Stephen Odzer

Bio of Ruben Azrak and Stephen Odzer

Ruben Azrak and Stephen Odzer have been partners in growing the Lifeguard Brand of Products, and the Lifeguard Family of Companies, into a nationwide conglomerate of first-class products and salt-of-the-earth companies for the past three decades.

Ruben, a Syrian Jew, met Stephen just shortly after he graduated Yeshiva of Flatbush High School, a school attended by a majority of Syrian Jews, a highly successful community located in Brooklyn, NY, and Deal, NJ. Stephens graduating class included Elliot Azrak, who went on to become a global brands expert, Raymond Gindi of the well-known Gindi real estate family, Sherene Nakash of the well-known Jordache and real estate family, and Joe Carey, whose family went on to found Casa Cipriani and owns many other Manhattan prime real estate. The standard joke is that if you point to a building in Manhattan, it is probably owned by Stephen, Ruby, or one of his high school classmates. Stephen and Ruby maintain close business and personal ties with all these families until today.

In 1987, just one year after graduating high school, heavenly influenced by his successful classmates, Steven Odzer entered the 100 billion dollar paper goods and janitorial supply industry. Having humble roots, Stephen approached Edmond Safra, one of the leading New York Syrian Jewish Community members, who owned Republic National Bank at the time, to fund his new business. Mr. Safra, one of the world’s leading bankers with no children, grew very fond of Stephen, treated him like a son, and agreed to finance Stephens’s new business on a handshake with unlimited credit. This allowed Stephen to build his new supply business and become a pioneer in this large but unsexy industry. Stephen ultimately sold this company to his most significant competitor in 2006.

This experience made Stephen understand the importance of relationships and friendships. He is famous for saying that small business is based on price. Big business is based on relationships. In 2008 the competitor that purchased his company just two years earlier approached him to return to work as they were losing key customers who had a relationship with Stephen Odzer. Stephen agreed, and in just three years, that company, Burke Supply, was sold to Imperial Bag and Paper, who went on to be acquired by Bain Capital, one of the leading private equity firms in the world today. Today, Imperial Bag and Paper, now called Imperial Dade, has over 5 billion dollars in revenues. Stephen maintains a strong relationship with the President, CEO, and many other vital managers of Imperial Dade.

In 2015 Steven Odzer and Ruby moved their corporate headquarters to Henderson, NV, as they expanded their distribution business throughout the United States.

In addition to the distribution business, Ruby and Stephen have grown Lifeguard Apparel through licensing agreements. Today you can find Lifeguard apparel sold in nearly every airport in the United States, and you will surely see Lifeguard apparel in every beach club and on every beach in the USA. Plans for international distribution are in the works.

Stephen was nominated for various business awards, including the Earnest and Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, and he sits on the board of multiple charities.

Like many entrepreneurs, Stephen and Ruby have invested decades of profits into real estate, and today, they control dozens of prime commercial and residential real estate throughout New York and Florida.

Stephen and Ruby maintain strong business and political ties in the USA and the Middle East—a personal friend to various Israeli Prime Ministers, US Presidents, and many other politicians.

As far back as 2001, Stephen was personally invited by King Abdullah of Jordan to participate in a gathering of worldwide business leaders. In 2021 and again in 2022, Stephen Odzer was invited, as an elite member of the Republic Jewish Coalition, to meet with the leaders of the Royal families of the UAE and Saudi Arabia to expand business cooperation between the American business community and UAE and Saudi business communities.

Ruby has four children and nine grandchildren and lives in Brooklyn, NY. Stephen has seven children ages 3-33 and 15 grandchildren and lives with his wife Alexandra between Las Vegas, NV, and Long Island, NY.