Victor Kiam
| Victor Kiam | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Victor K. Kiam December 7, 1926 New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Died | May 27, 2001 (aged 74) Stamford, Connecticut |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Yale University |
| Occupation | Chairman, President and Spokesman of Remington Products |
| Known for | Ownership of the New England Patriots |
| Spouse(s) | Ellen Lipscher (m. 1956–2001) |
| Children | Lisa Durkin, Victor Kiam III, Robin Kiam Aviv |
Victor K. Kiam (December 7, 1926 – May 27, 2001) was an American entrepreneur and TV spokesman for Remington Products, and the owner of the New England Patriots football team from 1988–1991.
After attending Yale, the Sorbonne, and Harvard Business School, Kiam worked for Lever Brothers and Playtex as a salesman. He bought the Benrus Watch Company in 1968, selling his majority stake in 1977. He made a fortune as the President and CEO of Remington Products, which he famously purchased in 1979 after his wife bought him his first electric shaver. Kiam became famous as the spokesman for the Remington shaver. His catchphrase, "I liked the shaver so much, I bought the company", made him a household name. He recorded each commercial in the native language of the country in which it was broadcast. In Britain he became a celebrity, appearing on TV chat shows, including 'Wogan', 'The Tube', and David Frost's 'Through the Keyhole'. He also operated other companies, including Ronson and TravelSmart.
In 1988, Kiam bought the NFL's New England Patriots for $84 million from founder Billy Sullivan. The sale did not include Foxboro Stadium, which Sullivan lost in a bankruptcy sale to paper magnate Robert Kraft, and Kiam lost money on the deal. In 1990, Lisa Olson, a Boston Herald reporter, sued Kiam and the Patriots when Zeke Mowatt allegedly exposed himself and made lewd comments to her in the team change room. The incident stirred debate over female reporters in the locker room. Kiam became the center of the controversy when he came to the defense of the players' actions. "I can't disagree with the players' actions," he said, and claimed that the Herald "asked for trouble" by assigning a female reporter to cover the Patriots.
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