Recipients of grants from the 2000 JCK Industry Fund were announced during ceremonies at the JCK Show in Orlando, Feb. 4-6. Each year, the Fund grants a total of $400,000 to individuals, groups, or associations who develop plans to enhance the jewelry industry’s image and promote the welfare and growth of the industry. To date, the Fund has awarded more than $1,000,000.

Recipients of the grants are selected by a Fund Advisory Committee composed of representatives from the manufacturing and retailing sectors of the industry as well as representatives of JCK magazine and The JCK Shows. The committee is responsible for reviewing all grant applications and selecting those that fit the profile of the Fund’s mission.

The recipients of the 2000 fund grants are:

• American Gem Society (AGS), $100,000, for continuation of its project to develop a cut grade for fancy diamonds and for the purchase of equipment for the new AGS lab facility.

• Cultured Pearl Association of America, $41,000, for production of collateral material to aid retail jewelers in selling all varieties of cultured pearls.

• Gemological Institute of America (GIA), $100,000, for continued research in diamond enhancement detection.

• Jewelers Security Alliance (JSA) and Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC), $85,000 each, to establish JBAR, a neutral and central venue for the consideration of appraisal issues, monitoring of the appraisal industry, and a credible referral service for the insurance industry and legal profession.

Checks were presented to each organization by Frank Dallahan, publisher of JCK magazine, and Dave Bonaparte, vice president of The JCK Shows. Announcement of the 2001 JCK Jewelry Industry Fund, inviting grant requests from all jewelry industry organizations in the United States, will be made shortly.