Symposium ’24 Announces Speaker Lineup
It’s a “who’s who” of the business, marketing, and jewelry world, said the event.
![Symposium ’24, the upcoming two-day learning forum for retailers, has announced the list of speakers and sessions at its event next month. Symposium logo](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/f930e338a961bc0bd8519b89772baec5.jpg)
The two-day educational event for retailers, presented by The Plumb Club in partnership with JCK, with Jewelers Mutual as the founding sponsor, will be held in an event space on the corner of Madison Avenue and 45th Street in Midtown Manhattan from March 10-11.
Lori Greiner of ABC’s “Shark Tank” will kick off the event with a keynote address on Sunday, and Robert “Cujo” Teschner, the award-winning United States Air Force fighter pilot, bestselling author, and former instructor in the Air Force “Top Gun” Program, will deliver the keynote address on Monday.
Following the keynote address, eventgoers will attend learning tracks of their choice.
Speakers will offer insights and tips for retailers through learning seminars and case studies across the business, marketing and products, and trends categories.
Attendees can pre-register for a variety of sessions, allowing them to curate a custom curriculum for each day.
The speakers list and topics is like a “who’s who” of the business, marketing, and jewelry world, organizers said.
Here is the lineup:
Raphael Carty is an adjunct professor at NYU Stern Business School, a former Harvard marketing professor, and an advisor in the areas of branding, strategy marketing, positioning, digital transformation, product management, applying AI, product-market fit, and demand generation.
Carty will lead a two-session case study titled “Branding, Innovation and Growth in a Changing Industry.”
Frank Cespedes is a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and faculty chair of the Aligning Strategy and Sales program. He has authored six books.
Cespedes will conduct a two-session case study titled, “Business Development in a World That Never Stops Changing.”
Krystle Craycraft is the senior vice president of marketing and digital for Jewelers Mutual.
Craycraft’s learning session is titled, “Insights Unleashed: Navigating the Retail Revolution.”
David Edelman is a senior lecturer in marketing at Harvard Business School, as well as an advisor on the following topics: AI, digitization, organization, and operations. He has been named by Forbes as one of the most “influential CMO’s in the world.”
Edelman will lead the learning session, “Consumer Strategy in the Age of AI.”
Pia Heidenmark Cook is a senior environmental, social, and governance, and sustainability leader. She is the former chief sustainability officer at IKEA.
Heidenmark Cook’s learning session is titled, “Sustainability: A Golden Opportunity – Learnings from European Retailers.”
Melanie Grant, executive director at Responsible Jewelry Council, and Tiffany Stevens, CEO & general counsel for Jewelers Vigilance Committee, will hold the learning seminar, “What Responsibility Means Right Now.”
Aliza Licht is the founder of a multimedia brand and consultancy Leave Your Mark. She is a brand marketer, and an expert in social media and personal branding. She has authored the following books: “Leave Your Mark; Land Your Dream Job,” “Kill it in Your Career. Rock Social Media,” and “On Brand; Shape Your Narrative. Share Your Vision. Shift Their Perception.”
Licht will conduct the learning seminar, “No One is Thinking About Your Brand. Here’s How to Get Them To.”
Zach Lipsky, president of software company Boss Logics, and Michael Schechter, the company’s vice president of omnichannel strategy and innovation will deliver a conversation moderated by Jen Cullen Williams of JCW Communications, “Between Two Nerds: Setting Jewelers Up for Digital Success.”
Kelly McDonald is a marketing and advertising specialist and the founder of McDonald Marketing, which was twice named a “top agency” by Advertising Age. She is an expert in the areas of consumer trends, generational differences, and customer experience.
McDonald’s learning session will be, “Deliver a Better Experience, For Every Kind of Customer.”
Ivette Nersesyan-Stephanopoulos, vice president code of origin and trade services North America for De Beers Group, will hold the session, “Addressing Important Contextual Shifts in Selling Diamonds.”
