Details About 'Today' Host Hoda Kotb's New Fiancé Joel Schiffman
He put a ring on it!
Instagram Congrats are in order for Today host Hoda Kotb because she's engaged to her long-time boyfriend! But who is Joel Schiffman. The couple have been dating since 2013 and actually met while Kotb was doing a book signing.
Kotb was attending an event hosted by Wall Street and stuck around until the end of the event to sign autographs, even though she had no interest in being there. After signing a few autographs, Schiffman appeared in line for his.
Kotb recalled the exchange to Andy Cohen and Bethenny Frankel, saying, “I said, ‘Who should I write it to?’ Schiffman responded ‘How about to me?’ and she said, ‘how about to you?’” Though the exchange was short and sweet, emails were exchanged, and a date was set up.
The pair bonded and have been making history ever since. And now, Kotb has announced that the two are planning to wed. But before she walks down the aisle, we're curious about her new fiancé.
1. He's a financier.
Joel Schiffman was born March 21, 1958. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from UCLA in 1981, and while attending school in Los Angeles, he was involved on campus as a member of the rugby team as well as a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, Inc.
Schiffman also attended the University of Pennsylvania for graduate school, where he became a certified investment management analyst in 1995. He's worked as a financier since 1987.
According to his LinkedIn, he's worked with various companies including Trail Ridge Capital LLC, Reed Connor, and Birdwell along with Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC, assuming several positions. He also served as the senior Relationship Manager of New York-based Columbia management National Accounts and eventually became the vice president and director of Janus Capital Group. He currently serves as the Head of US Defined Contribution and Insurance Sales for Schroder Investment Management.
2. He has a child from a previous relationship.
Before he began dating Kotb, Schiffman was previously married. He and his ex-wife had a daughter together named Kyle Schiffman, 23.
According to Closer Weekly, Kyle is very supportive of her father’s relationship with Kotb. She once stopped by Today in 2015 and even posted about her experience on social media, where she talked about how awesome Kotb was. For divorced dads, their kid's opinion of their new partner is incredibly important!
3. They adopted two children together.
The pair adopted their first daughter Haley in 2017. During an interview on the Wendy Williams Show, Kotb opened up about Schiffman.
"Well, he is the finest man I've ever met," she said to Wendy. "He's just everything!"
A 2007 cancer diagnosis left Kotb unable to conceive. She revealed to Wendy that she was scared to tell Schiffman she wanted to adopt kids, but knew they need to have the conversation before she moved in with him.
Schiffman was eager to help her adopt her first child. Said Kotb, "He said, 'I don't need a minute,'" revealing that she instantly broke down in tears crying on his chest. Schiffman's response made Kotb look at him in a different light.
And recently, the couple adopted another child, Hope Catherine. Kotb called Today to share her excitment about the newest addition to her family.
"Do you have something to tell us?” the host asked. “Yes, I do. It’s a girl! It’s a girl!” replied Kotb. “And her name, her name is Hope.’ ”
According to Radar, the entire family is excited about the new baby and the love Kotb has for Schiffman and Haley has continue to grow.
“You know what’s funny? You think that you’re full. Like, you think that you’re full. That’s exactly how I felt with Haley and Joel and everything. And Joel and I were standing there when they hand you the baby. And it’s the closest thing to a live birth I think you’ll ever see. But anyway, in that moment I was like, my god, my heart just grew ten times. It’s amazing. Anyway, I just, I can’t believe it’s happening, y’all. I can’t,” she said.
4. They're now engaged.
After six years together, Schiffman finally popped the question. On Monday, November 25th, she revealed the good news to her co-anchors! She started a segment by saying, "I have to tell you something that a friend of mine, a friend of ours, asked me to let you guys in on a secret. I'll give you her initials. Her initials are Hoda Kotb, and she's engaged." Her co-anchors then went wild with excitement!
Schiffman proposed over the weekend while the two were having dinner on the beach. According to Kotb, "And he was like, 'I have something else I would like to say.' He said some beautiful things and then he got down on one knee. He said 'Would you be my wife?' He's good. He had a good poker face."
5. He originally wasn't on the same page as Kotb about marriage.
Although he was married and divorced once, Schiffman Has been with Kotb for six years. A source for Closer Weekly once revealed, “[Schiffman] sees it as a natural progression of things. But Hoda sees them at their ages — she being 54 and Joel being 61, that they could live out their days blissfully without ever tying the knot.”
When previously asked if she saw wedding plans in the future for herself and Schiffman, while appearing on Watch What Happens Live, she didn't directly answer the question. She started off by expressing her love for Schiffman."I love Joel," she said. "I'm going to be with Joel until my last breath — I know that."
Well, now it looks like her wish is coming true!
Alexis George is a writer who covers love, relationship advice, astrology, personality topics and celebrity news.