Renee V. H. Simons

Renee V.H. Simons
Born	1949
Education	BA, Hunter College; MBA, Columbia Business School; Master's in Education Planning, Fordham University
Occupation(s)	Business executive, nonprofit leader
Known for	President of SANS Sag Harbor; former executive at Fortune 500 companies

Renee V.H. Simons (born 1949) is a former executive in a Fortune 500 company and currently serves as president of SANS Sag Harbor, a nonprofit organization that achieved recognition from New York State and the National Register of Historic Places for historically African-American beachfront neighborhoods in Sag Harbor.

Education

Simons earned a Master's degree in Education Planning from Fordham University, holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, and completed her undergraduate studies with a BA at Hunter College.

Career

Beginning her career in 1978, Simons worked as an assistant brand manager at General Foods Corp. She subsequently took charge of brand management at James River Co. and Seven-Up Co., where she was responsible for 7-Up and Diet 7-UP. By 1991, she had progressed to group director and then director of sales promotion for all cigarette brands at Philip Morris USA.

Simons later became senior vice president at JPMorgan Chase, occupying executive roles spanning advertising, marketing, corporate communications, technology, media management, and banking sectors. She has held leadership roles with The Advertising Club of NY and Covenant House-New York and served on multiple corporate boards. Additionally, she was president of the Harley Simons Group and a board member of the Taproot Foundation. After retiring from corporate life, she joined the Sag Harbor Partnership board and assumed the presidency of SANS Sag Harbor, overseeing the Eastville Historical Society.

SANS

On July 10, 2019, the National Park Service officially listed SANS—the communities of Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest, and Ninevah Subdivisions in Sag Harbor—on the National Register of Historic Places.

According to The East Hampton Star, Simons, as president of SANS Sag Harbor—a nonprofit championing this designation—described the recognition as an "honor," emphasizing that these privately owned neighborhoods were established to offer African-American families safe and welcoming environments during a time when they were largely excluded from most public recreational areas in the greater New York region.

Newsday highlights that Simons spearheaded the successful campaign to have SANS included on the New York State Register of Historic Places in March 2019. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) endorsed the National Register listing, pointing out that SANS represents one of the few remaining African-American beachfront communities with substantial historical significance. When nominated by the New York State Board for Historic Preservation, Simons noted that this recognition affirms the vital role African Americans have played in American history. In March 2019, she told The Wall Street Journal, "There’s a lot of pride to be recognized this way," further stating that it elevates the site beyond merely being a "footnote."

Sandra E. Garcia’s October 2020 article in The New York Times Style Magazine explored SANS’s heritage and acknowledged Simons’s leadership in fundraising efforts for landmark designation applications. The historic district encompasses 195 structures across 154 acres situated north of Hampton Street in Sag Harbor village—a street that still demarcates the predominantly white area from this historically Black neighborhood.

As reported by The Sag Harbor Express, Simons propelled landmark designation initiatives through organizing meetings, fundraising campaigns, and petition drives. She also secured assistance from the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), which provided 25 volunteers to support the cause. The Montauk Sun notes that these efforts led to obtaining a grant from The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation and conducting an Intensive Cultural Resource Survey required for documentation purposes. In a 2017 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Simons stressed preservation’s importance for future generations by saying, "If we don’t say anything we’ll lose the essence of this neighborhood."

Honors

• In 1991, Black Enterprise magazine recognized Simons as one of the "21 Women Of Power And Influence In Corporate America."
• During Black History Month in 1996, Monroe College honored her with the 'Excellence in Enterprise Award' for her accomplishments in business and dedication to community service.
• Simons was also a recipient of the YMCA's Outstanding Women of America accolade.
• On December 4, 2019, the Sag Harbor Hills, Azurest & Ninevah Steering Committee was awarded the Excellence in Historic Preservation Organizational Achievement award by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, acknowledging nearly four years of volunteer efforts.
• The Sag Harbor Express praised the committee’s remarkable teamwork and noted recognition from Daniel McEneny, community engagement coordinator at the state historic preservation office.
• In 2020, Preservation Long Island presented the Project Excellence Award to the SANS National Register Historic District Survey and Nomination team, chaired by Renee V. H. Simons, for exemplary community advocacy and meticulous documentation of important historic sites related to Jim Crow and the Civil Rights era on Long Island.

See also

• Hilda Lindley – Activist opposing real estate development projects in Montauk.
• Northwest Alliance – Environmental organization dedicated to protecting East Hampton’s Northwest Creek and harbor region.

External links

• An American Story: Sans Sag Harbor (video)
• Citizen Organization for Little Northwest Creek