Jewelers of America (JA) and four of its affiliates in the heart of America are sponsoring Coming Together III, a third biennial regional conference for jewelry store owners and managers, to be held Feb. 23-24, 2002, at the DoubleTree Hotel in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City. The theme of the conference is “The Magic of Making Money.”

The conference is sponsored by the Oklahoma Jewelers Association, the Kansas Jewelers Association, the Missouri Jewelers and Watchmakers Association, and the Nebraska/South Dakota Jewelers Association, with the support of Jewelers of America.

Oklahoma Jewelers Association Immediate Past President Lane Roberds of B.C. Clark Jewelers in Oklahoma City, and JA Chairman Carolyn Pope, owner of Crews Jewelry in Grandview, Mo., are conference co-chairs.

Prominent industry leaders will moderate roundtable discussions and will present programs in conjunction with meal functions. Session topics include the following:

* Purchasing Wisely to Control Your Inventory
* Marketing, Advertising & Promotions
* Hiring, Training and Keeping Good Employees
* Colored Stone Update
* Appraisal Guidelines
* Quick Book for Jewelers
* Valuing Your Business and Succession/Estate Planning
* Understanding and Using Your JA Membership Services

Educational sponsors for the conference include The Scull Group, the American Gem Trade Association, and the Diamond Promotion Service. Social sponsors include Precision Set, Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co., GE Card Services and Richard Glatter Inc. More than 30 companies will display their services and products at the conference.

Registrations are limited and will be accepted on a first-come basis. Jewelry store owners and managers interested in attending the conference should contact conference planners Sharon and Bill Blair at 800-487-7822, sjblair38@kc.rr.com.

JCK