Events & Awards

JVC to Honor Rebecca Foerster at Annual Luncheon

Events & AwardsMar 02, 2026

JVC to Honor Rebecca Foerster at Annual Luncheon

Foerster is this year’s Stanley Schechter Award recipient.

Rebecca Foerster
The Jewelers Vigilance Committee has named industry veteran Rebecca Foerster as the recipient of this year’s Stanley Schechter Award.
New York—The Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) has named the recipient of this year’s Stanley Schechter Award. 

Industry veteran Rebecca Foerster will receive the award at its annual luncheon on March 13 at the Rainbow Room in New York City.

Foerster is the president of Hearts On Fire, North America, overseeing its operations in Boston and leading all regional functions across North America.

She has more than two decades of experience in the luxury sector, with her skillset spanning merchandising, marketing, and operational expertise.

Her career began in cosmetics and global branding, helping her to develop her instinct for consumer engagement and brand storytelling, skills that lend themselves to her work in fine jewelry.

Foerster has an “exceptional understanding” of the U.S. jewelry market, said JVC, having worked for some of the biggest names in the industry.

Previously, she was the president of Alrosa USA, and served in senior leadership roles at Rio Tinto Diamonds, Frederick Goldman, and Leo Schachter Diamonds.

Foerster is also active in many industry associations, serving on the board of directors for Jewelers for Children. She is a member of the executive committee of Diamonds Do Good and is a natural diamonds ambassador.

She is also the recent past chair of the board at JVC.

 Related stories will be right here … 

The award is named after the late Stanley Schechter, the founder of Honora Industries and a lifetime member of JVC, serving as a board member from the 1960s to 2000. 

The award was established in 2002 to honor Schechter’s legacy and contributions to JVC.

“Recipients of the Stanley Schechter Award embody Stanley’s characteristics and values: leadership, integrity, and passion for elevating the jewelry community’s reputation in the U.S. and worldwide,” said JVC.

Sara Yood, JVC president, CEO, and general counsel, shared her excitement to present Foerster with the award.

“Rebecca lives and breathes the industry integrity and leadership values that were so important to Stanley,” said Yood.

“When I stepped into my leadership role at JVC, Rebecca worked right alongside me to ensure that I had strong and vocal support from JVC’s board of directors and the industry at large. Her guidance has been instrumental to the success of JVC, and she deeply cares about the overall health of the jewelry industry at large.” 

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