S idney Kimmel is an American fashion tycoon, film producer, and major philanthropist. The son of a taxi driver, Kimmel grew up in Philadelphia and dropped out of college before finding his calling in the apparel industry. In 1970, he founded his own company, Jones Apparel Group, with a partner. He eventually bought out his partner and took the company public in 1991.

Under Kimmel's leadership as chairman and CEO, Jones Apparel Group grew into a fashion powerhouse, acquiring numerous well-known brands such as Nine West, Anne Klein, and Gloria Vanderbilt. He built the company into a multi-billion dollar enterprise before retiring in 2002 and selling his remaining stake. After his fashion career, Kimmel embarked on a second act as a film producer, founding Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, which has produced dozens of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films. He is also one of America's most generous philanthropists, having donated hundreds of millions of dollars, primarily to cancer research and the arts. The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia and the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins are named in his honor.