More than 320 guests attended GIA Alumni Association’s annual auction and dance party on Feb. 2. Held in conjunction with the Tucson gem and mineral shows, the party included silent and live auctions, a buffet dinner and dancing, and a recognition ceremony.

The auctions helped raise more than $14,000 for GIA’s Alumni Endowment Fund, which benefits Alumni activities such as speaker tours, chapter events and networking opportunities.

U.S. Virgin Islands senator Shawn-Michael Malone, was presented with the Chapter Volunteer of the Year award. He was recognized for efforts to allocate $50,000 of the U.S. Virgin Islands legislative budget for gem and jewelry education for Virgin Islanders and for his involvement with the alumni chapter.

Recipients of the Richard T. Liddicoat Scholarships and several outstanding Alumni members and chapters were also recognized, including:

Outstanding Chapters: New York–Manhattan; Hong Kong

Chapters of the Year: Alumni Association Japan; California-Golden Gate; Illinois-Wisconsin; Texas–Lone Star; Caribbean Island; Washington D.C.

Chapter Members of the Year: John Anthony, Jr., G.G., Pennsylvania-Delaware Valley; Jodie Diegel, G.G., Illinois-Wisconsin; Bobby Mann, G.G., Washington D.C.; Makoto Nakaire, G.G., Alumni Association Japan; Irene Wing-Yan Leung, G.G., Hong Kong.

JCK