Carolyn Pope of Crews Jewelry in Grandview, Mo., was elected Jewelers of America (JA) Chairman. Pope is the first woman to ever hold this position at Jewelers of America.
“I feel very honored to be elected as Chairman of JA,” Pope said. “I feel that as an independent owner of a single store operation I am a true representative of the majority of our members. My store has all the same concerns and needs as most of the JA membership.”
The board elected Pope during a late-July Board of Directors meeting in New York.
Pope has been on the Board of Directors of the Missouri Jewelers and Watchmakers Association since 1988 and served as that affiliate’s president in 1994. She is co-chairman of the third biannual JA Regional Conference, which is to be held in February 2002 in Overland Park, Kan. Pope is a member of the Women’s Jewelry Association, on the Board of Directors of the Jewelry Information Center, and serves on the honorary Board of Directors of the Jewelers Charity Fund for Children. Pope has served on the JA Board of Directors since 1994, including turns as secretary and vice chairman. This year marks the 30th anniversary of her store, Crews Jewelry in Grandview, Mo.
In her community, Pope is past president of the local Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as treasurer. Pope is also a past chairman of the Economic Development Committee, a former member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, and a past member of the Board of Directors of the Grandview Bank and Trust.
“From lobbying in favor of conflict diamonds legislation to establishing nationally recognized certification programs, JA has continually benefited its members and the industry,” Pope said. “During my term as Chairman, I will ask our board to move forward with new programs as we continue to address the concerns and needs of the JA membership. I also look forward to furthering our relationships with other industry organizations. It takes the sum total of all the groups to keep our industry strong and profitable.”
Also at the JA Board meeting, Alan Zimmer of Reeds Jewelers in Wilmington, N.C., was named chair-elect. John Cohen of Carlyle & Co. Jewelers in Greensboro, N.C., and Clayton Bromberg of Underwood Jewelers Corp. in Jacksonville, Fla., were elected vice-chairs. John Green of Lux, Bond & Green in West Hartford, Conn., was elected treasurer. Susan Jacques of Borsheim Jewelry Co. in Omaha, Neb., was elected Secretary.
JA also welcomed four new board members:
Robert J. DiNicola, Zale Corp., Irving, Texas
Georgie Gleim, Gleim the Jeweler, Palo Alton, Calif.
Michael Parker, Michael’s Fine Jewelry, Ltd., Aiea, Hawaii
Alan Rodriguez, House of Stones, New Philadelphia, Ohio
Five board members were re-elected to three-year terms:
Terry Burman, Sterling, Akron, Ohio
Joseph Hagan, Jewelry Creations, Dover, N.H.
William Merkley, Merkley-Kendrick Jewelers, Louisville, Ky.
Raimie H. Weber, George Fillmore Goldsmiths & Jewelers, Canton, Conn.
Richard White, Ed White Jewelers, Cullman, Ala.
Continuing on the JA Board, in addition to those already mentioned, are:
Jeffrey W. Comment, Helzberg Diamonds, North Kansas City, Mo.
Ralph Destino, Cartier, New York
Marc Fink, Fink’s Jewelers, Roanoke, Va.
Marion Halfacre, Traditional Jewelers, Newport Beach, Calif.
H. Victor Hellberg, Hellberg’s Jewelers, Marshalltown, Iowa
Margaret Johnson-Ayres, Ayres Jewelry Co., Casper, Wyo.
Paul Minton, B.C. Clark, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Troy Vinson, Troy Vinson Jewelers, Fort Worth, Texas
Completing their terms on the JA Board are Al Solomon of Solomons Jewelers in Plainview, N.Y.; Lex Harrison of Harrison’s Jewelers in Pocatello, Idaho; and outgoing Chairman Ed Bridge of Ben Bridge Jeweler, Seattle, Wash.
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