Pat Henneberry (pictured), the veteran sales trainer known as the Jewelry Coach, has joined the forthcoming jewelry digital platform Zorella as chief marketing officer.
Henneberry, whose long industry resume includes stints at Hearts On Fire and JCK, is tasked with growing the site’s network of personal jewelers and spearheading its marketing and branding initiatives.
Zorella is intended to be a turnkey solution for people who want to run their own personal jewelry businesses. It will act as their design house, manufacturer, marketer, and administrative arm, and provide access to jewelry designers and fabricators, quality assurance, jewelry appraisals, drop shipping, and insurance.
In a statement, Henneberry said that Zorella, which will launch this fall, is aimed at supporting “someone with existing fine jewelry knowledge and an entrepreneurial spirit.
“This is a great stepping stone for a newly minted GIA graduate gemologist, jewelers who are closing their store but not yet ready to retire, or even independent designers who can benefit from manufacturing and sales support,” she added.
Zorella was founded by Orlando Altamar, who will serve as president. Before founding Zorella, Altamar was the executive vice president and managing partner of Shah Luxury, and vice president of merchandising and product design and development for Kim International Manufacturing.
“The next evolution in fine jewelry will be about delivering personal service, unique and customized offerings, and great value in a convenient, modern approach,” said Alamar in the same statement. “Today’s consumer is looking for a new way to buy jewelry; online sales during the pandemic proved that. We, as an industry, must learn to embrace and pivot toward technology.”
The site’s board of directors includes industry legend William E. Boyajian, the former president of the GIA, as well as the author of a new book on family transition.
(Photo courtesy of Zorella)
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