Chris Blakeslee has experience at Athleta and Alo Yoga. Kendra Scott will remain on board as executive chair and chief visionary officer.
American Gem Society Launches Mentoring Program
The AGS’s new program will pair experienced member jewelers with those looking to build their professional network and define career goals.

Las Vegas--The American Gem Society just announced the creation of a mentorship program that will pair experienced AGS jewelers with those looking for some guidance.
The AGS said that the program will provide longstanding members with a chance to give back, while giving those who are being mentored the opportunity to build their professional network, define career goals and learn how to overcome obstacles in achieving those goals.
The organization has created resources to guide participants through the process, and said that mentors will be selected based on their ability to match with a mentee looking to acquire a particular skill or aptitude.
No mentors have been named at this time.
AGS members who want to learn more about the program or who want to apply to be either a mentor or a mentee should visit AmericanGemSociety.com/MentorProgram.
Space initially will be limited to 10 mentors, though the AGS said it plans to expand it over time.
Longtime jeweler Georgie Gleim, who is senior adviser to the AGS board of directors, called the mentors the “connecting thread” between the leaders who built the U.S. jewelry industry, people like AGS founder Robert M. Shipley and gemologist Robert Crowninshield, and its future leaders.
“The AGS Mentoring program can make a real difference to our industry,” she said. “The launch of the Young Titleholders program, back in the 1980s, fostered a new generation of industry leaders who are now continuing the important work of passing on the wisdom they received.”
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