Members of the diamond industry lavished praise on Gerald Rothschild, the former managing director of DTC broker I Hennig & Co., who died Aug. 16 at age 86.
I Hennig hailed him Rothschild as “ the father of the modern broking industry.”
“He played a pivotal role in cementing the foundations of I Hennig,” it said. “Gerald was always renowned as an impeccable English gentleman. His business skills and acumen were legendary.”
Mark Boston, head of rival broker H. Goldie, paid tribute to Rothschild in a blog post, calling him “a name and personality to be reckoned with.”
“His commitment to the industry and his clients remained consistent and unquestionable throughout his life,” Boston wrote. “He will be remembered warmly by those clients and friends whose success he played no small part in.”
Industry groups also honored his memory.
“For many of the veterans of our diamond community in New York he was not only a broker, but also a friend,” said Diamond Dealers Club president Moshe Mosbacher in a statement. “The diamond trade would look very different were it not for people like Gerald Rothschild.”
The International Diamond Manufacturers Association saluted Rothschild as an “industry pioneer.”
“One cannot underestimate the role that Gerald has played in our industry since the late 1940s, and in particular in the establishment of diamond cutting centers in Israel, India, and China,” said IDMA president Moti Ganz in a statement. “The part he played in establishing a steady rough diamond supply for industries that were just getting their feet on the ground was absolutely critical for their eventual success.”
The Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association sent out a statement calling Rothschild a “member of a generation of extraordinary diamond men.”
“Many New York manufacturers and dealers were touched by Gerald’s passion for our industry,” a company statment said. “Those privileged to know him found him both brilliant and dignified, and highly valued his counsel.”
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