WJA ELECTS NEW OFFICERS

Rachel Treitelman Rosin, industry liaison with the Diamond Promotion Service, was elected to a two-year term as president of the Women’s Jewelry Association. She succeeds Helene Fortunoff of Fortunoff Fine Jewelry and Silverware Inc.

Rosin has been a WJA board member for six years and most recently chaired the Show Booth Committee. She is active in a number of Jewish philanthropies, including the jewelry industry chapters of the UJA-Federation, the National Conference, American ORT and the American Jewish Committee. The ORT chapter honored her in 1995 for her charity work.

Other officers and the committees they chair: Chris Correia of Chris Correia Collection, membership; Osnat Gad, president of Osnat Gad Inc., silent auction; Peggy Grosz, co-owner of Bernard Grosz, awards dinner; Magdalena Hess, co-owner of Jose Hess, nominations; Kathryn Kimmel, vice president of marketing for the Gemological Institute of America, regional chapters; and Lynn Ramsey, president and chief executive officer of the Jewelry Information Center, chairman at large.

Continuing in their WJA positions are Janice Rovito, vice president of Finlay Fine Jewelry, treasurer; Jeanne Schaffer, owner of Jeanne Schaffer, corresponding secretary; and Linda Malias Passaro, recording secretary.

AGS ANNOUNCES CONCLAVE SESSIONS

The American Gem Society has announced the slate of seminars for its 1996 Conclave, scheduled for April 10-14 in the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The seminars, workshops and clinics are:

“Appraisals I and II,” Cos Altobelli, CGA.
“Certified Gemologist Clinic,” Dr. James Shigley, director of research at the Gemological Institute of America, and Tom Moses, vice president of GIA’s Gem Trade Laboratory.
“Certified Gemologist Appraiser Clinic,” Cos Altobelli.
“Analyzing Pearl Quality,” Mary Fitzgerald of GIA.
“Color Techniques from Great Britain,” Ian Mercer and Doug Garrod of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain.
“GIA Counter Sketching,” Chris Almquist.
“Detecting Fracture-Filled Diamonds,” James Shigley and Tom Moses of GIA.
“Detecting Treated Emerald, Ruby and Sapphire,” Chris Almquist and Mary Fitzgerald of GIA.
“Diamond Cutting: From the Mine to Your Finger,” Serge Boro of Lazare Kaplan International.
“Diamonds and the Diamond Industry,” group discussion led by Bob Spiesman of Lazare Kaplan International.
“Fancy Colored Diamond Grading System,” Tom Moses of GIA.
“Identifying Challenging Synthetics,” Chris Almquist and Mary Fitzgerald of GIA.
“International Grading of Large Diamonds,” Mark H.G. Van Bockstael of the Diamond High Council in Antwerp, Belgium.
“Production Update on Created Diamonds,” Tom Chatham of Chatham Created Gems.
“Synthetics and Treated Gemstones in Bangkok,” Ken Scarratt of the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences.
“Understanding Synthetic Diamonds,” James Shigley of GIA.
“A New Setting for the National Gem Collection,” Dr. Jeffrey E. Post of the Smithsonian Institution.
“AGS Laboratories,” Peter Yantzer.
“Alternative Dispute Resolutions,” Jim Stott of the Stott, Monsma & Associates dispute resolution practice.
“American Jewelry in the 20th Century,” decorative arts historian Janet Zapata.
“Answers to Platinum Problems,” Christopher Cart of the Platinum Guild International USA.
“Appraisal Foundation Update,” Anthony Reynolds.
“Building Upon Your Assets – Your Associates!” Jane Widas of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry.
Introduction of the Jewelers Education Foundation’s new Cos Altobelli course on appraisals.
“Developing a Niche in the Insurance Industry,” Al Gilbertson, CGA, ISA, of Gem Profiles.
“Estate Jewelry,” Mark Ebert, CG, of Ebert & Co.; Georgie Gleim, CG, of Gleim the Jeweler; and Mark Ginsberg, CG, of M.C. Ginsberg Jewelers.
“Experience the Jewelry of George and Martha Washington,” Lynn Loube of L. Loube and Associates.
“From Raw Casting to Satisfied Customer,” Wayne Lorgus of Sandberg & Sikorski.
“How to Use Direct Mail Effectively,” David Rotenberg of David Craig Ltd. and president of the Jewelers Education Foundation; a JEF presentation.
“How to Write Effective Point-of-Sale Appraisals,” Al Gilbertson; a JEF presentation.
“Home Security for the Jeweler,” John Kennedy of the Jewelers Security Alliance and Jeffrey Caplan of Holmes Protection.
“The Jewelry Industry of Newark, 1850-1950,” Janet Zapata.
“The Jeweler’s Responsibility for Consumer Goods,” John Michaels of Michaels Enterprises; a JEF presentation
“Mediate, Not Litigate,” Jim Stott.
“Preemployment Screening and Personnel Update,” Charles Rowland of R.J. Group and Rob Bekken of Fisher and Phillips.
“Sales Training Done Effectively,” Tom Tivol of Tivol Jewels; a JEF presentation.
“Selling Platinum Profitably,” Laurie Hudson of the Platinum Guild International USA.
“Store Security,” John Kennedy and Jeffrey Caplan.
“Transferring a Family Business,” Bob Lanham of AGS and Herb Bridge of Ben Bridge Jewelers.
“Wealth in America,” David Arnold of Town & Country magazine.

