The Gemological Institute of America has selected a panel comprised of some of the gem and jewelry industry’s most prominent leaders to serve on its Symposium Industry Advisory Board. More than 65 representatives from global industry organizations—including trade media editors and reporters, heads of international trade associations, and trade show organizers—accepted the Institute’s invitation to support the 4th International Gemological Symposium.

The event, which marks GIA’s 75th anniversary, is being held Aug. 27–29, 2006, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, Calif. The theme for the 2006 Symposium is “Navigating the Challenges Ahead.”

“Board members will serve as advisors and give guidance to the Institute in planning for this worldwide event,” said Kathryn Kimmel, GIA VP of Marketing and Public Relations, one of the event’s co-chairs.

Kimmel said world leaders from every facet of the gem and jewelry industry will gather at Symposium to exchange ideas, hear what the experts say, and learn about the latest developments impacting the science of gemology and the way business is done. “Symposium is where the industry plans its strategy for the next decade,” she said. GIA expects more than a thousand gemologists, jewelers, diamantaires, and other industry members from around the world to attend the three-day event.

Alice Keller, editor-in-chief of Gems & Gemology and the 2006 Symposium’s other co-chair, said, “In the last five years alone, the industry has seen radical changes in gemology and the global trade–there’s a wealth of information to keep up with. We appreciate the support that the advisory board members are giving GIA for what is probably the industry’s most important event of the decade.”

For more information about the event, e-mail igs@gia.edu. To learn more about how to become a sponsor of the 2006 Symposium, contact Director of Institute Relations Jane Lynch at 800-421-7250, ext 4114; outside the U.S., call 760-603-4114, or e-mail jlynch@gia.edu.

GIA’s 2006 Symposium Advisory Board Members:

Tawfique Abdullah, Dubai Metals & Commodities Centre
Sarin Bachmann, Luxury by JCK
Jacob Banda, New York Diamond Dealers Club
Ruth Batson. American Gem Society
Morgan Beard, Colored Stone
Steven Benson, Israel Diamonds & Precious Stones
Carol Besler, Canadian Jeweller
Ernest Blom, Jewellery Council of South Africa
David Bonaparte, JCK Shows
Dr. Grahame Brown, The Australian Gemmologist
Jorge Luiz, Brusa, Diamond News
John Calnon, World Gold Council
Fiorence Chan, Hong Kong Jewellery
Liz Chatelain, Indo-Argyle Diamond Council
Letitia Chow, Jewellery News Asia
James Courage, Platinum Guild International
Manoh Dhandia, Gem World
S. Lynn Diamond, Diamond Promotion Service
Peggy Jo Donahue, Professional Jeweler
Shreyas Doshi, Indian Institute of Gemmology
Chaim Even-Zohar, Diamond Intelligence Briefs
Jeffrey Fischer, International Diamond Manufacturers Association
Stephane Fischler, European Council of Diamond Manufacturers
Ronald Friedman, Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association of America
Dr. Gaetano Cavalieri, CIBJO
Cecilia Gardner, Jewelers Vigilance Committee
Dieter Hahn, Diamond and Precious Stone Exchange, Idar-Oberstein
Virginia Halevi, IDEX Magazine
Ronald Harder, Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company
Dr. Roger Harding, The Journal of Gemmology
James Hartstein, California Jewelers Association
Howard Hauben, Centurion Show
Hécliton Santini Henriques, Brazilian Institute of Gems and Precious Metals
Christopher Hourmouzios, CRU Jewellery Group
Douglas Hucker, American Gem Trade Association
Eli Izhakoff, World Diamond Council
Basant Johari, Indian Diamond and Colored Stone Association
Robert Jones, Rock & Gem
Alok Kala, Diamond World/Journal of Gem Industry
John Kennedy, Jewelers’ Security Alliance
Dione Kenyon, The Jewelers Board of Trade
Cheryl Kremkow, Modern Jeweler
Yukihiro Kuwayama, Japan Jewellery Association
Robyn Lewis, Italian Jewelry Guild
Lawrence Ma, Diamond Federation of Hong Kong
David Marcus, Diamond Club West Coast
Anna Martin, Women’s Jewelry Association
Dilip Mehta, Natural Colored Diamond Association
Bakul Mehta, Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council, India
Joseph Menzie, International Colored Gemstone Association
Jenni Middleton, Retail Jeweller
Fred Mouawad, Instore
Dr. Jack Ogden, The Gemmological Association of Great Britain
Mary Peterson, Retail Jewelers Organization
Peklar Pilavjian, Armenian Jewelers Association
Martin Rapaport, Rapaport Diamond Report
Efraim Raviv, Israel Diamond Institute
Alan Revere, American Jewelry Design Council
Sylvie Ritter, BaselWorld
Jeffrey Roberts, Independent Jewelers Organization
Nancy Robey, VNU Expositions Jewelry Group
Matthew Runci, Jewelers of America
Shmuel Schnitzer, World Federation of Diamond Bourses
Hedda Schupak, Jewelers’ Circular Keystone
Yao Shuzhen, Journal of Gems and Gemmology
Whitney Sielaff, National Jeweler
Catherine Sproule, Canadian Jewellers Association
Vichian Veerasaksri, Thai Gems and Jewelry Traders Association
Merle White, Lapidary Journal
Tina Wojtkielo, AJM Magazine/MJSA

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