Barnett Helzberg, Jr.

A Kansas City-area native, Barnett Helzberg, Jr., received a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan. He is the former chairman of the board of Helzberg Diamonds (est. 1915) and expanded the company from fifteen units in 1962 into twenty-three states, becoming the nation's third-largest jewelry retailer. In 1995, the company was sold to Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett). Barnett is the creator of the I Am Loved theme and cocreator with Dr. Rich Davis of...See more

A Kansas City-area native, Barnett Helzberg, Jr., received a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Michigan. He is the former chairman of the board of Helzberg Diamonds (est. 1915) and expanded the company from fifteen units in 1962 into twenty-three states, becoming the nation's third-largest jewelry retailer. In 1995, the company was sold to Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett). Barnett is the creator of the I Am Loved theme and cocreator with Dr. Rich Davis of the book I Am Loved, published in 2001. He is also the author of What I Learned Before I Sold to Warren Buffett, published in 2003.Barnett is currently the chair and founder of the Helzberg Entrepreneurial Mentoring Program and cofounder and board member of the University Academy K-12 Charter School in Kansas City, Missouri. He established the Helzberg Leadership Fellows (a program to train young Jewish leadership) and is also an adjunct professor at Rockhurst University.Barnett lives with his wife, Shirley. They have two adult sons, Barnett III and Bush, six brilliant grandsons, and one gorgeous and brilliant granddaughter. See less