BARRY’S MAKES TWO KEY APPOINTMENTS

Barry’s Jewelers named Robert L. Zeigler senior vice president of merchandise. Ziegler was formerly vice president of merchandise for Merksamer Jewelers, a 50-store chain based in Sacramento, Cal. Earlier in his 30-year retail jewelry career, he was with Gordon’s Jewelers, where he was an executive in merchandising with Robert Bridel, now Barry’s president and chief executive officer.

Joseph M Maisano, who has been Barry’s vice president and director of stores, was promoted to vice president, operations. Maisano joined Barry’s two years ago from the Zales Jewelers division of Zale Corp., where he had been vice president of operations. Before that he served in several management positions with Gordon’s, where he began his career in 1977.

PIERCING PAGODA NAMES PRESIDENT

John F. Eureyecko, 47, was named president and chief operating officer of Piercing Pagoda Inc. He joined the company in 1991 and was named chief financial officer and joined the board of directors in 1994.

Richard H. Penske continues as chairman and chief executive officer.

GIA ANNOUNCES AWARD WINNERS

The Gemological Institute of America honored outstanding alumni chapters and members for their contributions to the industry and the institute.

Honors went to the North Texas Chapter as Outstanding Chapter of 1995 and the Montana Chapter as the Best New Chapter. Winning regional awards were the Northern California, Metro Phoenix, Ohio, Georgia, New York, Hong Kong and Washington, D.C., chapters. Two chapters were honored for their newsletters: Metro Phoenix for design and Washington, D.C., for content.

Winners of the regional Members of the Year Awards were Suzanne Martinez, Northern California; Roma Strong Zanders, Metro Phoenix; Robert Hord, North Texas; Kiran Khaitan, Ohio; Steve Turner, Georgia; Michele Zabel, Washington, D.C.; Alan Howarth, New England; and Hey Rang Chung, South Korea. Odile Civitello of Quebec, Canada received a Special Achievement Award.

WHIDDON RESIGNS AS ZALE CFO

Thomas E. Whiddon, 43, has resigned as senior vice president and chief financial officer of Zale Corp. to become an executive vice president of Lowe’s Cos. Inc., a building and home repair goods retailer. Whiddon joined Zale in April 1994 and was named senior vice president in August 1995.

Merrill J. Wertheimer, 56, Zale’s executive vice president of finance and administration, is now also chief financial officer. Whiddon will not be replaced.

APPOINTMENTS

The Home Shopping Network announced three top management appointments in June. Paul Guyardo was named executive vice president of marketing. His responsibilities include marketing, programming, mail order, research and analysis, affiliate marketing and creative services. Robert Kramer was named executive vice president and chief information officer. He oversees information systems, including technical, application and communication services. Carmie Mehrlander was named executive vice president of merchandising. Her duties include merchandising and HSN’s Spree! channel.

Ben Bridge Jeweler Inc., Seattle, Wash., recently appointed Peter Luplow, CGA, vice president of sales and training. Luplow has worked for Ben Bridge for 19 years. His new responsibilities include overseeing the company’s Midwest stores and managing a store that opens this month in Denver, Colo.

Borshiem’s of Omaha, Neb., named Scott Caniglia as jewelry sales manager and Michele Dempsey as jewelry administrative manager and buyer. Caniglia, former owner of Caniglia Jewelers of Omaha, oversees sales staff development, jewelry workshop, appraisal lab and sales floor activity. Dempsey, who had been fine jewelry manager, oversees the jewelry sales staff, analysis of product sales and product and vendor communications.

Barbara Mooty resigned from NOVA/MWI and joined London Jewelers as manager of its newest location in East Hampton, N.Y.

Nili Jewelry Corp. named five new territory managers: Bill Ruark, New England; Phil Stewart, Midwest and MINK states; Bob George, Mid-Atlantic states; Joseph Novosel, TOLA; and Steven Zlotnick, Southeast.

Kenro Industries Inc., Mineola, N.Y., the exclusive U.S. importer of Italy’s Aurora line and Japan’s Platinum line of fine writing instruments has added to its sales staff. Mark Schatten, former sales representative for Mont Blanc North America, is manager of national sales. Four new manufacturer representatives will sell the pen lines: Lee Cole, Arizona and Las Vegas; Ron Dall, Florida; Scott Love, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee; and Mike Prime; Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. To further penetrate the corporate premium and incentive market, Kenro named Hoffman & Edgette, Purchase, N.Y., as its premium sales representative.

