GIA Elects Two New Board Members

By JCK Online Staff -- JCK Online, 9/24/2007 2:03:00 PM

The Gemological Institute of America has elected Dione D. Kenyon and Frederick N. Levinger to its board of governors. The new governors will assume their duties at the next GIA Board of Governors’ meeting in Carlsbad, Calif., on Nov. 10 - 11.

Both new board members hold significant positions within the jewelry industry. Kenyon is currently serving as president and chief executive officer of the Jewelers Board of Trade and Levinger holds a similar CEO position at Nobadeer Enterprises/Speidel.

At the same time, four current Governors will be retiring from the Board in November as eligible membership terms expire. They are: Nancy Brewer of Nancy B. & Company; George Rossman, Ph.D., of the California Institute of Technology; Lee Michael Berg, president/CEO of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry; and Michael Kazanjian of Kazanjian Bros, Inc.

Kenyon brings more than 30 years of experience in precious metals, credit administration, and banking services within the jewelry industry to GIA. The JBT is a 120-year-old, member-sponsored trade association that delivers credit and collection services exclusively for the jewelry industry. She currently serves as a director of the Women’s Jewelry Association, the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, and the Boston Jewelers Club. She is a member of the 24 Karat Club of New York and the Providence Jewelers Club.

Kenyon graduated from Smith College with a BA in Government and an MBA from Providence College. She is active on several educational organizations in the New England community.

Levinger has an extensive background in working within large corporations, with a particular emphasis in strategic planning, building brands with creative marketing and sales management, and crafting strong business and financial relationships. He has been owner and CEO of the Colibri Group for 30 years. He has also been a director of Fleet National Bank for 15 years; and a member of the 24 Karat Club of New York, Board of Directors of The Plumb Club, and the Board of Jewelers Board of Trade, among many other major civic contributions.

He also is a trustee of the Lifespan Hospital Group, based in Rhode Island.

Levinger graduated with a bachelor of arts degree, magna cum laude, from Yale University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Ralph Destino, GIA chairman said, “We’re very pleased that Dione and Fred are joining our leadership team. Their expertise, business knowledge and good judgment will be invaluable as GIA broadens its range of services to our customers and embarks on its program of global expansion.”

All other GIA governors remain in place. These are board chairman Helene Fortunoff, principal at Fortunoff; GIA president Donna M. Baker; Gordon E. Brown, Jr., Ph.D., Kirby Professor of Earth Sciences and professor and chairman of the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory Faculty at Stanford University; William B. Cottingham, Ph.D., president emeritus of GMI Engineering and Management Institute; GIA Chairman Ralph Destino; Rodney C. Ewing, Ph.D., a Donald R. Peacor Professor and chair of the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Michigan; and Eli Haas, president and CEO of E N H International.

Also remaining on the board are Susan M. Jacques, president and CEO of Borsheim's of Berkshire Hathaway; Sheldon Kwiat, co-president of Kwiat, Roisen and Ferman; Anna Martin, senior vice president of ABN AMRO Bank; Dilip Mehta, CEO of Rosy Blue; Roland Naftule, president of Nafco Gems, Ltd.; GIA Past President and Governor for Life Glenn R. Nord; Timothy J. Stripe, co-president, Grand Pacific Resorts, Inc., and Matthew G. Stuller, chairman and CEO of Stuller, Inc.