Jay W. Weiss

Jay W. Weiss (1927–2004) was an American entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was one of the co-founders of Southern Wine and Spirits, which later became Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits, one of the largest private companies in the United States.

Early life and education Weiss was born on September 26, 1927, in Brooklyn, New York. After obtaining an education degree from Tulane University, he moved to Miami, Florida. He was 21 years old.

Career For two decades, he operated bars and lounges in the city. Records also show that he was involved in several business ventures, including Scopitone Inc., which sold jukeboxes in the 1960s.

In 1968, Weiss was among a group that took over Southern, which was then a small Miami liquor distributor called Southern Wine & Spirits. It was a buyout financed by the Miami National Bank through a $200,000 loan. At the beginning, Weiss was only brought in to help run the operations. The company's early beginning was marked by its reported ties to mob money.

Philanthropy Weiss is also known for his charity work. He is recognized for his contribution to the founding of Ryder Trauma Center. He also helped establish FIU's Chaplin School of Hospitality and Tourism Management.