MajorsJan 29, 2024
PGI Announces Business Development Grant RecipientsMajorsJan 30, 2024
6 Retailers Chosen for New JA, BIJC Business Program
The Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program is designed to give new retailers the knowledge needed to build and maintain their businesses.
Editor’s note: This story was updated post-publication to correct the name of Valerie Madison’s store. It is Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry, not Madison Jewelers, as previously reported.
New York—The Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) and Jewelers of America have selected the retailers who will comprise the first class of participants in their new, jointly developed program for up-and-coming jewelers.
Created last year, the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator program, or EJAP, is a series of interactive workshops designed to provide selected new retail jewelry entrepreneurs with a deeper understanding of how to build and maintain a successful business in the jewelry industry.
There are six retailers from five different jewelry companies in the first EJAP cohort.
They are: Patricia Carruth, Your Personal Jeweler, Royal Oak, Michigan; Cloyette Harris-Stoute, Twin Elegance Jewelry, St. Albans, New York; Soojin Kim, Suu Atelier, Los Angeles; Madeline and Karen Ormaza, Armonia Jewelry, Lawrence, Massachusetts; and Ashley Perryman, Jewelry Lady, Indianapolis.
The eight-month EJAP program, which is supported by the JCK Industry Fund, will kick off in February with interactive workshops.
The workshops will cover key business topics and be taught by the following subject matter experts:
— Business strategy: Valerie Madison, owner, creative director, and designer at Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry;
— Accounting: Mariel Diaz, founder and director at Accounting for Jewelers LLC;
— HR/Operations: Annie Doresca, chief financial officer at JA, and Lisa Jones, vice president of human resources at the Gemological Institute of America;
— Legal: Cecilia Gardner, attorney at Cecilia L. Gardner, Esq.;
— Product Development/Jewelry Forensics: Emily Phillippy, owner and founder of Emily Chelsea Jewelry Inc., and Adrianne Sanogo, GIA GG and a co-founding board member and education chair at BIJC;
— Ethical Sourcing: Christine Malle, owner of Christina Malle Designs;
— Sales: Manos Phoundoulakis, co-founder and director of happiness at Select Source Inc.;
— Marketing: Deanna Thornton, founder of Thornton Digital Consulting LLC;
— Security: John Kennedy, Jewelers’ Security Alliance president; and
— Insurance: Tina Olm, vice president of shipping solutions at Jewelers Mutual Group.
Related stories will be right here …
New York—The Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) and Jewelers of America have selected the retailers who will comprise the first class of participants in their new, jointly developed program for up-and-coming jewelers.
Created last year, the Emerging Jewelers Accelerator program, or EJAP, is a series of interactive workshops designed to provide selected new retail jewelry entrepreneurs with a deeper understanding of how to build and maintain a successful business in the jewelry industry.
There are six retailers from five different jewelry companies in the first EJAP cohort.
They are: Patricia Carruth, Your Personal Jeweler, Royal Oak, Michigan; Cloyette Harris-Stoute, Twin Elegance Jewelry, St. Albans, New York; Soojin Kim, Suu Atelier, Los Angeles; Madeline and Karen Ormaza, Armonia Jewelry, Lawrence, Massachusetts; and Ashley Perryman, Jewelry Lady, Indianapolis.
The eight-month EJAP program, which is supported by the JCK Industry Fund, will kick off in February with interactive workshops.
The workshops will cover key business topics and be taught by the following subject matter experts:
— Business strategy: Valerie Madison, owner, creative director, and designer at Valerie Madison Fine Jewelry;
— Accounting: Mariel Diaz, founder and director at Accounting for Jewelers LLC;
— HR/Operations: Annie Doresca, chief financial officer at JA, and Lisa Jones, vice president of human resources at the Gemological Institute of America;
— Legal: Cecilia Gardner, attorney at Cecilia L. Gardner, Esq.;
— Product Development/Jewelry Forensics: Emily Phillippy, owner and founder of Emily Chelsea Jewelry Inc., and Adrianne Sanogo, GIA GG and a co-founding board member and education chair at BIJC;
— Ethical Sourcing: Christine Malle, owner of Christina Malle Designs;
— Sales: Manos Phoundoulakis, co-founder and director of happiness at Select Source Inc.;
— Marketing: Deanna Thornton, founder of Thornton Digital Consulting LLC;
— Security: John Kennedy, Jewelers’ Security Alliance president; and
— Insurance: Tina Olm, vice president of shipping solutions at Jewelers Mutual Group.
“BIJC and Jewelers of America are excited to welcome this first cohort of our Emerging Jewelers Accelerator Program,” said jewelry designer Malyia McNaughton, who took over as BIJC president this year.
“These jewelers have tremendous business acumen, and we know that they will come away with even deeper knowledge in the jewelry industry, which will result in businesses that will be successful for years and years to come.”
After the workshops are complete, participants will provide a presentation encapsulating the program’s content and how they will use it for their businesses.
One of the participants will be eligible to receive a $5,000 grant. The remaining four jewelry businesses will be awarded $1,250 each.
Following the completion of the EJAP program, the cohort will continue to have access to periodic check-in calls, quarterly workshops, and invitations to industry events.
More information on the EJAP can be found on the BIJC website as well as on the JA website.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Majors
The Latest
TrendsSep 23, 2026
Holiday Diamond Jewelry Trends: Layered Looks, PersonalizationThis holiday season, look to pieces that will help to fill out customers’ everyday diamond jewelry wardrobe, experts say.
