The Gemological Institute of America has named two persons to lead their branch offices in Asia.

Vivian Wang was promoted to director of the Institute’s Taiwan branch. Wang, who has served as manager of this location for the past 12 years, will continue to oversee all operations at the branch as its director. In addition, Hong Kong branch manager, Stella Lee, has been promoted to director of the branch. Lee, who joined GIA Hong Kong as an instructor in 1998, will continue to direct the branch’s operations in her new position as director.

After working in the industry for a few years as a sales associate, Wang, a native of Taiwan, began her career at GIA as an On Campus Graduate Gemologist student in Santa Monica, Calif.

Under Wang’s leadership, GIA Taiwan expanded from one classroom to the current three-classroom operation and from one instructor to five. In addition to being accountable for the branch’s daily operations, she is also in charge of managing the language translations of all GIA course materials and publications into Chinese. Wang also coordinates the Institute’s education for GIA China, and she plans to expand the branch again in fall 2005.

Lee attended GIA’s On Campus Graduate Gemologist diploma program in 1997 and was one of the first students to graduate at the Institute’s new world headquarters in Carlsbad. With 10 years of previous trade experience in retail, wholesale, training, and customer service, and also because of her excellent academic performance at GIA, Lee was invited to become an instructor at the Institute’s Hong Kong branch shortly after she graduated. In 2003, Lee was appointed manager.

JCK