The Gemological Institute of America has appointedJudith Shechter-Lankford as director of corporate sales. A Graduate Gemologist with more than 26 years of experience in the industry, Shechter-Lankford will be chiefly responsible for national sales of GIA’s new Accredited Jewelry Professional (AJP) diploma and other educational programs.

Shechter-Lankford has held a number of positions with GIA, including gemology instructor, distance education manager, and manager of the GIA bookstore. She also worked closely with the developers of several gemology and jewelry courses and programs for the institute. She also worked for a fine jewelry store in Los Angeles for eight years, as a manager, buyer, and appraiser, and served as operations manager for MVI Marketing Ltd. in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Kevin R. Ray has been named manager of Schwarzschild Jewelers’Regency Square store in Richmond, Va. Ray comes to the 103-year-old luxury jeweler’s flagship store from J.E. Caldwell & Sons in Wilmington, Del., where he served as manager. He brings to his new position 22 years of experience in the retail jewelry industry, including 17 years with Musselman Jewelers of Trenton, N.J. Ray served on Musselman’s board of directors and was responsible for advertising and merchandising. He left Musselman four years ago to join Bailey, Banks & Biddle as manager of its Wilmington, Del., store and two years later moved to J.E. Caldwell.

Mikimoto America Co. announces two promotions.David Gasway has been promoted to senior vice president of the wholesale division, responsible for industry trade sales in North America, South and Central America, and the Caribbean. Gasway has been with the company since 1994.Paul Sternman has been promoted to vice president of the wholesale division. He will oversee the company’s wholesale trade division trade sales. Sternman has been with the company since 1993.