Watch Industry Veteran Stuart Zuckerman Dies

Atlantic Highlands, N.J.--Longtime watch industry executive Stuart Zuckerman, who helped build up the Seiko and Citizen brands in the U.S., died May 21 after a long battle with Frontotemporal Degeneration. He was 67 years old.

Zuckerman was born in Brooklyn, N.Y.

After graduating from Brooklyn Technical High School, he went on to earn a degree from The City College of New York.

In 1974, he joined Seiko Time Corp. in an operations management capacity, and was promoted two years later to the merchandising department, growing from there to the role of senior general manager.

During his time at Seiko, Zuckerman was part of a management team that greatly changed the mid-price branded watch market, as it made Seiko one of the top-selling watch brands in the United States.

In 1988, he joined the Citizen Watch Company of America as vice president of merchandising and later became the senior vice president of merchandising and special events marketing. During his nearly two decades with the company, he was credited as being a key player in its establishment as a top brand in the market.

He retired from the industry in 2010 when the symptoms of Frontotemporal Degeneration, a disease that progressively damages the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain, began to show.

Zuckerman was active in his community for as long as he could be, volunteering for various causes as well as serving as an advocate for children’s charity  National CASA Association, which he was introduced to through Jewelers for Children.

He is survived by his daughter, Jennifer (Zuckerman) Moran; and son, Eric Zuckerman, who also is involved in the timepiece industry as the president of Pac Team Group.

Funeral services will be held at Bloomfield Cooper Jewish Chapels in Manalapan, N.J., on Wednesday, May 25, at 11:00am. Zuckerman will be laid to rest at a private service at Holmdel Cemetery.

Donations can be made in his memory to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration through the AFTD’s website or AFTD, Radnor Station, Bldg. 2, Suite 320, 290 King of Prussia Road, Radnor, PA 19087.