D.E.F to honor Helzberg Diamonds

During its Diamonds Do Good Awards gala, the Diamond Empowerment Fund (D.E.F) will honor iconic retailer Helzberg Diamonds with the Diamonds Do Good Corporate Legacy of Philanthropy Award, one among three honorees to be recognized that day. The gala is slated on June 4 at the Four Seasons Ballroom in Las Vegas.

D.E.F’s “Diamonds Do Good” Corporate Legacy of Philanthropy Award reflects the actions taken by a corporation to better the lives of the local community while making a difference on the global stage. For over 100 years, Helzberg Diamonds has epitomized this ideal.

With roots in the Midwest, Barnett Helzberg’s good business skills and sense of community responsibility led to his growing the company even during the Great Depression, and sponsoring the ‘Helzberg Sweetheart Hour’ radio program that provided uplifting entertainment to listeners each week. He made himself and the interests of the community one and the same, providing counseling for the Girl Scouts, support for the Kansas City Zoo, and establishing the Diamond Council of America. When his son Barnett Jr. took over this tradition continued. Barnett Jr. developed the ‘I am loved’ line and button promotion while proposing to his wife Shirley. This simple, but powerful line became a hallmark campaign of goodwill sent to celebrity ‘heroes’, military men serving in the Vietnam War, children in hospitals and eventually translated into more than 11 languages.

After a chance meeting on the streets of New York City, Barnett Jr.—ready to retire in 1995—soldthe company to Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffet who then hand-picked Beryl Raff to take over the leadership of Helzberg Diamonds in 2009. In 2012, Helzberg established “Helzberg Helps” to honor the company’s philanthropic traditions. The organization is made up of Helzberg Diamonds Associates with a passion to give back in their local communities. The mission is to lead fundraising efforts and organize volunteer activities primarily for charitable entities that support the benefit of children and families in need, such as Make-A-Wish, Salvation Army, Children’s Mercy Hospital, and more. Since 2009, Helzberg’s largest charitable efforts have been in support of Make-A-Wish America, helping to grant the wishes of children throughout the country.