JBT Re-Elects Richard Katz as Board Chairman
As for new members, the organization welcomed Jewelers of America’s Annie Doresca and Parag Jain of Parag Diamonds.

Richard Katz, chief operating officer of Richline Group, once again was appointed chairman of the board, and will serve another one-year term.
Katz has volunteered on the board since 2008, bringing his experience in finance, operations, and leadership to the role.
“I'm honored to be elected for another one-year term as chairman of JBT. It is with pleasure to serve with some of the most dedicated individuals in the industry,” said Katz.
“Richard continues to bring great perspective to JBT’s strategies and operations,” said JBT President Erich Jacobs, who was also re-elected to his role as well as the role of treasurer.
The board also elected the following officers and directors to serve a one-year term.
Brian D. Fleming of Carla Corporation will serve as first vice-chairman while Jeffery Corey of H.E. Murdock Company Inc. (Day’s Jewelers) will be second vice-chairman.
Brenda M. Pimetal will continue to serve as secretary.
As for new members, the board elected Annie Doresca, chief financial officer of Jewelers of America, to join its ranks for a two-year term.
Doresca joined JA in 2008, and, prior to that, worked for several financial companies. She is also the co-founder and board president of the Black in Jewelry Coalition.
Also new to the board is Parag Jain of Parag Diamonds, who will serve a one-year term.
Jain has served as CEO of Paramount Gems since 2015. He also co-owns Paragems in Canada and Perfect Diamond Pvt. Ltd. in India, also serving as a board member for Fire & Ice Diamonds and A. Jaffe.
The following members were re-elected to the board for a two-year term.
• Matthijs Braakman, Retail Management Publishing Inc.
• Jeffery Corey, H. E. Murdock Company Inc.
• Brian D. Fleming, Carla Corporation
• Richard Katz, Richline Group
• Bryon Nelson, Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company
• Pinny Rubin, Quality Gold Inc.
The following board members will continue to serve their existing terms.
• Ann S. Arnold, Buyers International Group
• Ira Bergman, The Gordon Company
• Edward N. DeCristofaro, LDC Inc.
• Teresa Frye, Techform Advanced Casting Tech. LLC
• Roger H. Gesswein III, Paul H. Gesswein & Co.
• Keven Peck, Color Merchants Inc.
• Andrew Rickard, Rochester Diamonds and Gold Inc.
The Jewelers Board of Trade is a not-for-profit organization that provides credit reporting and collections services.
The Latest

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.


National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

The winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

The singer’s ring ticks off many bridal trends, with a thick band, half-bezel setting, and solitaire diamond.

The bracelet references vintage high jewelry and snake symbolism as a playful piece where a python’s head becomes a working belt buckle.

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

The 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.

The Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.

The historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.

To mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.

The gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.

Founder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.

If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.

The top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.

Luca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.

Following visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.

The “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.

The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.

The New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.