• Ann Arnold Is New President of WJA The Women’s Jewelry Association has appointed Ann Schonwetter Arnold, chief financial officer and vice president of Lieberfarb, as its new president. She succeeds Anna Martin of ABN AMRO. Arnold has been a member of the WJA board for the past five years, during which time she served as its treasurer and in 2004 became its first vice president. Her term as president will run two years.
• House of Taylor Now on Nasdaq Los Angeles–based House of Taylor Jewelry, whose shareholders include Elizabeth Taylor and Kathy Ireland, is now listed on Nasdaq, trading under the symbol HOTJ.
• AGS and AGTA Labs Form Alliance The American Gem Society Laboratories and the American Gem Trade Association’s Gemological Testing Center have entered into a strategic alliance. AGS Laboratories have opened their international distribution channels to AGTA GTC, so clients can submit colored gemstones to the AGS Laboratories’ take-in windows in Antwerp, Belgium; Dubai, United Arab Emirates; India; and Israel.
• Businessman Receives Probation Over Bad EBay SalesJoseph Dudley Randall, 50, was placed on three years’ probation for allegedly defrauding customers on Internet auction site eBay, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Randall, who did business as MyWatchStore, pled no contest to a pair of misdemeanor charges and must pay restitution to his victims and complete 45 days of public work service. He has also been banned from buying and selling goods online, the newspaper reports. If he violates probation, he could spend up to a year in jail. According to prosecutors, Randall told buyers they were buying expensive wristwatches and gold coins but sent them broken watches and Kennedy half-dollar coins.
• Jewelry Television Appoints New VP Jewelry Television appointed James Thome Jr. as vice president, e-commerce. Thome will lead operations for the company’s Web site,jewelrytelevison.com. Thome comes to Jewelry Television from WebMD, where he has held several senior and executive level management positions.