Events & AwardsMar 11, 2025
JSA to Honor GIA Employee at Annual LuncheonEvents & AwardsMar 14, 2025
JVC Reveals Recipient of Stanley Schechter Award
Reeds Jewelers CEO Alan Zimmer will be presented with the honor at JVC’s annual luncheon.
Alan Zimmer of Reeds Jewelers will receive the Jewelers Vigilance Committee’s Stanley Schechter Award, which honors those that embody leadership, integrity, and passion for elevating the jewelry community’s reputation in the U.S. and worldwide.
New York—The Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC) has announced that Alan Zimmer of Reeds Jewelers is the recipient of the organization’s Stanley Schechter Award.
Zimmer will be presented with the award at JVC’s annual luncheon on March 14 at the Pierre Hotel in New York City.
The award honors those that embody leadership, integrity, and passion for elevating the jewelry community’s reputation in the U.S. and worldwide, characteristics embodied by the late Stanley Schechter, said JVC.
JVC established the award in 2002 to honor Schechter, founder of Honora Industries, who was known for his work in the pearl sector, as well as his more than 50 years of dedication to maintaining ethics and integrity in the jewelry industry. He was a lifetime member of JVC and a member of the JVC board from the 1960s to 2000.
Stanley’s son Joel Schechter will present the award.
Zimmer is the president and CEO of Reeds Jewelers. Son of Reeds founder Bill Zimmer, he joined his father’s company in 1981 as executive vice president, taking the reins as president and CEO by 1985.
Under his leadership, the jeweler has blended high-touch experiential retail with innovative digital commerce through the Reeds website, said JVC.
He has also embedded his dedication to philanthropy in Reeds’ culture; the company supports the Zimmer Cancer Institute at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and other charitable organizations.
Related stories will be right here …
Zimmer will be presented with the award at JVC’s annual luncheon on March 14 at the Pierre Hotel in New York City.
The award honors those that embody leadership, integrity, and passion for elevating the jewelry community’s reputation in the U.S. and worldwide, characteristics embodied by the late Stanley Schechter, said JVC.
JVC established the award in 2002 to honor Schechter, founder of Honora Industries, who was known for his work in the pearl sector, as well as his more than 50 years of dedication to maintaining ethics and integrity in the jewelry industry. He was a lifetime member of JVC and a member of the JVC board from the 1960s to 2000.
Stanley’s son Joel Schechter will present the award.
Zimmer is the president and CEO of Reeds Jewelers. Son of Reeds founder Bill Zimmer, he joined his father’s company in 1981 as executive vice president, taking the reins as president and CEO by 1985.
Under his leadership, the jeweler has blended high-touch experiential retail with innovative digital commerce through the Reeds website, said JVC.
He has also embedded his dedication to philanthropy in Reeds’ culture; the company supports the Zimmer Cancer Institute at Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center and other charitable organizations.
Zimmer is a recognized leader in the industry. In 1992, Zimmer was inducted into National Jeweler’s Retail Hall of Fame.
In 2019, he received the American Gem Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
He has also served on industry and philanthropic boards, including for JVC, as well as for Jewelers of America, where he was chairman from 2003 to 2005.
Zimmer currently serves on the Jewelers for Children board of directors, and previously, he was treasurer for the organization from 2016 to 2019 and chairman from 2019 to 2021.
He has also served on the Jewelers’ Security Alliance board since 2018 and is currently chairman of the board.
“I could not be more thrilled to recognize Alan Zimmer with this award,” said Sara Yood, JVC’s president, CEO, and general counsel.
“Alan’s dedication to serving on industry boards shows just a hint of his passion for the jewelry industry and for elevating it in the eye of the consumer. He truly embodies the leadership values that were important to Stanley and have been passed down through generations.”
More on Events & Awards
The Latest
CrimeJun 18, 2025
7 Men Indicted in $100M Brinks Jewelry HeistThe heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
Historic ‘Marie-Thérèse Pink’ Diamond Fetches $14M at Christie’sThe 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week.