Benny Oeyen, executive head of marketing development for Anglo American, will lead the learning session, “Unlocking Platinum’s Competitive Edge for Your Business.”
Kathy Lee, editor-in-chief of The Zoe Report, and Severine Ferrari, editor-in-chief of Engagement 101, will sit on a panel moderated by Michelle Orman, president of Last Word Communications, titled “Trendsetters Talk: The Importance of Ever-Evolving Metal Trends in Fine Jewelry.”
Robert “Cujo” Teschner is an award-winning fighter pilot and colonel, and former US Air Force expert of post-mission debriefing. He is also the best-selling author of “Debrief to Win” and “Building Resilience.”
Along with delivering the keynote address, he will also lead a learning session, “Debrief to Win Workshop.”
Paco Underhill, an environmental psychologist who is the founder of research consultancy Envirosell, and the NY Times bestselling author of “Why We Buy” and “Call of the Mall,” will deliver two learning seminars— “Shopping in a PostPan World: A Hard Look at the Impact of COVID on Consumer Culture” and “Adornment and Evolution of the Jewelry Customer: A Summary of Findings from Prototype Jewelry Stores.”
Full descriptions of each seminar are available on the Symposium ’24 page of The Plumb Club website.
Event organizers noted that speakers and topics may be subject to change.
Each day will begin with breakfast and end with a cocktail reception for networking.
Lunches will be provided, and refreshments served throughout the day.
Symposium ’24 is happening amid several other annual events that typically draw the jewelry industry to New York City, including the JA New York Spring Show (March 10-12), the Jewelers Vigilance Committee’s annual luncheon and the Gem Awards (both March 8), as well as the annual luncheon of the Jewelers’ Security Alliance and the 24 Karat Club of New York’s gala (both March 9).
The event requires an invitation to attend.
The Plumb Club said the majority of invitations have been sent and seats are becoming limited.
Retailers wishing to put in a request for consideration should email info@plumbclub.com
The Latest
![Direct-to-consumer retail brand Diamonds Direct has opened a store in the Atlanta neighborhood of Buckhead, an area known for its upscale malls. Diamonds Direct Atlanta store](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/2e6577afc9470ba1c1de327fad397366.jpg)
It’s the Signet-owned banner’s first location in Georgia.
![These “Double Loop” earrings feature a drop-cut amethyst sitting atop the lower hoop, totaling 1.60 carats between both earrings. The hoops are made of silver covered in “pistacchio” colored enamel, while 9-karat yellow gold holds the stones in place and connect the two hoops behind the earlobe ($1,770). Bea Bongiasca’s Double Loop Earrings](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/f338ef6b4603be3c97765f833b831ca0.jpg)
Commemorate “brat summer” with these green hoops.
![The skyline of downtown Providence, Rhode Island. Jewelers of America held one of its Multifacted Learning Workshops there on July 17 and National Jeweler Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff tagged along. Stock image of Providence, Rhode Island, skyline](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/4ec5b02d4cbaaaa2283bdcf6820950a4.jpg)
Editor-in-Chief Michelle Graff returns from Rhode Island with thoughts about in-store shopping and a trends report.
![Untitled design.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/583fbcb2bb839782810080debef35d3c.jpg)
As the demand for lab-grown diamond jewelry may still be increasing, the most notable change we are likely to see is price stabilization.
Sponsored by Gemological Institute of America
![](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/99a46b30cc354962ac2e29ecd113587a.jpg)
![Earlier this month, online giant Amazon and the Better Business Bureau filed a joint federal lawsuit against ReviewServiceUSA.com for allegedly selling fake reviews, both positive and negative. Amazon package outside door](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/27fce4225a38900d54a5536ce523a22d.jpg)
They claim ReviewServiceUSA.com was selling both positive and negative reviews of products and businesses.