SourcingSep 23, 2026
Organization That Promotes Natural Diamond Rebrands for Third Time The Natural Diamond Council is now The Diamond Collective and has announced a new strategy under CEO Amber Pepper.
IndependentsSep 23, 2026
This Milwaukee-Area Jeweler Is Serving the 7CsPaul’s Jewelers sells coffee, chocolate, and cookies from a custom gold-wrapped trailer parked outside the store starting at 7 a.m.
Brought to you by
Meet Gemology’s Next Generation Microscope: GIA® Gemolite® NXT Professional EditionExperience gemstones with greater precision and comfort than ever before.
Events & AwardsSep 23, 2026
Tiffany & Co. Exhibition Opening at Arkansas Museum The curation, opening soon at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, honors the jeweler’s heritage through a distinctly American lens.
Weekly QuizSep 17, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsSep 23, 2026
Pucker Up for Pandora’s New Pat McGrath Jewelry CollabThe jewelry giant has partnered with the famed makeup artist to create a colorful new collection of charms and rings.
IndependentsSep 23, 2026
Texas Jewelers Association to Celebrate 120th AnniversaryThe association will mark the milestone at its convention next month.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
IndependentsSep 23, 2026
Sissy’s Log Cabin’s ‘Back to School and Bling’ Event ReturnsThe jeweler donated school supplies to Memphis, Tennessee, students during the event combining basketball and mentorship.
ColumnistsSep 22, 2026
Peter Smith: Our Struggle With Emotional SellingPeople aren’t thinking rationally when they are buying luxury products, and we shouldn’t be selling them that way, Peter Smith writes.
IndependentsSep 22, 2026
Constance Polamalu Named to '40 Under 40' ListThe Baltimore Business Journal recognized the entrepreneur for her leadership in business and the jewelry industry.
GradingSep 22, 2026
GCAL by Sarine Opens New Lab in MumbaiThe facility is located within SEEPZ and is GCAL by Sarine’s second location in India, joining its existing grading lab in Surat.
Events & AwardsSep 22, 2026
NYCJAOS Returns for Autumn EditionThe four-day show is slated for Nov. 19-22 at the Metropolitan Pavilion in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood.
AuctionsSep 21, 2026
Ultra-Rare Cartier Cheich Watch Sells for $3.4M Offered at Sotheby’s Hong Kong, the one-of-a-kind white gold watch now holds the title of most valuable Cartier wristwatch sold at auction.
MajorsSep 21, 2026
Longtime Industry Executive Pamela Bernstein-Gulla to RetireBernstein-Gulla has been working in the jewelry industry for 40 years, most recently as chief engagement officer for Hill & Co.
IndependentsSep 21, 2026
Bhindi Jewelers Moves Into New, Larger California StoreThe relocated Glendale store, now at The Americana at Brand, was designed to be a contemporary “timepiece haven” inspired by luxury resorts.
AuctionsSep 18, 2026
7.52-Carat Unheated Paraíba Tourmaline Sells for $1.3M at Sotheby’s The top lot of the auction house’s Hong Kong jewelry sale was an Art Deco Mauboussin necklace with ruby beads, which sold for $2 million.
Policies & IssuesSep 18, 2026
Tariffs, Retail Crime Top of Mind at JA’s Annual Fly-In Retailers and manufacturers headed to the Capitol this week to discuss tariff exemptions for diamonds and gemstones, among other issues.
CollectionsSep 18, 2026
Nanis Transforms Its ‘Boule’ Into a Mirror Our Piece of the Week is a pair of drop earrings from the “Sway” collection featuring Nanis’ first use of mirror-polished gold.
GradingSep 18, 2026
De Beers Introduces Faster Version of Diamond Screening Machine SynthDetect 2 can scan a full tray in less than five minutes, De Beers said, making it six times faster than its predecessors.
AuctionsSep 18, 2026
Noonans To Auction Medieval Gold Seal Ring Recovered By 2 FriendsTwo metal detectorists discovered the ring, which may have belonged to English noblewoman Matilda of Lancaster, in Suffolk.
Policies & IssuesSep 17, 2026
Tariffs on India Could Increase as Russian Sanctions Bill Heads to Trump’s DeskThe bill has a provision that allows the president to raise tariffs on countries that import Russian oil and gas to as much as 100 percent.
Events & AwardsSep 17, 2026
This Is the Winner of the 2026 Robert M. Shipley AwardThe American Gem Society presented the annual award to a former president of its board.
CollectionsSep 17, 2026
Cynthia Erivo, Zoë Chicco’s Jewelry Collab Is an Ode to TransformationThe “Chrysalis” capsule centers butterfly motifs representing growth, transformation, and the unfolding of who you are.
Events & AwardsSep 17, 2026
Louisiana Retailer Kevin Patton Wins Lifetime Achievement AwardJewelers of Louisiana presented Patton, the third-generation president of Pattons Fine Jewelry, with the award at its annual convention.
PodcastsSep 16, 2026
Episode 9: Remembering Cindy EdelsteinTwo special guests join the podcast to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the designer advocate, mentor, and author’s untimely passing.
CollectionsSep 16, 2026
Jessica McCormack, L’Objet Collab on Homewares CollectionMcCormack brings sea-inspired motifs from her “Beaches” collection to L’Objet’s tableware, vanity pieces, and first-ever cutlery set.
