NORTH SHORE MAGAZINE FEATURES JEWELERS
Jewelers Milton and Dorothy Perlman are among four couples profiled in a story on teamwork in the October 1995 issue of North Shore, a magazine serving Chicago’s north and northwest suburbs.
The article discusses how couples work together to reach a common goal. The Perlmans opened a jewelry store in Elgin, a northwest suburb, in 1960. Milt was concerned about the $10,000 they had to borrow, but Dorothy encouraged him to go ahead. They divided the responsibilities. He attended to sales and service because of his gemological and watchmaking background. She concentrated on buying, public relations, displays and marketing because of her family’s fashion background as a furrier for noted design houses in New York City.
In 1980, the Perlmans opened additional stores in two local shopping malls. They closed the original Elgin store in 1986 after the downtown lost its hold as a shopping attraction and closed the St. Charles mall store in 1992. The remaining Spring Hill mall store is 5,000 sq. ft. and features Rolex, Rado and Tag Heuer watches, as well as Lalique crystal, Lladr- porcelain, Lenox china and Wallace silver.
The Perlmans also own a diamond cutting business with a patented cutting process that gives each stone 144 facets. The oldest son, David, is chief executive of the cutting business. A younger son, Corey, owns the newest Perlman’s Jewelry store, located in Scottsdale, Ariz.
The Perlmans are also active in civic groups and charitable organizations.
They say they’ve had ups and downs, but consider themselves examples of the American Dream. “We’ve been very lucky,” they told the magazine. “The business has been successful. Young couples who came to us years ago for their wedding bands and engagement rings are now sending their children and grandchildren to us. We still have the same friends in the community we’ve had for years. And our family is close. That’s the most important of all.”
APPOINTMENTS
Arthur Klein joined OTC International, New York, N.Y., as director of marketing. OTC International owns A Touch of Class, OTC Gold, OTC Silver and Alpine Timepieces (Franchi Menotti). Klein previously served as director of special projects at A.B. Kohler & Co. and director of advertising at Tourneau Inc.
David H. Fell & Co., City of Commerce, Cal., appointed Ruth Fell Failer vice president of marketing. DHF & Co. specializes in two-day express refining and manufactures a variety of precious metal products.
Michael Anthony Jewelers Inc. named Steve Feldman vice president of sales and marketing. Feldman has more than 14 years of experience in the jewelry industry, previously serving as vice president of sales and marketing at Chatham Created Gems, vice president of sales and marketing at Rocket Jewelry Box Co. and associate publisher of National Jeweler magazine.
The Mason Box Co., North Attleboro, Mass., named Kent Economon as account executive for Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona and Nevada. He previously held positions with Bufkor and Chippenhook.
Ann Favell was named Western field sales director of Cartier’s commercial division. She previously was a divisional merchandise manager of gold jewelry, giftware and watches at Zale Corp.
Joseph M. Menzie Inc., an international loose colored stone dealer, hired Richard Romano as Northeast sales manager. He previously worked for Bailey Banks & Biddle and Long’s Jewelers, both in Boston, Mass., and for Finlay Corp. in Peabody, Mass.
Frank Dallahan has returned to Krementz & Co. as executive vice president of marketing and sales. Dallahan most recently worked at William Schneider Inc., but he previously held executive positions at QVC, Krementz and ArtCarved.
Suberi Bros., manufacturer of fine diamond jewelry and distributor of The Royal Cuts¨ and Flower Cuts, appointed Denise P. Huntzinger director of marketing and director of sales for the West Coast. She will perform the same duties for the company’s Suma and Glenn Roberts divisions.
AWARDS
Harrell Barrington of Burlington, N.C., and Bobby Tucker of Winchester, Va., were inducted into Carlyle & Co. Jewelers’ Hall of Fame at company headquarters in Greensboro, N.C. Barrington and Tucker are district managers. The company also recognized the following store managers for exceptional results in the previous fiscal year: Larry King, Henderson, N.C.; Michelle Kloss, Monroe, N.C.; Tom Staton, Cary, N.C.; Marvin Owens, Martinsburg, W.Va.; Sam Spaulding, Fayetteville, N.C.; Clay Pernell, Cary, N.C.; Mike Robinson, Elizabeth City, N.C.; Doug Binkley, Knoxville, Tenn.; and Barbara White, Newark, Del.
Reynald M. Swift, president of Wittnauer International, New Rochelle, N.Y., presented a service award to Gregory M. Delgado in honor of his 40 years with the company. Other top winners were Carrie L. Davis, industrial sales, for 35 years of service, and William M. Plank, purchasing, 30 years.
‘PRECIOUS’ STONE DEALER DIES
Precious, the jewelry industry’s only known traveling rodent, died in the fall.
The Norwegian Hooded Rex rat traveled with Bear and Cara Williams of Jefferson City, Mo., who are stone dealers and sales representatives for D. Paglia & Son. She had her own “sales representative” business card from D. Paglia and reportedly had “met” such industry notables as Owen Bordelon, president of the American Gem Trade Association; Tom Chatham of Chatham Created Gems, San Francisco, Cal.; Gary Gordon of Samuel Gordon Jewelers in Oklahoma City, Okla.; and Susan Jacques, president of Borsheim’s, Omaha, Neb.
Precious also reportedly helped jewelers to build colored gem sales, usually by startling customers into buying.
OBITUARIES
Armand L. Bozant, 86, a retired watchmaker and jeweler, died Oct. 10 in Terry, Miss. Bozant retired in 1990 from Schom Jewelers, Greenville, Miss.
Phillip Colaprete, a master craftsman and founder of Phillip’s Jewelers in St. Marys, Pa., died Oct. 16.
Sadie Elizabeth Duren, 99, of Lawrenceville, Ga., died Oct. 13. She and her late husband, Lorenzo M. Duren, ran Duren Morgan Jewelry Co. and L.M. Duren Jewelry Co.
Edward H. Gagen, 84, died Oct. 17 in Clearwater, Fla. Gagen owned and operated Gagen Homes, a construction company in New Port Richey, Fla., and previously owned C.F. Geer & Co. jewelry stores in Indianapolis, Ind.
Granville E. Gowan, 83, a retired jeweler and watchmaker, died Nov. 5 in Jackson, Tenn.
Joseph M. Mantwill, 80, of Jupiter, Fla., died recently. He had owned Mantwill Jewelers in Jupiter.
Jonathan David Perelman, 42, of New Castle, Pa., died Oct. 25. He was vice president of King’s Jewelry, a 32-store chain founded in 1917 by his grandfather, Jacob F. Perelman. In addition to his business success, Perelman was a board member of the United Way of Lawrence County, a past chairman of the New Castle Downtown Business Association, a past chairman of the United Jewish Appeal and a member of the New Castle Rotary Club, New Castle Lodge 642, Pittsburgh Chapter of the New Castle Consistory of the Syria Shrine and the Polish Falcons. He is survived by his wife, Suzanne; two children, David and Jennifer; and two brothers, Dale and Michael.
Eillis Lanell Wales, 86, of Phoenix, Ariz., a jewelry-store owner, died Oct. 14.