EditorsJun 18, 2025
Q&A: Caryl Capeci Dives Into Cruise Jewelry ShoppingThe Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench JewelersThe Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
16th-Century ‘Gresham Grasshopper’ Ring Sells for $56KThe historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.
Weekly QuizJun 12, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
CollectionsJun 18, 2025
Kirk Kara Celebrates 135 Years With New JewelsTo mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.
SourcingJun 18, 2025
Gemfields Sells 36-Carat Rough RubyThe gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.
TechnologyJun 18, 2025
Alex Brown Named President of Smithee GroupFounder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.
EditorsJun 17, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 1Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.
ColumnistsJun 17, 2025
Peter Smith: Is Your Comp Plan a Hiring Hindrance?If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.
AuctionsJun 17, 2025
Colored Gemstones, Signed Jewels Shine in Sotheby’s High Jewelry SaleThe top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Amanda Gizzi Gets a Promotion at JAGizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Kering Names Automotive Exec as Its New CEOLuca de Meo, a 30-year veteran of the auto industry, will succeed longtime CEO François-Henri Pinault.
EditorsJun 16, 2025
Q&A: Bogolo Joy Kenewendo on Mining, Tariffs, and the Energy of Las VegasFollowing visits to Vegas and New York, Botswana’s minerals minister sat down with Michelle Graff to discuss the state of the diamond market.
IndependentsJun 16, 2025
Greenwich St. Jewelers Launches Commitment Campaign Celebrating LGBTQ+ CouplesThe “Your Love Has the Perfect Ring” campaign showcases the strength of love and need for inclusivity and representation, the jeweler said.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Ivette Nersesyan-Stephanopoulos Joins Tiffany & Co.The former De Beers executive is the jewelry house’s new director of high jewelry for the Americas.
MajorsJun 16, 2025
Catbird Names WNBA Star Nyara Sabally as Its New Brand AmbassadorThe New York Liberty forward is the first athlete to represent the Brooklyn-based jewelry brand.
CollectionsJun 13, 2025
Piece of the Week: Robinson Pelham’s Pear EarringsTake a bite out of the 14-karat yellow gold “Fruits of Love Pear” earrings featuring peridots, diamond stems, and tsavorite leaves.
EditorsJun 12, 2025
15 Questions With Jewelry Photographer Ella SophieThe California-based creative talks jewelry photography in the modern era and tackles FAQs about working with a pro for the first time.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Vintage Patek Philippe From the ‘50s Sells for $4M at Sotheby’s Al Capone’s pocket watch also found a buyer, though it went for less than half of what it did at auction four years ago.
AuctionsJun 12, 2025
Former De Beers Exec Celine Assimon Joins BonhamsAssimon is the auction house’s new chief commercial officer.
EditorsJun 11, 2025
Q&A: Al Cook on Differentiating Natural Diamonds, Traceability, and TariffsThe De Beers Group CEO discusses the company’s new “beacon” program, the likelihood diamonds will be exempt from tariffs, and “Origin.”
MajorsJun 11, 2025
Pandora Bets on Las Vegas for First North American FlagshipThe Danish jewelry giant hosted its grand opening last weekend, complete with a Pandora pink roulette wheel.
GradingJun 11, 2025
Tiffany Stevens Exits IGI, Lab Appoints New Board LeaderIndustry veteran Anoop Mehta is the new chairman and independent director of the IGI board.
Events & AwardsJun 11, 2025
Kering Announces Winners of Sustainability-Focused AwardThe winners of the inaugural “Kering Generation Award x Jewelry” are student Lee Min Seo and China-based startup Ianyan.
SourcingJun 10, 2025
De Beers Turns to Brown, Yellow Diamonds for New ‘Beacon’“Ombré Desert Diamonds” will emphasize cream-, champagne-, and brown-colored diamonds, shades that set natural stones apart from lab grown.
