OREGON JEWELERS LEARN ABOUT ADS

The Oregon Jewelers Association held a recent board meeting at Kobe Printing, a provider of photography, printing and prepress services for the jewelry industry’s advertising needs. Members heard a presentation on “How to Get Your Ad Into Print,” a detailed discussion of print production.

ACCESSORIES COUNCIL CHOOSES DIRECTOR

The Accessories Council, an independent national advocacy association for the accessories industry, appointed Jeff Prine as administrative director. Prine is the former senior editor for Accessories magazine.

Filling the newly created position, Prine will take over the responsibilities of day-to-day operations, membership and promotion of the council. The new position will allow Executive Director Sheila Block to focus on increasing the industry’s visibility, developing special events and strategic planning.

MJSA CHOOSES 1997 DIRECTORS

Alan M. Kaufman, president of Tru-Kay Manufacturing Co., Lincoln, R.I., recently was named chairman of The Manufacturing Jewelers and Silversmiths of America. He has served as Tru-Kay president since 1984 and is the third generation of his family to lead the company since its inception in 1946. He served previously as the chairman of the Jewelers Board of Trade, president of the Providence Jewelers Club, executive committee member and membership chair of the Jewelry Industry Risk Management Association and a member of the 24 Karat Club of the City of New York. He also is active in the Plumb Club.

“MJSA’s top priority is to help its members increase sales,” says Kaufman. He looks forward to growth through opportunities such as the strategic alliance between MJSA Expos and JCK, free Web sites for MJSA members and new insurance packages.

Other officers are Chairman-Elect Peter Fuller of Fuller Box Co., North Attleboro, Mass.; Vice Chair Babette Goodman Cohen of I.B. Goodman Mfg. Co., Cincinnati, Ohio; Treasurer Curt Ley of Tiffany & Co., Pelham, N.Y.; and Secretary Gary Soloman of Princess Pride Creations, Chicago, Ill.

Elected to serve three-year terms on the board are Michael Akkaoui of Tanury Industries, Lincoln, R.I.; Richard M. Blake of Grassman-Blake Inc., Millburn, N.J.; Robert Halstead of Parker Manufacturing Corp., East Providence, R.I.; Ronald Letzler of Crest Gems Inc., New York, N.Y.; Marvin Markman of Suberi Bros., New York, N.Y.; Joseph V. Piscitelli, Jr., of Joseph Piscitelli Inc., Cranston, R.I.; and Joseph Sisto of Leach & Garner Co., North Attleboro, Mass.

The officers were elected at a membership meeting attended by more than 200 people. The meeting included a multimedia presentation by Jacques Voorhees, president of Polygon Inc., on “How to Use the Internet as a Marketing Tool.”

MJSA President Jim Marquart then spoke to members about plans for the coming year to increase government lobbying, expand education opportunities and enhance membership participation in MJSA.MJSA, One State St., Sixth Fl., Providence, RI 02908-5035; (401) 274-3840; fax (401) 273-0265.

NEW EDUCATIONTRACK TO DEBUTAT AGS CONCLAVE

A lot of work and a lot of play will make for five busy days at the American Gem Society’s “Diamond Jubilee” Conclave. The conclave, celebrating its 60th year, will be held April 16-20 at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Ill.

A new education track system will be introduced this year. Gemology, business and technology, sales and merchandising, manufacturing arts and appraisals tracks will offer five classes each. Attendees will be able to complete a different track each day or mix tracks. An Alternative Education/Earning Credentials Track will be offered April 18 with one-on-one sessions, special sales classes and opportunities to earn credentials.

The Conclave speaking schedule represents a variety of industry lead-ers, including Michael Grantham, a retired director of De Beers; Laurie Hudson, president of Platinum Guild International USA Jewelry; Gaby Tolkowsky, a noted diamond cutter and worldwide consultant for De Beers; Bill Boyajian, president of the Gemological Institute of America; Lynn Diamond, senior partner/executive director of the Diamond Promotion Service; and Randy Shoup, a dentist whose “Values Based” program can be adapted to any business. AGS, 8881 W. Sahara Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89117; (702) 255-6500, fax (702) 255-7420.

JA HONORS CENTENARIAN BUSINESSES

Jewelers of America has inducted six more member retailers into the JA 100 Club for 1997.

The club was established in 1995 to honor businesses that have remained successful through the generations. With the new inductees, 39 retailers are members of the club.

The new inductees are Bartikowsky Jewelers of Wilkes-Barre, Pa., established in 1887; the Bisanar Co. of Hickory, N.C., 1896; Bloser’s Jewelers of New Kensington, Pa., 1873; Maier & Berkele of Atlanta, Ga., 1887; Marks Jewelers of Lawrence, Kan., 1880; and Garibaldi & Bruns of Charlotte, N.C., 1896.

