Whitney Sielaff, my longtime friend, colleague, and friendly competitor, has left National Jeweler after more than 20 years.

“It’s tough to leave National Jeweler, where I’ve worked for 24 years, essentially dedicating my entire professional career,” he tells me. “Jewelry is a business made up of creative, hard-working entrepreneurs running private, family-owned companies. I’ve always loved that aspect, and I have developed so many close friendships and connections over the years. And this is such a wonderful and exciting industry, that I certainly expect my future will remain here in one way or another.” 

Whitney joined National Jeweler in 1989 as assistant editor, eventually serving as editor-in-chief, publisher, and finally as editorial director and publisher. Over the years, he has won numerous awards—including a Neal Award for his writing and the Timothy White Award for editorial courage and integrity—and he was chosen by Folio as a “Dream Team” editor-in-chief. He’s a member of the 24 Karat Club of New York and just finished three terms on the board of Jewelers for Children. 

National Jeweler‘s parent company, Nielsen Expositions, was purchased recently by a hedge fund, and it is now focusing on the trade show business.

Whitney is extremely talented, respected in the trade, and a dynamic and creative thinker. You can reach him through LinkedIn or by email at Whitneysielaff [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Rob Bates

JCK News Director