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Denver, CO--Heather Ingraham, a divisional merchandise manager at the 1916 Company has become the second recipient of the of the annual Helene Fortunoff Women in Retail Scholarship in partnership with the Women's Jewelry Association (WJA).

The Denver resident made the announcement in a LinkedIn post on Monday. The award was established in 2023 to honor Helene Fortunoff who died in 2021. Fortunoff established the fine jewelry division at Fortunoff’s in 1957 and grew it from a single store to a network of stores throughout the New York metro area.

“I am so proud to be part of Helene’s legacy. As a compassionate role model, Helene left an indelible mark on those who worked for her,” Ingraham said in her LinkedIn post. “She was a trailblazer who built a multi-million-dollar jewelry empire at a time when the jewelry industry was male dominated. Along with her business success, she was also known for her generosity and philanthropy.”

The award from the WJA Foundation presents a $7,500 scholarship each year to the winner.

Ingraham said she will the funds to attend the Yale School of Management Women’s Leadership Program, a weeklong course devoted to strengthening leadership skills, creating strategic visions, and driving growth through innovation.

Ingraham was named divisional merchandise manager for jewelry, bridal and diamonds at the 1916 Company in April. For the previous three years, she was the diamond and bridal buyer for Hyde Park Jewels, one of several luxury retail jewelers that merged with WatchBox, an international watch retailer, to create the 1916 Company. She previously spent 18 years at Borsheims Fine Jewelry & Gifts in Omaha, Nebraska, in positions of constantly increasing responsibility until leaving as diamond buyer in 2021.  

“I am grateful to Esther Fortunoff-Greene, Ruth Fortunoff-Cooper, Gabrielle Grazi and Danielle Gaudio-Lalehzar for this award,” she said in her post. “I understand that the greatest gift you can give someone is to believe in them. Thank you for believing in me and I intend to make you proud. Education and generosity are key components of my life, and I will use this opportunity to teach others what I have learned.”