Meet JA’s Inaugural Jewelry Retail ‘20 Under 40’
It’s a who’s who of top retail talents nationwide.

The trade organization has announced its inaugural “20 Under 40 in Jewelry Retail List.” It recognizes professionals who exemplify leadership and a commitment to elevating jewelry retail for consumers, JA said.
Retail members of the organization could nominate themselves or others for the list. A panel of industry judges selected the 20 honorees from the nationwide applications.
They chose individuals who exemplify the ability to lead, innovate, and improve a jewelry store’s success.
All employees of Jewelers of America Member retail stores, their roles range from top executives and managers to designers, marketers, and bench jewelers.
JA President and CEO David Bonaparte said: “Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 in Jewelry Retail List was designed to recognize young and talented individuals in all facets of the retail jewelry industry. These recipients will pave the way for a brighter future and the next generation of jewelry industry professionals.”
The 20 Under 40 in Jewelry Retail List honorees for 2022 are:
• Wes Anderson, Co-owner, Manager and Designer of T.K. Anderson Designs, Athens, Georgia
• Erin Bacher, Store Manager of J. Bacher Fine Jewelry, Harrisburg, IL
• Chad Berg, Co-Owner and Co-President of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Stephanie Binder, Founder and CEO of Boston Diamond Company, Boston, Massachusetts
• Christian Bolling, Jewelry Designer of Christian Stone and Jeffery B. Jewelers, Denver, Colorado
• Andy Brabec, Director of Marketing and E-commerce of Borsheims, Omaha, Nebraska
• Lisa Bridge, President and CEO of Ben Bridge Jeweler, Seattle, Washington
• Amanda Coleman-Phelps, Presidentand Owner of Nelson Coleman Jewelers & Jewelry By Designs, Towson, Maryland
• Joseph Corey, President of Day’s Jewelers, Waterville, Maine
• Isabelle Corvin, Staff Gemologist and Merchandising Manager of Panowicz Jewelers, Olympia, Washington
• Katherine Dahlkemper, Assistant Manager of Dahlkemper’s Jewelry Connection, Erie, Pennsylvania
• Jordan Dubin, Co-Owner of Dubin's Fine Jewelry, Houston, TX
• Jessica Gylsen, Store Manager and Diamond Department Manager of Wixon Jewelers, Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Alexandra Hevia Schlindwein, Marketing Director of Kiefer Jewelers, Lutz, Florida
• Trisha Kennedy-Thompson, Co-Owner of Kennedy’s Jewelers, Blue Springs, Missouri
• Valerie Madison, Owner and Creative Director of Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry, Seattle, Washington
• Alexis Padis, President of Padis Jewelry, San Francisco, California
• Constance Polamalu, COO of Zachary's Jewelers, Annapolis, Maryland
• Lauren Priori, Owner of L. Priori Jewelry, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Andrew Siegel, COO of Hamilton Jewelers, Princeton, New Jersey
More information on the list is available on the JA website.
The Latest

The industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.

Founder Vik Westermann said the app is a “starting point” to inspire people to work with appraisers and gem labs, not replace them.

The Verdura brooch, which belonged to the late Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, was sold to a private collector in Asia.

Submit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.

Steven Lerche is now beginning his term as the youngest member to become president of The Plumb Club’s elected executive committee.


Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.

The jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.

Retailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.

The new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.

Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.

One is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.

In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.

9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.

The jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.

Marquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.

The inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.

The family-owned jeweler will open a new showroom in Bel Air, Maryland, this fall.

Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.

The reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.

Sponsored by American Gem Trade Association

In the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.

The 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.

The expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.

The lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.

The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.

Two suspects offered to trade the woman a “winning” lottery ticket for her jewelry.
























