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.
More on Majors
The Latest
Events & AwardsMay 22, 2026
Instore Buys JA New York ShowThe deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.
FinancialsMay 22, 2026
Richemont’s Jewelry Brands Lead the Charge in Q4The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.
CollectionsMay 22, 2026
Leigh Maxwell Celebrates 5 Years at Couture With ‘Bauble’ CollectionThe “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.
Brought to you by
All Eyes on Gold Prices. Alternatives to Look For. And What to BEWARE of in VegasAs gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.
PodcastsMay 21, 2026
Episode 5: Sotheby’s Frank Everett Puts the Auction Market in PerspectiveEverett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.
Weekly QuizMay 21, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
IndependentsMay 21, 2026
Springer’s Jewelers’ New Flagship Will Serve Next-Gen Luxury ShoppersFourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.
Events & AwardsMay 21, 2026
JA Announces Nina Pugliese Memorial ScholarshipThe new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.
Brought to you by
How Modern Training Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage for Jewelry RetailersWith the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.
SourcingMay 21, 2026
Botswana, Angola Join WFDBThe addition of the diamond-producing countries as nation affiliated members broadens the federation’s global representation, WFDB said.
CrimeMay 20, 2026
NYPD Warns of Jewelry Swap Scams Targeting SeniorsThe NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.
IndependentsMay 20, 2026
Adornment & Theory’s New Store Feels Like Home Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.
Events & AwardsMay 20, 2026
Here Is Couture’s 2026 Education Lineup The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.
Lab-GrownMay 20, 2026
Savannah Friedkin Jewelry Names New CEOFormer Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.
WatchesMay 19, 2026
Here’s the AP x Swatch Pocket Watch That Caused PandemoniumThe $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.
CollectionsMay 19, 2026
Chris Ploof’s New Collection Makes an Ancient Metal ModernWith gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.
IndependentsMay 19, 2026
Ellen and Michael Fruchtman Retire, Sell Marketing Agency Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.
ColumnistsMay 19, 2026
Peter Smith: The (Mostly) Immutable Sales TruthsIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.
ColumnistsMay 18, 2026
Edahn Golan: What a K-Shaped Economy Means for Fine JewelryIn a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Foundrae’s New Collection Taps Into JoyThe “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.
CollectionsMay 18, 2026
Hancocks London Acquires Historic ‘Inchiquin’ EmeraldThe jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.
Events & AwardsMay 18, 2026
Here Are the 2026 JCK Industry Fund Grant Recipients This is what the nine recipients plan to do with the funds.
AuctionsMay 15, 2026
American Collector Ponies Up Almost $17K for John Wayne’s RingThe Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.
Events & AwardsMay 15, 2026
JA, MJSA To Sponsor Roundtable at TJSThe discussion, "Rebuilding the Jewelry Workforce," will take place on Saturday, May 16, in Troy, Michigan.
SourcingMay 15, 2026
State of Diamonds: The Way Forward for Natural DiamondsThe jewelry industry is reassessing its positioning as Gen Z reshapes the retail landscape and lab grown continues to gain market share.
AuctionsMay 14, 2026
White Diamonds Lead Sotheby’s Auction, Blue Diamond Does Not SellA matching pair of 18.38-carat, D-color diamonds from Botswana’s Jwaneng mine sold for $3.3 million, the top lot of the jewelry auction.
Supplier BulletinMay 14, 2026
A Diamond Is Forever Continues Desert Diamonds – Bridal ReinvigoratedSponsored by A Diamond Is Forever
SourcingMay 14, 2026
State of Colored Stones: The Spirit of Young American Gemstone CuttersThe next generation of lapidarists are entrepreneurial, engaged online, and see the craft as a means for artistic expression.
