COMINGS AND GOINGS
>>?Maurice Lacroix has appointed Paul Erhardt managing director of its North American operations. Erhardt previously worked with Jean Richard and Hublot.
>>?Ross Markman, former executive vice president of Suberi Brothers, has joined Samuel Aaron (aka the Aaron Group) as director of sales.
>>?Jennifer de Winter, the former chief merchant and a 20-year veteran of Saks Fifth Avenue, will join Tiffany & Co. as senior vice president, North America on March 1.
Katie Dominesey
>>?Reed Exhibitions has promoted Yancy Weinrich to the role of senior vice president, overseeing the strategic direction and management of the entire JCK Events portfolio, including JCK Las Vegas, LUXURY, Swiss Watch, JCK Tucson, and LUXURY Privé, in addition to her continued leadership of JCK magazine. JCK Events also recently announced four new hires: Sarin Bachmann, event director for LUXURY and LUXURY Privé; Katie Dominesey, industry vice president for JCK Las Vegas and JCK Tucson; Lauren Laramore, director of marketing; and Kate Nellis, special events and conference manager.
>>?Longtime jewelry ad-sales executive Norman Miller has been named executive vice president and publisher of Elite Traveler magazine.
>>?Kering has named Antonio Calce as CEO of Sowind Group, where he will supervise brand management for Girard-Perregaux and Jean Richard.
Jenny Luker
>>?Huw Daniel has been appointed CEO of Platinum Guild International, as longtime head James Courage retires in April. Daniel, who has served for 12 years as president of PGI USA, will be succeeded by Jenny Luker, senior vice president of the USA branch.
>>?GemFind, the Newport Beach, Calif.–based e-commerce and tech company, has named Robert Bridel its executive director of business development. Bridel has headed the American Gem Society, Gordon’s Jewelers, and Barry’s Jewelers.
COMPANIES
>>?Sumit Diamond Group and Suberi Brothers are merging. The new entity will be a division of De Beers sightholder Laxmi Group, which has ownership stakes in both companies.
>>?Jewelers of America has purchased online trade publication National Jeweler from Emerald Expositions. The publication, which, like JA, was founded in 1906, will become a for-profit subsidiary of the group. Matthew Tratner, JA director of membership and sales, will oversee ad sales. Editor-in-chief Michelle Graff will continue to oversee content. Emerald still runs the JA and Couture shows.
>>?Slane has shut its wholesale division, and will now focus on e-commerce.
>>?The Riddle’s Group wholesale division has acquired the assets of silver jewelry manufacturer Dakota West Design Inc., which owns Silver Elegance and Absolutely Charming.
REMEMBERED
>>?Robert J. Wueste, chairman of the Aaron Group since 2003, died Jan. 6 at age 72 at his California home. He joined Samuel Aaron International in 1989 as president, and became CEO in 1992 and chairman in 2003. He served as president of the 24 Karat Club of the City of New York in 2004.
Fyodor Andreev
>>?Fyodor Andreev, ex-president of Russian diamond-mining giant Alrosa, died Jan. 30 at age 48. He had resigned in September for health reasons.