The 10th Annual Gala Ball will honor Hofstra Trustee Helene Fortunoff, president emeritus of Fortunoff.

This year's Hofstra Gala to benefit student scholarships will be held Thursday, May 4, at the Hofstra University Arena, North Campus. The event honoree is Helene Fortunoff, president emeritus of Fortunoff.

Proceeds from the Gala, which is black-tie preferred, benefit the Hofstra University Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to deserving students who wish to pursue their educational goals at Hofstra. 1-800-FLOWERS is an underwriter of the event.

Tickets to attend the Gala Ball are $350 per person. Hofstra employees may purchase tickets at the special price of $175 per ticket. Please note that a maximum of two tickets per employee may be purchased at this special discounted price. Check, credit card and payroll deductions are accepted as methods of payment for ticket purchases. For further information, please call the Office for Development at (516) 463-5284.

Long respected as a leader in the merchandising and design of fine jewelry, Helene Fortunoff established the fine jewelry division of Fortunoff. As Fortunoff grew from a small housewares store on Livonia Avenue in Brooklyn to its constellation of stores in New York and New Jersey, Mrs. Fortunoff became involved in many of the strategic decisions that enabled the company to become a premier retail chain.

Helene Fortunoff has shattered the traditional dominance of men in the jewelry industry, winning a number of prestigious accolades and awards along the way. She was the first recipient of both the National Jewelers Award for retailing excellence and the Morris B. Zale Award for retailing excellence. She was inducted into the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) Hall of Fame in 1993 and was elected president of the WJA that same year. Mrs. Fortunoff also received the American Gem Society’s 2001 Triple Zero Award.

The prestigious DeBeers Carat Club invited Mrs. Fortunoff to be its first woman member. In 1996 she traveled to South Africa as a guest of DeBeers, visiting gold and diamond mines. In recognition of her longstanding association with Italian jewelry manufacturers, Mrs. Fortunoff received the honorary appointment as knight of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy in June 1997.

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) acknowledged Mrs. Fortunoff as a 1997 Sovereign of the GIA League of Honor, one of the most prestigious awards of recognition the Institute bestows upon benefactors. Mrs. Fortunoff’s interest in gem and industry standards has led to her recent election as chairman of the Board of Governors of the Gemological Institute of America. Mrs. Fortunoff recently joined the Committee of 200, an organization that strives to exemplify and promote entrepreneurship and corporate leadership among women of this generation and the next.

Mrs. Fortunoff has always reserved time for community and religious organizations. Now a past trustee of the North Shore Family and Child Guidance Association, she was honored as its 1996 Woman of Achievement. She was honored by the UJA Federation of New York, Diamond and Jewelry Division, as well as this same division by ORT. She is also a charter member of the UJA Women of Distinction and a Lion of Judah of that organization. In addition, Mrs. Fortunoff serves as an advisory board member of the Women President Organization. Most recently, she was a featured speaker at a “Women in Business” forum for the Learning Annex and the 92nd Street Y in New York City. In January 2006, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jewelry Information Center.

Mrs. Fortunoff is a member and former chair of the Board of Trustees of Hofstra University. She and the Fortunoff family have significantly contributed to the growth of the University over the years, including the establishment of the Lester Fortunoff Memorial Scholarship and dedication of the Alan Fortunoff Reading Room in Hofstra School of Law. Mrs. Fortunoff also served as co-chair of the Hofstra School of Law capital campaign that raised more than $15 million. In 1998 Hofstra recognized Mrs. Fortunoff with the designation of honorary alumna in appreciation of her tireless efforts and leadership on behalf of Hofstra University.

A cum laude graduate in business administration from New York University Stern School of Business, Helene Fortunoff makes her home in Manhasset, New York. Of her six children, five work in executive retailing positions at Fortunoff.

For information or tickets to the Gala, call (516) 463-5284.