Majors

Rio Grande Names New Marketing Director

MajorsAug 15, 2025

Rio Grande Names New Marketing Director

Nicolette Bianchi joins the wholesale provider with more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development.

Nicolette Bianchi
Nicolette Bianchi is Rio Grande’s marketing director; a new role created within the company.
Albuquerque, N.M.—Rio Grande has appointed Nicolette Bianchi as its new marketing director.

In the role, she will oversee all aspects of the wholesale provider’s marketing, including strategy, digital initiatives, lead generation, advertising, brand development, and content creation.

She will lead both the strategic and tactical direction of Rio Grande’s marketing efforts, the company said, with a focus on enhancing the website, expanding brand presence across key markets, and strengthening relationships with retail jewelers, manufacturers, artisans, and educators.

“Nicolette brings a fresh perspective and an impressive track record of driving innovation in highly regulated and customer-centric industries,” said Dennis Claspell, vice president of sales and marketing at Rio Grande.

“We’ve built a framework that combines creativity, efficiency, and reliability and ultimately leveraging the strength of our Richline network while staying close to our roots in U.S.-based manufacturing. Nicolette’s leadership will help us continue evolving to meet the changing needs of our customers.”

The role of marketing director is a new position for Rio Grande. Bianchi will report to Claspell and senior leadership.

 Related stories will be right here … 
 
Bianchi brings more than 15 years of cross-industry experience in marketing and product development to the role, having held key roles in financial services and government sectors.

Most recently, she worked in digital product development at Los Alamos National Laboratory, creating web applications to support the Department of Energy’s national security mission and internal communications.

Before that, she was director of marketing growth and acquisition at Nusenda Credit Union in New Mexico, where she helped expand market share across the state.

She has also contributed to strategic marketing at Thornburg Investment Management.

Bianchi holds a Master of Science in integrated marketing communications from West Virginia University’s Reed College of Media and a Bachelor of Arts in human communication from Arizona State University’s Hugh Downs School of Human Communication.

Natalie Franciscois the associate editor, fashion at National Jeweler, covering designers, trends, and new collections.

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