaureate high school in Rhode Island. It services all of New England, but more specifically Rhode Island and Connecticut.

The Miss Rhode Island competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Rhode Island in the Miss America pageant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewelry District (Providence)</span> Place

The Jewelry District is a neighborhood of Providence, Rhode Island located just southeast of Downtown. The historical path of Interstate 195 delineates the neighborhood's northern border while Interstate 95 and the Providence River define its western, southern and eastern edges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhode Island wine</span>

Rhode Island wine refers to wine made from grapes grown in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Viticulture in Rhode Island began in 1663 when King Charles II of England included wine production among the land uses approved in the royal charter establishing Rhode Island as an English colony. The modern wine industry of Rhode Island began in 1975 when Sakonnet Vineyards was established near Little Compton. Located near the Atlantic Ocean, Rhode Island has one of the most moderate climates of the U.S. northeast.

Kathleen Sullivan Connell is an American former politician from the state of Rhode Island. She was the Secretary of State of Rhode Island between 1987 and 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellevue Avenue Historic District</span> United States historic place in Newport, Rhode Island

The Bellevue Avenue Historic District is located along and around Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. Its property is almost exclusively residential, including many of the Gilded Age mansions built as summer retreats around the turn of the 20th century by the extremely wealthy, including the Vanderbilt and Astor families. Many of the homes represent pioneering work in the architectural styles of the time by major American architects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sakonnet Light</span> Lighthouse

Sakonnet Light, built in 1884, is a sparkplug lighthouse near Sakonnet Point, Little Compton, Rhode Island, on the eastern side of the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Providence, Rhode Island</span> Capital city of Rhode Island, United States

Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, it is one of the oldest cities in New England, founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He named the area in honor of "God's merciful Providence" which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers. The city developed as a busy port, as it is situated at the mouth of the Providence River at the head of Narragansett Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alva Belmont</span> American suffragist

Alva Erskine Belmont, known as Alva Vanderbilt from 1875 to 1896, was an American multi-millionaire socialite and women's suffrage activist. She was noted for her energy, intelligence, strong opinions, and willingness to challenge convention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gina Raimondo</span> American politician and venture capitalist (born 1971)

Gina Marie Raimondo is an American businesswoman, lawyer, politician, and venture capitalist who has served since 2021 as the 40th United States secretary of commerce. A member of the Democratic Party, she served as the 75th governor of Rhode Island from 2015 to 2021, and was the first woman to serve in the role.

Alex and Ani is an American retailer and producer of jewelry located in Cranston, Rhode Island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giovanni Feroce</span> American politician

Giovanni Feroce is a 2018 Rhode Island gubernatorial election primary candidate, retired American military officer, former Rhode Island State Senator, and the former CEO of Alex and Ani and Benrus.

Cyd McKenna is an American political operative, civil servant, author, public policy researcher and public relations consultant from Providence, Rhode Island, who was campaign manager for Buddy Cianci's 2014 mayoral campaign, and community outreach director for the 2015 campaign by the Pawtucket Red Sox ownership group to build a new stadium in Providence. Later that year she was hired by City Council President Luis Aponte to be chief of staff of the Providence City Council, and left that office after Aponte was indicted for felony embezzlement and resigned.

The Paper Store is an American retail company based in Acton, Massachusetts that owns and operates approximately 100 specialty gift stores across the northeast and Florida. The company is a family business that offers "on-trend" products catering to a predominantly female demographic, with a selection that includes apparel & accessories, jewelry, bath & body products, stationery, baby & toddler gifts, kids' toys, jigsaw puzzles, books, and Hallmark Cards greeting cards. The Paper Store is currently the largest interdependently-owned group of Hallmark Gold Crown stores in The United States. Other highly recognizable brands featured in their stores include Alex and Ani, Vera Bradley, Lilly Pulitzer, Kate Spade, Life Is Good, Vineyard Vines, Pura Vida, Hydro Flask, and Ivory Ella.

Daphne Farago was an art collector and philanthropist.

