Support you can count on. Financial depth you can trust.
About Us
After four decades in the jewelry industry, Kalman Klein and Kathy Hillelson began Owl in 2011 to meet the needs of jewelers, diamond dealers and manufacturers looking for an alternative source for fast capital unlike traditional lending.
We are proudly exclusive. We started our business servicing only members of the diamond and jewelry industry. In the wake of the financial crisis, many diamond companies became, and remain, repeat customers, using their “stale” inventory to take advantage of new business opportunities.
Via word of mouth, other individuals and business owners came to know us. Most of our clients today employ our services to generate new business.
Because we are engaged in the wholesale diamond trade, we also provide services ordinary lenders do not. We know the market intimately and can deliver the maximum capital-to-asset value ratios.
Whether you’re an individual with a funding challenge, or a business owner in need of working capital, we can structure an asset-backed capital agreement to suit all your short or long-term liquidity needs.
Owl offers a fast transaction, flexible terms, complete confidentiality and an option for you to repurchase your assets. We welcome your inquiries and look forward to becoming your financial partner.
- Kathy Hillelson
- Kalman Klein
Kathy Hillelson, CEO and Partner, has been instrumental in the growth and success of Owl Financial Group.
Kathy Hillelson literally grew up in the diamond industry. As a child, walking along 47th Street in midtown Manhattan with her father, she saw person after person greeting him. She was impressed with the respect and recognition shown to him by his industry peers and was proud that her Dad was—and still is—widely known and trusted throughout the jeweler’s community. Years later, in 2009 after graduating from the GIA in New York City with a Certificate in Diamonds, she decided to join the family business of Blue River Gems.
Kathy revealed the traits she inherited from her entrepreneurial father: independence, the drive to work hard, and the vision to build a business based on integrity and financial strength while managing the wholesale diamond side of the business.
In 2011, OWL Financial Group was founded and in 2015, Kathy was appointed CEO and Partner of Owl Financial Group, LLC. Since then, Owl has quickly grown into a multi-million dollar company with a direction towards the international market. Kathy exemplifies the philosophy that their success comes through serving their industry colleagues seeking access to financial capital.
Today Kathy evaluates and appraises diamonds, watches, gold, and jewelry, bringing her experience and expertise to clients across the jewelry industry. She manages the daily operations of both Owl Financial and another shared partnership with her father, Blue River Gems, Inc.
In her free time, Kathy enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and spending time with her husband and two daughters in Morristown, New Jersey.
Kalman Klein, President and Managing Member, has been manufacturing and working with fine diamonds on a global scale for nearly four decades.
Kalman began his career in 1972 as a diamond cutter, buying and selling rough diamonds in Russia. In 1976 he moved to New York City and continued his work with diamonds by repairing and improving stones for upgrades. By 1977 he owned and operated a 10-person diamond factory that cut and distributed diamonds internationally.
The present Blue River Gems, Inc. was founded in 1978. As president of that company for over 30 years, Kalman continues his role as a seasoned expert in buying and selling fine diamonds across the globe.
In 1991 Kalman became the president of Baraka of North America, a luxury men's Italian jewelry company. Kalman was the sole distributor of the brand across the United States, Canada, Russia, South America, and the Caribbean. Kalman currently resides in Livingston, NJ with his wife. He enjoys spending time with his family, including his two granddaughters and grandson, and playing tennis and golf.