INSERT DESIGNED TO HELP RETAILERS SELL MORE GOLD

Casual yet classy, gold jewelry creates a personal look for women on the go. The World Gold Council began to reiterate these and other attractive selling points of gold jewelry in a series of trade magazine inserts in February.

Gold Focus, a two-page insert, is perforated so it can be removed for use by buyers, store management and training and visual merchandising personnel. News is presented in blurbs and covers design trends, merchandising ideas and selling suggestions.

WGC plans to run Gold Focus in leading jewelry trade magazines throughout the year.

BOSTON JEWELERS ELECT OFFICERS

The Boston Jewelers Club elected its 1997 officers and directors during its recent annual meeting.

Colby Lunt, vice president of marketing for Lunt Silversmiths, Greenfield, Mass., was elected president. Curtis A. Ley, vice president of manufacturing for Tiffany & Co., Pelham, N.Y., was chosen vice president. Robert W. Paul, former president of the Jewelers Board of Trade, was reelected secretary-treasurer.

The club elected Matthew Runci, president of Jewelers of America, to the board of directors. Reelected as directors were Anthony D. Ostrom of Tiffany & Co., Boston, Mass.; Fredric J. Hammerle of Stern Metals Inc., Attleboro, Mass.; Robert F. Wilson of Chesire, Conn.; Adam C. Heyman of Oscar Heyman & Brothers Inc., New York, N.Y.; and Robert E. Mahar of Mahar & Engstrom, Braintree, Mass. Richard LeStage of LeStage Manufacturing was elected as an honorary director. Continued as honorary directors were Thomas N. Breese Jr. of Attleboro, Mass., and Joseph H. Samuel Jr. of J.&S.S. DeYoung, Boston, Mass.

REAL JEWELRY MONTH A REAL SUCCESS

Jewelry industry members throughout the country joined forces to make the “November is Real Jewelry Month” campaign a resounding success, reports the event’s organizer, Jewelers of America. Media attention, advertising efforts, promotional events and retail support brought fine jewelry to the attention of thousands of holiday shoppers, says JA.

Retail affiliates offered free jewelry cleaning during the month and used the promotion as a reason to offer sales and special events. The Hawaii and Arizona Jewelers Associations, for example, held contests in member stores to build traffic. The Massachusetts/Rhode Island affiliate ran a Real Jewelry Month ad supporting truth-in-pricing. Several state affiliates received official proclamations from the governor’s office to generate local newspaper publicity.

JA and member jewelers sponsored fine jewelry advertorials in nearly 20 regional magazines, including New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore,

Seattle and Palm Beach Life. Radio spots and press release to newspapers also announced special services offered by JA member stores.

The fashion press took notice of the promotion during a New York press luncheon sponsored by JA and the Cultured Pearl Information Center. Editors from fashion magazines such as Allure, Harper’s Bazaar and Glamour attended to see works by designers who use cultured pearls.

Other jewelry organizations used Real Jewelry Month to further their own promotions:

The Diamond Information Center sent the Diamonds Today for Every Day solitaire diamond collection on a five-city tour.
JA joined forces with the International Colored Gemstone Association’s “Year of the Ruby” promotion by producing a consumer brochure titled How to Buy a Ruby. ICA also held ruby jewelry events in six jewelry stores across the U.S.
The Jewelry Information Center sponsored a Real Jewelry Month jewelry contest for consumers. Readers of Elle and Elle Decor magazines were asked to describe in 10 words or fewer why they think fine jewelry is special.
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co. promoted its Personal Jewelry Insurance policy to Wisconsin jewelers in a statewide newspaper ad campaign that used the Real Jewelry Month theme.

SILVER INSTITUTE ELECTS DIRECTORS

Paul Bateman is the new executive director of The Silver Institute, Washington, D.C., an association of miners, refiners, fabricators and manufacturers of silver products. Bateman was the institute’s public affairs director for two years and previously held positions in the White House and U.S. Treasury Department.

He succeeds John Lutley, who step-ped down after 11 years. Lutley will continue to serve as a senior consultant.

WIMA ELECTS 1997 OFFICERS

The Writing Instrument Manufacturers Association elected officers for 1997 at its annual meeting in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Bruce E. Nichols of Formulabs, Escondido, Cal., is the new president. Serving with him are James P. Moon of J.R. Moon Pencil Co., Lewisburg, Tenn., vice president; Carl Pfizenmaier of Hoover Precision Products, Cumming, Ga., secretary; and Billy R. Fox of National Pen Corp., Shelbyville, Tenn., treasurer.