Our History

After an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army Air Corps, Huey Wilson attended the Kansas City School of Jewelry Design and Manufacturing in Jewelry Design and Manufacture, following in one of his brother’s footsteps. 

Huey John Wilson married Angelina Josephine Mumphrey in an intimate ceremony at his sister’s home. In the same year, Mr. Wilson opened his first business, a jewelry and watch repair shop. He often traveled throughout southern Louisiana selling jewelry out of the trunk of his car while Mrs. Wilson maintained the city store on 3rd Street and Laurel Street.

Mr. Wilson graduated from the Gemological Institute of America in New York City, the same year he entered the retail jewelry business with the opening of National Jewelry.

Mr. Wilson opened Huey’s Jewelry & Loan.

The Wilsons founded H. J. Wilson Co., Inc., their first catalog showroom retail business on Main Street in downtown Baton Rouge, La. 

After going public, H. J. Wilson Co., Inc. grew to include 82 stores throughout the South. 

Mr. Wilson is honored with the Horatio Alger Award, recognizing his exemplary dedication, purpose, and perseverance. 

At the time of its sale to Service Merchandise, H. J. Wilson Co., Inc. had become the largest company headquartered in Baton Rouge, employing 10,000 people and spanning 13 states.

Huey and Angelina Wilson Foundation is created with a $5,000 contribution from the Wilsons. The Foundation focuses on education, healthcare, human services and prison reentry in the greater Baton Rouge area.

Mr. Wilson returned to his love of jewelry and opened Wilson’s Fine Jewelers in Cortana Mall, as well as 4 additional stores. 

The Wilsons, together with Alder ‘Doc’ Laborde, co-founded Gulf Island Fabrication, Inc., an oilfield service business headquartered in Houma, Louisiana. 

The Foundation issues its first round of grant awards to 13 local nonprofits, for a total of $225,022.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the Foundation contributed $1 million to the Hurricane Katrina Displaced Persons Fund.

Mr. Wilson passed away on his 80th birthday.

The Foundation marked its 15th year of grantmaking by launching a three-year, $3 million Prison Reentry Initiative to support a reduction in Louisiana’s recidivism rate and increase the cost savings to the state associated with the successful reintegration of prisoners.

Mrs. Wilson passed peacefully in her home. By 2016, the Foundation had invested more than $37 million into the Capital Region.