Also scheduled are a retailer/supplier forum and an intensive one-day program called Basic Training Sunday, comprising a condensed version of GIA’s “Day with Diamonds” seminar and a seminar developed in collaboration with the World Gold Council.

The keynote speaker will be Guy Kawasaki, former director of software product management at Apple Computer Inc. and author of the best-selling book Selling the Dream. Guest speaker at the 1996 Robert M. Shipley Award presentation luncheon will be Maurice Tempelsman, senior partner of Lazare Kaplan International.

For other details about the conclave, see JCK, January 1996, page 164.

American Gem Society, 8881 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, Nev. 89117; (702) 255-6500, fax (702) 255-7420.

INDIAN ASSOCIATION ELECTS OFFICERS

The Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association Inc. elected Kailash Rawat as president for 1996.

Serving with him are Natwar Shah, vice president; Amal Javeri, secretary; Basant Johari, joint secretary; and Vinod Jain, treasurer.

The 1996 board of directors comprises the officers and Pramod Jain, Haridas Kotahwala, Ramesh Mehta, Sanjay Pandya, Kumarpal Shah and Parag Shah.

Indian Diamond & Colorstone Association Inc., 22 W. 48 St., Room 606, New York, N.Y. 10036; (212) 921-4488, fax (212) 768-7935.

MICHIGAN ASSOCIATION NAMES THREE TO BOARD

The Michigan Jewelers Association has appointed three new members to its board of directors.

Wayne Calkins is owner and president of Bolenz Jewelry in Alpena. He is president-elect of the Alpena Downtown Merchants Association, cochairman of the local United Way and a board member of the local Chamber of Commerce.

Douglas Eggleston is president of Eggleston Jewelers in Tecumseh. He is vice president of the Herrick Memorial Hospital Support Foundation Board and the Lenawee County Chamber of Commerce.

Becky Beauchine Kulka owns Becky Beauchine Kulka Inc. in Okemos. A graduate gemologist, she is a member of the Gemological Institute of America Alumni Association and the Junior League of Lansing.

OASIS NAMES OFFICERS

Andrea Sue Waas was named deputy executive director of OASIS (Organization of Associated Salespeople in the Southwest). Waas, formerly chief executive of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers, will help in policy development and strategic planning and will manage the human resources at OASIS.

The group also elected new officers. Dan Monachino of Monachino & Associates in Phoenix, Ariz., was elected to his second term as president. Serving with him are Dale G. Kasel of Dale G. Kasel & Associates in Scottsdale, Ariz., executive vice president; Linda L. Burtaine of Burtaine Sales Co. in Phoenix, administrative vice president; Rick J. Heumann of CMA in Chandler, Ariz., treasurer; and Bob Peterson of Salesmark Inc. in Phoenix, secretary.

Monachino, Peterson and Rick Brown of Sandstone Creations Inc. in Phoenix were reelected to three-year terms on the board of directors.

OASIS is a gift trade association with 370 members. It presents two national trade shows in Phoenix each year.

OASIS, 1130 E. Missouri St., Suite 750, Phoenix, Ariz. 85014-2717; (800) 344-8447 or (602) 230-1237, fax (602) 277-7079.

DISC EXPANDS

The Diamond Dealers Club West Coast and the Diamond Dealers Club of Florida have joined the Diamond Industry Steering Committee.

Walter Feinblum and Tibor Stern, president of the DDCW and DDCF, respectively, will join the DISC Executive Committee.

Diamond Industry Steering Committee, 580 Fifth Ave. and 47 St., New York, N.Y. 10036; (212) 869-9777, fax (212) 869-5164.

AGS SOUTHEASTER GUILD ELECTS OFFICERS

Jean Graham of J.C. Grant Co. in Milledgeville, Ga., was elected president of the Southeastern Guild of the American Gem Society. Graham succeeds John W. Darden III of Darden Jewelers in Murrells Inlet, S.C.

Other officers are W. Alan Dailey of Roger Butler Jewelers, Selma, Ala., vice president; Steve Allen of Allen’s Jewelers in Albany, Ga., secretary; and Tim Haney of Haney Jewelry Co. in Calhoun, Ga., treasurer.

The Southeastern Guild includes AGS members from South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Alabama. For information, contact Steve Allen c/o Allen’s Jewelers, 1155 Dawson Rd., Albany, Ga. 31701; (912) 883-0716.

LOUISIANA JEWELERS SCHEDULE CONVENTION

The Jewelers of Louisiana will hold its 51st convention June 21-23 in the Lafayette Hilton and Towers in Lafayette, La. Details will be announced later.

Jewelers of Louisiana, 2423 Old South Plaza, Abbeville, La. 70510; (318) 893-1900, fax (318) 364-1784.

JA AND CPA CELEBRATE REAL JEWELRY MONTH

Jewelers of America and the Cultured Pearl Information Center were joint hosts of a November breakfast fashion show to celebrate Real Jewelry Month and highlight cultured pearl jewelry with spring fashions. The event was held at The Fashion Cafe in Rockefeller Center. Journalists from the consumer and trade press were invited to view the latest fashions and real pearl jewelry.