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Diamond dealer Lou Blank dies at 81
Lou Blank, a longtime diamond wholesaler at his family’s business, Joseph Blank Inc., died this month at his suburban New York City home.
New York--Lou Blank, a longtime diamond wholesaler at his family’s business, Joseph Blank Inc., died this month at his suburban New York City home. He was 81.
He attended New York University before going to work in the family business, a New York City-based diamond importing and cutting house that his father established in 1919.
Blank worked his way up in the family business, eventually becoming vice president.
According to his nephew, current company President and CEO Douglas Blank, he was instrumental in growing both the company’s loose diamonds and colored gemstones business. And together with his brother Martin, a company past president, he helped to lay the foundation for the third generation to take over the family business.
Blank is survived by his wife, Jane, their three children, and his brother Martin.
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