References

  1. ↑ "Carolyn Rafaelian". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  2. ↑ Dunn, Laura (21 April 2016). "Women in Business Q&A: Carolyn Rafaelian, Founder, CEO and CCO, Alex and Ani". The Huffington Post .
  3. ↑ Tracey Samuelson (2015-04-23). "Rhode Island, hard hit by recession, slow to recover". Marketplace.org. Archived from the original on 2015-12-21. Retrieved 2017-03-13.
  4. 1 2 Michelle Smith (June 30, 2009). "Interview: Carolyn Rafaelian of Alex and Ani". The Gloss. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Bangle Billionaire: How Alex And Ani Founder Carolyn Rafaelian Built An American Jewelry Empire". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  6. ↑ "Alex & Ani: A Vital Force in Rhode Island". Quad Angles. Spring 2012. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  7. 1 2 Leigh Buchanan (April 2013). "The Disciplined and the Divine: An Unlikely Partnership". Inc. Magazine . Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Alex and Ani Buys Rafealian's Cinerama - May be Precursor to a Public Offering". GoLocalProv. 2016-02-06. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  9. ↑ Jose Martinez (February 15, 2010). "One-of-a-kind Vancouver Olympic medals get mixed reviews". New York Daily News . Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  10. ↑ "New Bedford-native named Mass. Small Business Person of Year". South Coast Business Bulletin. March 23, 2012. Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Rafaelian named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year". Providence Business News. June 25, 2012. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved August 7, 2013.
  12. ↑ "From Sheryl Sandberg To Beyonce: The 60 Richest, Most Successful Self-Made Women In America". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  13. ↑ Ohikuare, Judith (May 31, 2013). "Alex and Ani CEO: 'My Job Was to Discourage People'". CEO Magazine. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  14. ↑ Philip Eil (September 18, 2013). "It's Alex and Ani's state... ...we only live in it. An in-depth look at the 'positive energy' powerhouse". The Providence Phoenix. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved October 2, 2013.
  15. ↑ Phillip Silverstone (August 3, 2013). "Wining about the Good Life: The Genius of Wine". Montgomery News. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  16. ↑ "Sakonnet wines have won many awards".
  17. ↑ "Alex And Ani's Sakonnet Vineyards Purchase Final". 27 December 2012. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  18. ↑ Murphy, Linda. "Alex and Ani founder making her mark at 'Carolyn's' Sakonnet Vineyards". The Herald News, Fall River, MA. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  19. ↑ Aherne, Kevin. "GoLocalProv | Food | Carolyn's Sakonnet Vineyard Wins Big at Int'l Wine Competition". GoLocalProv. Retrieved 2017-05-16.
  20. ↑ Editor, Gail Ciampa Journal Food. "R.I. wineries winners at international wine contest". providencejournal.com. Retrieved 2017-05-16.{{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  21. 1 2 Penelope Green (September 19, 2013). "Ghosts Be Gone: Belcourt Castle in Newport Gets a Face-Lift". The New York Times . Retrieved September 23, 2013.
  22. ↑ Darrell Hofheinz (January 25, 2013). "Rafaelian's new townhouse: Location was key". Palm Beach Daily News . Archived from the original on August 8, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  23. ↑ Bill Tomison (November 12, 2012). "Alex and Ani owner buys Belcourt Castle". WPRI. Archived from the original on July 19, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  24. ↑ Reilly-McGreen, M.E. "Room at the Top: It takes more than a great idea to create a million-dollar business. You need passion, luck and drive, as these highly successful women have learned. Here are their secrets". Rhode Island Monthly . Archived from the original on September 21, 2013. Retrieved August 5, 2013.
  25. ↑ O'Connor, Clare (3 June 2016). "Alex And Ani's Carolyn Rafaelian Joins Self-Made List As Jewelry's Richest Woman". Forbes .
  26. ↑ Asher, Jane (2017-05-10). "Gisele Bundchen Talks the Importance of Meditation". InStyle.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
  27. ↑ "Carolyn Rafaelian". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2017-06-19.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.