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Simkins Industries
Simkins Industries originated as a paper manufacturing business under patriarch Leon Simkins, who built a regional industrial enterprise before the family...
Simkins Industries
Simkins Industries originated as a paper manufacturing business under patriarch Leon Simkins, who built a regional industrial enterprise before the family office's pivot. The firm now functions as a hybrid asset owner, with leadership split between Ronald Simkins, who serves as President of Simkins Industries, and Michael Simkins, who directs Miami-based real estate operations through Lion Development Group and the family's crypto ventures. The firm's investment posture is concentrated in direct real estate development and digital assets. Confirmed real estate holdings include the E11even Hotel & Residences in Downtown Miami, the Miami Innovation District in Park West, commercial property at 716-720 Lincoln Road, and a personal waterfront estate on North Bayshore Drive. The digital-asset book includes direct Bitcoin and Ethereum positions, ApeCoin, and the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT #11. Lifestyle and hospitality adjacent investments include the E11even Vodka brand and a Cessna 421C aircraft. Recent activity centers on Miami's Park West neighborhood, where Michael Simkins and business partner Marc Roberts are advancing the E11even Residences Beyond project, a branded residential tower extending the E11even hospitality franchise into condominium development. The Simkins family maintains ties to local civic institutions: Leon Simkins served as a Trustee Emeritus at the University of Miami, and Michael and Nikki Simkins are active donors to the Greater Miami Jewish Federation. A private foundation, the Leon J. Simkins Charitable Foundation, provides the family's philanthropic infrastructure. What separates Simkins Industries from a conventional single-family office is its operating-company DNA. The firm does not merely allocate to external managers; it develops, brands, and operates assets — from nightlife-anchored real estate to consumer packaged goods — while simultaneously holding a liquid crypto treasury. This dual posture makes it less a passive allocator and more a holding company for the Simkins family's entrepreneurial second act.
General information
Firm type
Pension Fund
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
East Haven
Corporate office
East Haven, CT, United States
Additional offices
Miami, FL, United States
Principals
Ronald Simkins
President
Michael Simkins
CEO of Lion Development Group
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who makes investment decisions at Simkins Industries?
Ronald Simkins serves as President of Simkins Industries, overseeing the legacy industrial and holding company operations. Michael Simkins directs the Miami real estate portfolio through Lion Development Group and manages the family's digital-asset positions, including the E11even Crypto venture. Business partner Marc Roberts co-leads the E11even-branded hospitality and residential real estate projects.
Where does the Simkins family wealth originate?
The wealth originates from Simkins Industries, a paper manufacturing company built by Leon Simkins. The founding generation established the firm as a regional industrial operator before the second generation diversified the family capital into real estate, hospitality, and digital assets, primarily through Miami-based development entities.
How does Simkins Industries approach digital assets?
The firm holds direct token positions rather than investing through venture funds. Confirmed holdings include Bitcoin, Ethereum, ApeCoin, and the Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT #11, making the family office one of the few old-economy fortunes to maintain a publicly traceable on-chain treasury alongside its brick-and-mortar portfolio.
What is the relationship between Simkins Industries and the E11even brand?
Michael Simkins and Marc Roberts are co-owners of E11even Partners, the entity that operates the E11even nightclub brand and its real estate extensions. The brand has expanded from hospitality into branded condominiums — E11even Hotel & Residences and E11even Residences Beyond — and into consumer products through E11even Vodka, run by Nikki Simkins.
Does Simkins Industries invest in outside funds or only direct deals?
The firm's known deployments are entirely direct: real estate development projects, operating businesses such as E11even Vodka, and spot cryptocurrency holdings. There is no evidence in public filings or deal announcements of allocations to external private equity, venture capital, or hedge funds, distinguishing it from a traditional allocator model.
What is the Simkins family's philanthropic structure?
Philanthropy flows through the Leon J. Simkins Charitable Foundation, a private foundation named for the late founder. The family is also active in Miami civic life: Leon Simkins held a Trustee Emeritus role at the University of Miami, and Michael and Nikki Simkins are prominent supporters of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
How is the family office governed across generations?
Governance appears split between Ronald Simkins, who maintains the legacy industrial presidency, and Michael Simkins, who controls the operating companies and real estate ventures. The structure resembles a federated holding company more than a centralized institutional family office — with distinct entities (Lion Development Group, E11even Partners) operating under the Simkins umbrella without a single public-facing CIO.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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