Lew Latas, manager of the Kings Jewelry branch in New Kensington, Pa., retired after 48 years of service. Latas began his jewelry career at Crown Jewelers in New Kensington in 1948. King bought Crown in 1960.

Jewelry designer Sidney Mobell has joined Shreve & Co., San Francisco, Cal., where he sees customers on an appointment basis. Mobell brought with him to Shreve his collection of fine watches, copyright diamond hour glass jewelry and complete jeweled art collection, including the $2 million monopoly set commissioned by Parker Bros. for the World Monopoly Tournament in London, jeweled (golden throne) toilet seat, million dollar chess set, jeweled AT&T fax machine, gold mousetrap, gold sardine can, jeweled gumball machine, platinum and gold backgammon set, gold and diamond domino set and many other objects.They are on exhibit and offered for sale at the San Francisco store.

Howard Kelrick was named president of Finger Mate Inc., Hallandale, Fla., a manufacturer and installer of expandable ring shanks. He succeeds his father, Joseph Kelrick, the company’s founder. Howard Kelrick has been with the company for 20 years and has also held senior positions at two other jewelry industry companies.

Gerald Batt, formerly president of Omega Watch Corp., is now senior vice president of sales for Concord at North American Watch Corp., Lyndhurst, N.J. He succeeds Stuart Sklar, who now is vice president of sales for the company’s Esquire brand.

AWARDS

Francis H. Curren Jr., chairman of Pease & Curren Inc., Warwick R.I., was honored with the 1996 International Precious Metals Institute’s Distinguished Achievement Award at the 20th International Precious Metals Conference June 16-19 in Newport Beach, Cal. Curren is the author of numerous papers, including “Refining Do’s & Don’ts,” “Precious Metals from the Refiners’ Point of View,” “Solution Sampling: Pitfalls to Avoid” and “In-house Refining: Pros and Cons.” He is a board member of the Jewelers Board of Trade and the International Precious Metals Institute. He also is a member of the Manufacturing Jewelers and Silversmiths of America Hall of Fame.

The Jewelry Division of the American Jewish Committee will present its 1996 Human Relations Award to Robert W. Bridel, president and chief executive officer of Barry’s Jewelers, at an awards dinner Sept. 17 in the Grand Hyatt Hotel, NewYork, N.Y. Bridel was selected for his leadership in the jewelry industry and his commitment to philanthropic causes.

Thomas A. Tanury, chairman of Tanury Industries, a decorative metal finisher in Lincoln, R.I., was named Rhode Island’s Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Tanury was selected from over 150 candidates who were judged on six criteria: staying power, growth in number of employees, increased sales, improvement in financial position, contributions to the community, and facing and overcoming adversity.

The American ORT will present Helene Fortunoff with the ORTJewelryIndustry Achievement Award Oct. 15. Fortunoff will be honored as an international industry leader, designer and philanthropist.

Ann M. Meyer, president of Mike Mendelson & Associates Inc., Los Angeles, Cal., was elected to membership in The Committee of 200, founded in 1982 as a professional organization of preeminent businesswomen who demonstrate the spirit of entrepreneurship and business leadership. A second generation jeweler, Meyer became president of Mike Mendelson and Associates Inc. in 1986.

OBITUARIES

Mary Anne Sipe, 82, of Indianapolis, Ind., a jeweler for 45 years with J.C. Sipe Inc., died June 8.

Morton L. Shearer, owner and operator of Shearer the Jeweler in Easton, Md., for 43 years, died June 13. The company is now owned by and operated by Steve Shearer.

Harry DeRoy, 82, a retired jeweler formerly of McKeesport, Pa., died June 19 in New Orleans, La. He began his career as a watchmaker in New Jersey and later owned Kroll Jewelers in East Orange, N.J., then moved to DeRoyJewelers in 1954.

Saul Bell, 96, of Albuquerque, N.M., founder of the Rio Grande distribution companies, died June 10. Rio Grande Wholesale Jewelers was founded around 1947 in Albuquerque to serve local silversmiths. Now, Rio Grande encompasses several distribution companies under the name The Bell Group. In addition to Rio Grande, the company includes Academy Corp., specializing in silver recovery equipment and precious metal refining; Neutec/USA, producers of induction casting equipment; and Princeton Manufacturing, a research and development department.

Vincent “Vince” Lee Correll, 38, president and founder of Adamas Diamond Corp., died July 1. A strong supporter of the church and community, Correll served on the board of directors of the Galilean Home, the Martin Evangelistic Association of Lancaster, Pa., and the River Foundation. He also was the 21-year owner of Lovemore Jewelers and owner and board member of First Southern National Bank.