MajorsJul 10, 2025
LVMH Names New Chairman, CEO of the AmericasMajorsAug 01, 2025
Helzberg President Julie Yoakum Moves Over to Signet Jewelers
The addition of Yoakum, who will lead Kay and Peoples, was one of three executive appointments Signet announced Thursday.
Signet Jewelers is the midst of executing a turnaround plan, closing stores and cleaning up its leadership ranks in an effort to combat sliding sales. On Thursday, the retailer announced three more executive moves.
Akron, Ohio—After nearly nine years with Helzberg Diamonds, Julie Yoakum is joining the team at Signet Jewelers.
The jewelry giant announced Thursday afternoon that Yoakum is the new president of Kay Jewelers and Peoples Jewellers, its Canadian jewelry store chain.
Signet said the jewelry industry veteran brings a combination of “operational rigor, entrepreneurial mindset and diamond industry expertise” to the company.
Yoakum spent four years with Blue Nile before joining Helzberg Diamonds as senior vice president and chief merchandising officer in 2017, according to her LinkedIn page.
She was promoted to president of the Berkshire Hathaway-owned jeweler in 2022 when Beryl Raff announced her retirement.
As president and chief brand merchant officer at Helzberg, Yoakum led product development, sourcing, quality assurance, distribution, and digital transformation.
She succeeds Stacee Johnson-Williams, who was serving as interim president of Kay and Peoples following the exit of Bill Brace in March.
Brace was one of a number of executives who parted ways with Signet earlier this year following the appointment of a new CEO, J.K. Symancyk, in late 2024.
Johnson-Williams will remain with Signet as chief merchandise operations and sourcing officer, working to expand the retailer’s cross-brand sourcing capabilities and overseeing the assortment of core categories to fully leverage scale in buying.
Related stories will be right here …
The jewelry giant announced Thursday afternoon that Yoakum is the new president of Kay Jewelers and Peoples Jewellers, its Canadian jewelry store chain.
Signet said the jewelry industry veteran brings a combination of “operational rigor, entrepreneurial mindset and diamond industry expertise” to the company.
Yoakum spent four years with Blue Nile before joining Helzberg Diamonds as senior vice president and chief merchandising officer in 2017, according to her LinkedIn page.
She was promoted to president of the Berkshire Hathaway-owned jeweler in 2022 when Beryl Raff announced her retirement.
As president and chief brand merchant officer at Helzberg, Yoakum led product development, sourcing, quality assurance, distribution, and digital transformation.
She succeeds Stacee Johnson-Williams, who was serving as interim president of Kay and Peoples following the exit of Bill Brace in March.
Brace was one of a number of executives who parted ways with Signet earlier this year following the appointment of a new CEO, J.K. Symancyk, in late 2024.
Johnson-Williams will remain with Signet as chief merchandise operations and sourcing officer, working to expand the retailer’s cross-brand sourcing capabilities and overseeing the assortment of core categories to fully leverage scale in buying.
Also on Thursday, Signet announced that it has a new chief marketing officer, Lisa Laich.
Most recently, Laich oversaw digital and brand marketing for Crocs and HeyDude, a footwear brand owned by Crocs.
With Signet, she will collaborate with the consumer brands to develop creative content and storytelling to drive customer loyalty while delivering the benefits of scale in marketing.
“Julie, Stacee, and Lisa are experienced and highly accomplished industry leaders who believe in Signet’s purpose of ‘Inspiring Love’ and will accelerate our ‘Grow Brand Love’ strategy,” Symancyk said.
“Julie brings over 30 years of experience in the jewelry and apparel industries, with a strong track record of sales growth. Stacee’s decade of leadership at Signet will enable her to quickly advance our core merchandising and leverage scale to drive top-line growth in key categories. And Lisa’s record of marketing excellence and commercial growth across leading retail brands complements the strengths of our team.”
Signet Jewelers is the largest specialty jeweler in North America, ranking No. 1 in both sales and number of stores in National Jeweler’s 2025 State of the Majors issue.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Majors
The Latest
TrendsJul 31, 2026
These Pieces of the Week Are Sweet Edina Kiss’ “Popsicle” pendant and Karina Choudhrie’s “Ice Cream” charm satisfy that summer craving for a sweet piece of jewelry.
SourcingJul 31, 2026
Gemfields’ H1 Revenue Jumps 72%The miner’s ruby and emerald auctions brought in a combined $102.9 million.
SourcingJul 30, 2026
De Beers Sale in ‘Final, Most Challenging’ Phase, Anglo CEO SaysThe goal is for the De Beers sale to be finished by the second half of 2026, with the subsequent approvals process expected to take a year.
