Jewelers for Children, the industry’s charity, will honor Mark Light, president and chief operating officer of Sterling Jewelers Inc., and Edward L. Bridge, president and co-chief executive officer of Ben Bridge Jeweler Inc., at the annual Facets of Hope event Sunday, June 4, 2006, at the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas. The event, culminating JFC’s fund raising efforts for the year, attracts more than 2,000 industry guests during the JCK Show ~ Las Vegas.

Light and Bridge will serve as guests of honor at the event with the responsibility of assisting JFC in raising funds to benefit children who are the victims of catastrophic illness or life-threatening abuse and neglect. Each year, prominent industry leaders are honored by the charity. In 2005, Sue Gove of Zale Corporation and David and Sybil Yurman of David Yurman were the honorees. More than $ 4.1 million was pledged to JFC’s charity partners.

The fundraising effort will officially kick-off in January, 2006. Those interested in sponsoring can find complete sponsorship information at www.jewelersforchildren.org, or by contacting JFC at 212-687-2949.

Light started his career at Akron, Ohio-based Sterling Jewelers Inc., as a part-time sales associate in 1978 while still a high school student. He has held several key management positions in the organization, assuming his current role in 2002. He is an active member of the board of directors of the American Heart Association, Akron Metro Area chapter and has served on the Jewelers for Children fundraising committee for more than five years. He has served on a number of industry organization boards, including the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, the Jewelry Information Center and the JCK Show Advisory Board. He is also a member of the Young President’s Organization. Sterling Jewelers Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Signet Group, plc and operates more than 1,200 jewelry stores across the United States, including the nationally recognized Kay Jewelers.

Bridge has worked in a number of positions in the Seattle, Wash.-based company that his great-grandfather started in Seattle in 1912, and has held his current position since 1990. He and his cousin, Jon Bridge, share the co-CEO role managing the business, which is now made up of 75 stores in twelve states and is a division of Berkshire Hathaway. He is an active industry supporter who has served on the board of directors of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, the Jewelry Information Center, and the Jewelers of America where he served two years as chairman of the board, and is a member of the Young President’s Organization. He serves on the board of directors of Jewelers for Children and serves on the finance committee. He also has served on the board, and as a vice president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle.

JCK