![A shot of the Venetia diamond mine in South Africa, owned by De Beers Group. The diamond miner and marketer saw revenue drop 21 percent and rough diamond sales decline 20 percent in a “weak” market for diamonds. De Beers’ Venetia diamond mine](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/a1f16ceaaba662e80385166060d192a7.jpg)
Lab-grown diamond sales in the United States and ongoing economic challenges in China are impacting natural diamond demand.
![1872 x 1052 Gemolite.jpg](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/9d60901b44425a53b9010301897a3bbc.jpg)
GIA®’s most advanced microscope has new features to optimize greater precision and comfort.
A longtime member of IJO, she’s remembered for her passion for design, learning, and environmentalism.
![A malachite and diamond bracelet from Pomellato’s “Pom Pom Dot” collection, launched earlier this year. Pomellato and Boucheron were bright spots for Kering in an otherwise underwhelming first half of the year. Pomellato Malachite Pom Pom Dot bracelet](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/3c237b62e009742fc52487097daf3c5a.jpg)
The gains come amid a tough time for parent company Kering, which saw sales slide 11 percent in the first half of the year.
![Volunteers and Shane Co.’s corporate team from all 22 locations of the family-owned jewelry chain have begun packing backpacks with school supplies for teachers to distribute to their students this school year. Shane Co. and the Kids in Need foundation logo](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/1c5abfb36ec775724f014f47bfbb47fc.jpg)
The fine jewelry retailer filled backpacks with back-to-school essentials for students in 13 states.
![A shot from the advertising campaign for LVMH-owned Bulgari’s “Eden the Garden of Wonders” high jewelry collection. LVMH’s jewelry and watch sales slipped in the first half of the fiscal year. Bulgari high jewelry campaign](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/c24eb75ca8cea44d2e9859648f4a98ee.jpg)
Tiffany & Co. is focusing on its “iconic” collections while the company has made changes at the top at TAG Heuer and Hublot.
![Chaumet, a Parisian jeweler owned by LVMH, has designed the Olympic and Paralympic Games medals. Chaumet Paris 2024 Olympics medals](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/7831b3a738baddfc7d783e6df0fbf796.jpg)
The Parisian brand is the first jewelry company in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to design the medals.
![The acquisition of Union Life & Casualty by Jewelers Mutual will help strengthen both the pawn market and the insurance industry, said JM. Jewelers Mutual and Union Life and Casualty logos](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/195925667226ecfc51b4e1bb09607143.jpg)
Union Life & Casualty will join JM Insurance Agency Partners, expanding the provider’s pawnbroker coverage.
![The winner of this year’s Lonia Tate scholarship, Bradlei Smith will receive the opportunity to earn her Graduate Gemologist diploma from GIA and, following graduation, an internship at Ben Bridge Jeweler in Seattle. Bradlei Smith](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/996834935ae30a7a1195db8b9db6cb7d.jpg)
Los Angeles-based Bradlei Smith was selected for this year’s award.
![Peter Smith is an industry consultant, speaker, sales trainer, and author. He can be reached via email at TheRetailSmiths@gmail.com. National Jeweler columnist Peter Smith](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/bec7295a7f478778b1c196e6d81e7cd9.jpg)
In his latest column, Smith shares multiple reasons why people who look at the glass as being hall full often make better salespeople.
![De Beers Group mined 6.4 million carats of diamonds in the second quarter of 2024, down from 7.6 million in the same period last year. (©De Beers Group/Photo credit: Ben Perry @ Armoury Films) De Beers rough diamond display](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/80cd02b1c8384f4b2efda0bcdf6a75e1.jpg)
The company also reported the $150 million sale of an iron ore royalty right, part of its ongoing effort to divest “non-core” assets.
![In honor of its summer bridal event, Long’s Jewelers is partnering with Wequassett Resort and Golf Club on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, and jewelry brand JB Star on a vacation giveaway. Long’s Jewelers giveaway promo](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/4e7a90944c4e8875a4f3818dbe26b28b.jpg)
The giveaway is part of the New England jeweler’s summer bridal event.