Brought to you by
Why More Jewelry Retailers Are Hosting Turnkey Estate Buying EventsRetailers are seeking new ways to attract customers, increase traffic, and create revenue – Estate buying events are a popular solution.
Policies & IssuesJul 30, 2026
JA Heads Back to Washington as New Wave of Tariffs Takes Effect David Bonaparte, along with Tim Haake and Ronnie VanderLinden, continue to lobby for tariff exemptions for diamonds, gemstones, and pearls.
Weekly QuizJul 30, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SurveysJul 30, 2026
Consumer Confidence Slips in JulySurvey respondents were concerned about the rising prices of food and groceries as well as unemployment.
Events & AwardsJul 30, 2026
Vicenzaoro Releases 2026 Education LineupThe trade show, slated for Sept. 4-8 in Vicenza, Italy, will feature sessions on trends, AI, gemology, and manufacturing.
Brought to you by
Wedding Band Trends 2026: Personalization Takes Center StageColored gemstones, artisan finishes, mixed metals, and meaningful details are shaping demand in bridal jewelry.
Events & AwardsJul 30, 2026
Hillsborough Show Moves to New Location for 2026The public shopping event featuring art, jewelry, watches, and rare collectibles, will take place in Santa Clara, California, this fall.
EditorsJul 29, 2026
Q&A: The Past and Future of Angola’s Diamond Industry Endiama Commercial Director Elton Escrivão knows people have a lot of misperceptions about Angola. He wants to change that.
FinancialsJul 29, 2026
Kering’s H1 Jewelry Sales Up 14%Boucheron reached record sales while Pomellato found success in its signature collections.
Events & AwardsJul 29, 2026
Lauren Harwell Godfrey Designs a Flag for ArkansasShe was one of more than 120 American designers who created flags for the “United Flags of Fashion” project led by CFDA and Vogue.
ColumnistsJul 28, 2026
Peter Smith: Why Your Job Postings May Be Working Against You Smith reveals the method The Retail Smiths use to help retailers and vendors write better job postings.
FinancialsJul 28, 2026
Tiffany & Co., Bulgari Lead the Way for LVMH in H1LVMH’s jewelry and watch brands outperformed the company’s other divisions in an environment the company described as “disrupted.”
CollectionsJul 28, 2026
Lionheart’s New Collection Unites Spiritual Iconography“Sacred Heart” features symbols like crosses, angel wings, the Star of David, and the evil eye as a representation of coexistence.
Events & AwardsJul 28, 2026
The Edge Funding 2 Scholarships Via 24 Karat Club SEUS The scholarships will go to early-career professionals looking to study gemology, bench work and jewelry design, or store operations.
SurveysJul 27, 2026
Jewelry Leads Luxury Market Amid Stabilization, Bain SaysBain & Company delved into the trends shaping the luxury market, the impact of AI, and more in its recent study.
SourcingJul 27, 2026
‘Rubies’ Goes on Display at Harvard MuseumThe exhibition reveals the gemology, geology, and cultural history of the iconic red gemstone.
Policies & IssuesJul 24, 2026
New Trump Tariffs: What They Mean for Jewelry The new sweeping slate of tariffs impacts 60 countries, including India, China, Thailand, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates.
TrendsJul 24, 2026
Amanda’s Style File: Ode to ‘The Odyssey’From coin pendants to diamond shields, these old world-inspired jewels are the perfect accessory for an epic journey.
TrendsJul 24, 2026
Courtney Leidy’s Silk Cord Pendants Center Unexpected Pairings Our Piece of the Week pairs a checkerboard-cut amethyst with an ivy green silk cord.
PodcastsJul 23, 2026
Episode 7: Reinhold Jewelers on the Power of RelationshipsMildred Marcano Abrams and Yael Reinhold join the podcast to talk community connections, holiday plans, and preserving Reinhold’s legacy.
SourcingJul 23, 2026
De Beers’ Production Jumps 88 Percent in Q2 Production also was up in the first half of 2026 but is expected to “substantially” decrease in H2 as two key mines undergo maintenance.
CollectionsJul 23, 2026
Silvia Furmanovich’s New Collection Travels Back to the 1920s“Art Deco” fuses ancestral techniques, rare materials, and modern perspectives as a tribute to the optimism and curiosity of the movement.
IndependentsJul 23, 2026
Sissy's Log Cabin Opens Casino StoreThe jeweler’s newest store is inside Arkansas’ Saracen Casino Resort.
WatchesJul 23, 2026
Movado Inks Licensing Deal With Kate Spade New YorkThe watch company will design, manufacture, and distribute Kate Spade New York watches.
Policies & IssuesJul 22, 2026
Trump to Put 50% Tariff on Canadian Goods The higher tax is set to go into effect in August and will apply to loose polished diamonds as well as precious and base metals jewelry.
