Independents

IJO Elects 4 New Board Members

IndependentsFeb 20, 2025

IJO Elects 4 New Board Members

Alisha Cornett, Nic Faini, Eric Stevens, and Seth Shipley have joined the organization’s board of directors for a three-year term.

Alisha Cornett, Nic Faini, Eric Stevens, Seth Shipley
IJO’s new board members are, clockwise from left to right, Alisha Cornett of Green Brothers Jewelers in Bay City, Texas; Nic Faini of Faini Designs Jewelry Studio in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Eric Stevens of Stevens Diamond Jewelers in West Springfield, Massachusetts; and Seth Shipley of Shipley’s Fine Jewelry in Hampstead, Maryland.
Southport, Conn.—The Independent Jewelers Organization (IJO) has elected four new members to its board of directors.

Nic Faini of Faini Designs Jewelry Studio in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Alisha Cornett of Green Brothers Jewelers in Bay City, Texas; Eric Stevens of Stevens Diamond Jewelers in West Springfield, Massachusetts; and Seth Shipley of Shipley’s Fine Jewelry in Hampstead, Maryland, have joined the organization for a three-year term.

As board members, they will act as a liaison between the membership and IJO headquarters, said Stephen Barnes, president of IJO. They will discuss suggestions and ideas that are brought to them with the organization’s management.

IJO board members meet twice yearly at IJO’s conferences and are available for consultation throughout the year.

“IJO has a longstanding history of listening to its members, and their concerns are our concerns. Many changes have been made as a result of their ideas, and their input is invaluable,” said Barnes.

 Related stories will be right here … 

Faini, Cornett, Stevens, and Shipley are taking over for Nathan Regan of Burnell’s Fine Jewelry in Wichita, Kansas; Kari Johnson Smith of Champaign Jewelers in Champaign, Illinois; Janelle Mead of Harris Jewelers in Rio Rancho, New Mexico; and Daniel Widmar of Rasmussen Diamonds in Racine, Wisconsin, whose terms expired at the end of 2024.

The board is comprised of 10 retailers and three vendors. Positions open up regularly, said Barnes, and all submissions are welcome.

IJO’s current retail board members for 2025 include: 
Cindi Haddad-Drew of Cindi’s Diamond & Jewelry Gallery in Foxboro, Massachusetts;
Tia Daniel of Conti Jewelers in Endwell, New York;
John Herold of John Herold Jewelers in Randolph, New Jersey;
Joanne Osborne of Osborne Jewelers in Goodyear, Arizona;
Rick Sanders of Sanders Jewelers in Gainesville, Florida; and
Scott Stambaugh of Stambaugh Jewelers in Defiance, Ohio.

IJO’s current vendor board members for 2025 include: 
Allison Peck of Brevani/Color Merchants in New York, New York;
Todd Bazar of Imperial Pearl in East Providence, Rhode Island; and
Brecken Farnsworth of Parlé Jewelry Design in Pocatello, Idaho.

For more information on IJO membership, call Penny Palmer at 800-624-9252.

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