WAGSTAFF TAKES POST AT MVI MARKETING
Andrew T. Wagstaff, former manager of strategy and market support at Argyle Diamonds of Australia, has moved to the United States to assume the newly created position of executive vice president at MVI Marketing Ltd. in Beverly Hills, Calif., a market consulting group for the jewelry and precious stone industries.
At Argyle, he was responsible for strategic market analysis and the development and management of key marketing programs, including industry and market research on the diamond pipeline, the Champagne Diamond program in the United States, and the Indo Argyle Diamond Council.
He was involved in Argyle’s June 1996 decision to become the first major diamond mining and marketing organization to sell 100% of its production outside the De Beers group of companies.
Wagstaff holds an MBA from the University of Western Australia.
Designer David Yurman recently was honored at the 14th annual Outstanding Learning Disabled Achievers Awards Gala at Washington’s Omni Shoreham Hotel. Sally Smith, director of the Lab School of Washington, presented an award to Yurman, recognizing him for being an inspiration to learning-disabled children and adults. More than $1 million raised at the event will benefit the Lab School of Washington’s new Arts and Athletic Center.
TOWN & COUNTRY NAMES PRESIDENT AND COO
David W. Cochran has been named president and chief operating officer at Town & Country Fine Jewelry Group, a jewelry manufacturer in Chelsea, Mass. Cochran is also slated to become chief executive officer of the corporation, replacing CEO Ronald F. Stengel at a later date.
Cochran has 24 years’ experience in the fine jewelry industry. Most recently, he was president and chief executive officer of R.F. Simmons Co. Inc. He was recruited by Simmons in 1976 and bought the company two years later, staying at the helm until 1996. Prior to joining Simmons, he worked for Textron, where he spearheaded the effort to strengthen Speidel’s marketing efforts. He has been a director of Barry’s (Samuels) Jewelers for six years.
Town & Country Corp. has facilities in Massachusetts, New York, Texas, Hong Kong, and Thailand, with approximately 800 employees worldwide.
APPOINTMENTS
B.A. Ballou of Providence, R.I., has named Dick Crawford executive vice president and general manager of the Findings Division. Recently, he had been president of Howard H. Sweet & Son (a division of Tiffany). He was also vice president of marketing at L.G. Balfour and vice president and general manager of General Findings. Also at B.A. Ballou, Michael J. Poissant has been promoted to vice president and general manager of the Finished Jewelry Division. Poissant, who holds an MBA from Long Island University, has been with B.A. Ballou since late 1997; prior to joining the company, he was executive vice president at A&Z Hayward Inc. Both Crawford and Poissant serve on the board of the Jewelers Board of Trade and are members of the Providence and Boston jewelers clubs.
Stuart Robertson, ISA, NJA, G.G., has been named research director and gemstone editor of The Guide Publications. He has more than 15 years’ experience, including six years as an independent appraiser and consultant to the insurance and legal communities. In his new position, he will coordinate the efforts of Guide pricing advisers and research assistants and assist in analyzing and refining data for pricing grids. He will also serve as gemstone editor at Gemworld International Inc. of Northbrook, Ill., publishers of The Guide.
John James has been named president and Matthew Fein has been named vice president and national sales manager at the newly formed Ambel-Schlusselberg in Los Angeles. The new company specializes in distinctive mounted jewelry. Sidney Schlusselberg Co. has been active in the diamond industry for 24 years, Ambel for more than 40 years. Sidney Schlusselberg will continue shipping loose diamonds from its El Paso, Texas, office, while Ambel-Schlusselberg will have its shipping base in Los Angeles.
HONORS
W.L. “Mitch” Mitchell was named 1998 store manager of the year by Zale Corp. Mitchell is manager of Zales at the Edgewater Mall in Biloxi, Miss. His store exceeded all sales volume goals for his category nationwide. He has 20 years of management experience in the retail jewelry business.
OBITUARIES
Eugene Addeo, 73, who owned Addeo Jewelers in Casselberry, Fla., from 1973 to 1987, died Oct. 25 of heart failure. He served in the U.S. Army’s 42nd Infantry, Rainbow Division, which helped liberate Dachau and other German concentration camps, and received two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and three bronze medals. He worked in a jewelry store with his father and brother before joining the New York City police emergency squad in 1951. In 1962, he moved to the Orlando, Fla., area and returned to the jewelry business.