![L.A.-based flower designer, Sophia Moreno-Bunge models Guzema’s “Hidden Beauty” collection in front of a garden in Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica, California. Sophia Moreno-Bunge of Isa Isa modeling Guzema’s Hidden Beauty collection](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/6f3822623eb7fd2f6468f82825194cb1.jpg)
The ad features three celebrity florists creating floral sculptures while wearing jewelry by Guzema.
![The Entrepreneurship Grants program supports winners with financial aid to scale their businesses and increase their societal impact, said Diamonds Do Good. Pictured here are three of the 13 winners, top right is Tresia Shituula, and bottom row left to right, are Monkgogi Moshaga and Mohamed Samu. Tresia Shituula, Monkgogi Moshaga, Mohamed Samu](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/a7c9b87301b76a9446f6522747ce5b95.jpg)
The grant provided a total of $100,000 to support 13 entrepreneurs from diamond communities in Africa and India.
![Ghazi Osta, better known as Gus, was the owner and president of Volusia Gold & Diamond, a store he and his wife, Leigh Osta, opened in 1986. He was shot and killed inside the store Friday afternoon after a brief argument with a regular customer. (Photo courtesy of Volusia Gold & Diamond Facebook page) Ghazi “Gus” Michel Osta](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/c8c1fa3df746cbd364915a98dcac9d21.jpg)
Ghazi Michel Osta, or “Gus,” was killed Friday by an 83-year-old man said to be a frequent customer at his store, Volusia Gold & Diamond.
![Elyssa Jenkins-Pérez (left) is the Responsible Jewellery Council’s new head of North American development, and Effie Marinos is its new specialist advisor for technical standards. Elyssa Jenkins-Perez and Effie Marinos](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/94332af0c7a776e7a8c36fabf76baa5f.jpg)
The organization also announced Effie Marinos as its new specialist advisor for technical standards, as well as four other appointments.
![Karen Rentmeesters, who joined the Antwerp World Diamond Centre in 2010, will take on the role of CEO. Karen Rentmeesters](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/3256fcc71cd43a399055c61f68486269.jpg)
Rentmeesters has served as interim CEO since April following former CEO Ari Epstein’s resignation.
![Longtime Washington, D.C., jeweler Brian Mann (right) with his wife Jessie Mann, an artist who custom-paints porcelain Limoges Boxes, at a 2016 Jewelers of America member event. Mann, the longtime co-owner of David Mann Jewelers, died June 21 at age 70. Brian and Jessie Mann](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/be4debc6e0b3198943a66ef0e2197c2c.jpg)
Mann, whose family’s jewelry store was located inside the Pentagon, is remembered for being a thoughtful champion of the industry.
![The 1916 Company recently opened a new Tudor boutique in Denver’s Cherry Creek Shopping Center. Tudor store in Denver](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/9f8600ea53ed731963331ebd28a10d16.jpg)
The 500-square-foot boutique is located in Denver’s Cherry Creek Shopping Center.
![This necklace from Messika’s “So Move Max” set is made of yellow gold with 19.18-carats of brilliant-cut diamonds and designed with circle motifs that move within the links (price upon request). Messika’s So Move Max Necklace](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/14c78af4a4e8c6b996a81bbb5a5bc69f.jpg)
Dance all night long with the “So Move Max” set’s necklace.
![On Sept. 1, Julien Tornare (left), current CEO of TAG Heuer, will become CEO of Hublot. Antoine Pin, now the general manager of Bulgari’s watch business, will take over Tornare’s role as CEO of TAG Heuer. (Images courtesy of LinkedIn) Julien Tornare and Antoine Pin](https://uploads.nationaljeweler.com/uploads/b24627b34ece895ddd254bae22751fb8.jpg)
Luxury giant LVMH is reshuffling the leadership in its watches division.