The Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) has elected Dave Meleski, president and CEO of Richline Group, as its new chair.

RJC members chose Meleski in a rare contested election, where he was pitted against Edward Asscher, the current RJC vice chair. Asscher will continue as vice chair.

“You usually don’t see multiple people [vying] for board positions,” Meleski tells JCK. For this election, the RJC actively encouraged competition, he adds.

He hopes to bring a global perspective to the group. “RJC has over 1,800 members—it’s in North America, South America, Africa, all continents,” Meleski says. “My message to the board was: I head a global company, not just a U.S. company but one with companies all over the world. The RJC board is diverse, its membership is diverse, and I believe I can understand and represent all areas and members.”

Meleski has never previously been on the RJC board, though Richline has had a board presence since the company began in 2007, two years after the RJC’s founding. Meleski has also served as board chair of the MJSA, president of the Plumb Club, and a board member for the Jewelers Vigilance Committee.

“The RJC is one of the most important organizations in our industry,” he says. “It fulfills a very strong need. I would like to see the RJC remain the voice for the industry on compliance, on sustainability, and to grow its voice and its presence.”

David Bouffard, who has served as RJC chair since 2018, announced he was stepping down as chair last year, in conjunction with his departure from Signet. Melanie Grant remains the RJC’s executive director, reporting to Meleski.

(Photo courtesy of the Responsible Jewellery Council)

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