JFC 2007 Facets of Hope event to honor Beasley and Berg

By JCK Online Staff -- JCK Online, 10/16/2006 3:21:00 PM

Jewelers for Children, the industry's charity, will honor H. Marvin Beasley, chairman and chief executive officer of Helzberg Diamonds, Inc., and Lee Michael Berg, president and CEO of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry in Baton Rouge, La., at the annual Facets of Hope event on June 3, 2007, at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas.

The event, culminating JFC's fund raising efforts for the year, attracts more than 2,300 industry guests during the JCK Show ~ Las Vegas. Both agreed to serve as guests of honor at the event with the responsibility of assisting JFC in raising funds to benefit children who are the victims of catastrophic illness or life-threatening abuse and neglect. Each year, prominent industry leaders are honored by the charity. In 2006, Mark Light of Sterling, Inc. and Edward Bridge of Ben Bridge Jeweler were the honorees, where $4.5 million was pledged to JFC's charity partners.

"We are excited that Marvin and Lee have agreed to be honored and both have assured us that they, along with our dedicated fundraising committee, are going to make 2007 even more successful than last year for JFC." said Laurence R. Grunstein of Citizen Watch Company of America, JFC Chairman. "We are also fortunate to once again have Howard Sherwood of Daniel's Jewelers, Inc., JFC's vice president of fundraising, to head our 2007 effort. As important as monetary donations are to our success, the amount of time that the honorees and their teams, along with our entire fundraising committee, put into the effort is truly commendable. "

Beasley joined Helzberg Diamonds as senior vice president, merchandising and distribution, in 1989. In 2001, he was named executive vice president, Marketing, Merchandising and Distribution, and then was appointed president and chief operating officer in 2002. In 2004, he became chairman and CEO.

Berg and his wife Brenda founded Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry in 1978, following Lee's decision to leave his position as a senior vice president with the Zale Corp. and establish his own business. Their first store was in Baton Rouge. The company now boasts eight stores in three states.

JFC's fundraising effort will officially kick-off in January, 2007. Those interested in sponsoring can find complete sponsorship information on the JFC Web site, www.jewelersforchildren.org, or by contacting JFC at 212-687-2949.

Jewelers For Children was founded in 1999 by the U.S. jewelry industry with the mission of helping children in need. Since its inception, JFC has donated over $23 million to programs benefiting children whose lives have been affected by illness, abuse, or neglect through charity partners St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and the National CASA Association. This nationwide success is due to the continuing generosity of jewelry trade organizations, jewelry and watch manufacturing companies, jewelry retail stores, individual jewelry professionals, and jewelry consumers.