Ricky Bromberg, the longtime president of Alabama-based Bromberg & Co., died Sept. 2 at 67. He was born in Birmingham on Aug. 16, 1959, and was a sixth-generation member of the family to lead the business. Bromberg’s career in the jewelry industry began at a young age. According to his obituary, he used to operate the elevator at the downtown store when he was a boy. He kept the first 50-cent piece he earned as a small reminder of a business that would remain an important part of his life.
Bromberg graduated with honors from the University of Alabama, earning a bachelor’s degree from the College of Commerce and Business Administration. After college, he moved to New York City to participate in Macy’s Management Executive Development Program, gaining retail experience before returning to Alabama to work in the family business. He went on to dedicate 43 years to the company, serving as president of Bromberg & Co., which was established in 1836 and is the state’s oldest jeweler and family-owned retail business. Today, Bromberg’s has two locations: one in Birmingham and one in Mountain Brook, Alabama.
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It was at the Mountain Brook store in 1978 that Bromberg met the woman who became his wife, Nancy Beaird. The two were married for 39 years, had one son, and built a life rooted in family, faith, and friendships. Bromberg, who was an Eagle Scout, also was active in numerous industry and civic organizations. These included the American Gem Society, Retail Jewelers Research Group, Alabama Retail Association, Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, Downtown City Action Partnership, Alabama Goodwill Industries, and Birmingham Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America.
He is remembered as a Southern gentleman in every sense of the word. He always wore a suit and tie and was warm, genuine, honest, and dependable, with a dry sense of humor. His family extends its deepest appreciation to all the employees of Bromberg & Co. for their loyalty, friendship, and steadfast support throughout his career. They also expressed gratitude for the doctors, nurses, and staff who cared for him over the past year, including Drs. Allen Yeilding and Tom McRae.
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Bromberg is survived by his wife, Nancy Bromberg; his son, Frederick Wilkinson Bromberg Jr. (Wil) and his wife, Kathrine Ford Reeves Bromberg (Katie); two grandchildren, Lella Elizabeth Bromberg and Reeves Hardy Bromberg; and three siblings, Underwood Jewelers Chairman Charles Clayton Bromberg and his wife, Christy Bromberg, of Jacksonville, Florida; Frank Hardy Bromberg III; and Lella Bromberg Wilbanks and her husband, Bruce Wilbanks, of Nashville, Tennessee.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank Hardy Bromberg Jr., who died in 2019 at age 87, and Lella Clayton Bromberg. A memorial service will take place Thursday at 11 a.m. at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham. Visitation will immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the church, 2017 Sixth Ave. North, Birmingham, AL 35203, or to a charity of the donor’s choosing.
