Oct. 31, 2007 — Hans Stern, founder of the jewelry store H. Stern, died Monday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was 85.
"He was so gracious and such a gentleman," said Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson Doty on Wednesday. "He had a love for the Virgin Islands."
She met Stern nearly 20 years ago while on a Tourism Department-sponsored trip to Brazil with former tourism official Leona Bryant.
"He took us on a tour," Doty recalled.
When Stern decided to do something he always followed through, said Edwin Schouchana, manager at H. Stern on St. Thomas. Stern involved his management team in his decisions, Schouchana said.
"And he was very humble," he said.
Stern opened the first of three H. Stern stores on St. Thomas in 1964. He was a frequent visitor to the territory, coming nearly every year. He made his last trip in 2006.
Gov. John deJongh Jr. sent his condolences to Stern's wife, Ruth, as well as their sons Roberto, Ricardo, Ronaldo and Rafael, and the company's employees.
"I was saddened to learn of his passing," the governor said.
Stern also had six grandchildren.
According to a 2003 story about Stern in Brazzil Magazine posted on the Internet, he was born in Essen, Germany. In the wake of the Nazi government's violence against its Jewish population, Stern, his father and his grandfather fled to Cologne, Germany. In 1939, when Stern was 17, they left for Brazil.
While working for the export company Cristab in Rio de Janiero, Stern learned to cut and polish gemstones, according to a company biography. He then established the company that would become known as H. Stern in the 1940s in Brazil. Stern started the company with just one employee, later branching out to Latin America, the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
He worked almost until the end of his life, continuing to visit his stores around the world.
Stern spent his free time with his family. His biography lists his favorite hobbies as reading, playing the organ, listening to classical music, collecting stamps and rare precious gemstones. He had a collection of more than 1,000 faceted tourmalines of every shade and color. They're on exhibit at the H. Stern Museum in Rio de Janeiro.
In 1956, the city of Rio de Janeiro named him an honorary citizen.
H. Stern has 160 stores in 12 cities around the world, according to the company website. It employs nearly 3,000 people.
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