James R. Dunn, owner/president of J.R. Dunn Jewelers, was one of three South Florida business owners to be inducted into the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame of H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University. More than 400 persons attended the event held on April 18, including top university officials.

Jim Dunn, along with his wife Ann Marie, founded J.R Dunn Jewelers and has been recognized in the community of South Florida numerous times. Originally from Boston, Jim Dunn with his wife, Ann Marie opened their first jewelry store, the House of Gems in Hanover in 1969. This was the beginning of what would become two retail jewelry stores known as J.R. Dunn Jewelers. Today, J.R. Dunn Jewelers is a 8,000-square-foot store in Lighthouse Point and another store on Las Olas Boulevard. The Las Olas location was awarded “Store of the Year” in 2002 by the Institute of Store Planners.

In 2002, Dunn was honored with the Sun-Sentinel’s Excalibur Award for “Small Business Leader.” He is actively involved in the Boys’ and Girls’ Club of Broward County and since 1996 has held Dunn’s Run to benefit these clubs raising over $1million dollars the last 10 years.

Fellow Hall of Fame members Rick Case, Thomas J. Miller, Terry W. Stiles, and H. Wayne Huizenga, presented the honorees with their awards. Celebrating its 18th year, the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame honors the achievements of outstanding businesspeople.  The selection committee for this prestigious honor is comprised of current Hall of Fame members.

Photo caption: (L-R) Sean Dunn, vice president of J.R. Dunn; Robert Pelliccia, exclusive JR Dunn Jewelers designer and Jim Dunn’s brother-in-law; and Jim and Ann Marie Dunn.

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