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AGTA Elects 8 Members to Board of Directors
The newly elected directors will officially take office in February 2026 and will be introduced at the organization’s membership meeting.
An 8.33-carat emerald-cut no-oil Brazilian emerald from AGTA member Allen Kleiman of A. Kleiman & Co. AGTA recently held an election for its board of directors.
Dallas—The American Gem Trade Association recently held its board of directors election, selecting eight individuals to serve either two- or three-year terms.
Members of the Dallas-based trade association, which serves the colored gemstone and cultured pearl sectors, elected six AGTA firm members to serve three-year terms.
They are: Ann Barker, Barker & Company; John Bradshaw, John J. Bradshaw; Bruce Bridges, Bridges Tsavorite; Malinda Daniel, Tim Roark Inc.; Ravi Jajoo, United Color Gems Inc.; Oren Nhaissi, EMCO Gem Inc.
Two AGTA firm members were elected to two-year terms, Jaimeen Shah of Prima Gems USA LLC, and Bryan Lichtenstein of 3090 Gems.
AGTA said the directors-elect will take office in February 2026.
The following board members will continue to serve: Dudley Blauwet, Dudley Blauwet Gems; Matthew Hopkins, Hopkins Opal; Cynthia Renee Marcusson, Cynthia Renee Inc.; Eshvar Kotahwala, Vinod Kotahwala Inc.; Ron Rahmanan, Sara Gem Corp.; Tracey Lindwall, Nomad’s Lapidary Co. Inc., d/b/a Nomads; and Rohan Agrawal, Shanu G. Inc.
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Members of the Dallas-based trade association, which serves the colored gemstone and cultured pearl sectors, elected six AGTA firm members to serve three-year terms.
They are: Ann Barker, Barker & Company; John Bradshaw, John J. Bradshaw; Bruce Bridges, Bridges Tsavorite; Malinda Daniel, Tim Roark Inc.; Ravi Jajoo, United Color Gems Inc.; Oren Nhaissi, EMCO Gem Inc.
Two AGTA firm members were elected to two-year terms, Jaimeen Shah of Prima Gems USA LLC, and Bryan Lichtenstein of 3090 Gems.
AGTA said the directors-elect will take office in February 2026.
The following board members will continue to serve: Dudley Blauwet, Dudley Blauwet Gems; Matthew Hopkins, Hopkins Opal; Cynthia Renee Marcusson, Cynthia Renee Inc.; Eshvar Kotahwala, Vinod Kotahwala Inc.; Ron Rahmanan, Sara Gem Corp.; Tracey Lindwall, Nomad’s Lapidary Co. Inc., d/b/a Nomads; and Rohan Agrawal, Shanu G. Inc.
The new board members will be introduced at the AGTA membership meeting in Tucson, Arizona.
Open to all the association’s members, the meeting will take place during the upcoming AGTA GemFair Tucson, scheduled for February 2–6, 2026. For more information, please contact AGTA at info@agta.org or 800-972-1162.
Leaving the board after nine years of service is Jonathan Gad. Gad will officially step down from the board after its membership meeting in February.
In addition to electing a new board of directors, AGTA firm members approved the amendments to the organization’s bylaws, with nearly 92 percent in favor, well above the 66.67 percent needed for a proposed change.
“I would like to extend my gratitude to our membership for their votes of confidence in affirming the board of directors and endorsing the path forward for the American Gem Trade Association,” said Bridges, AGTA president.
“I am also pleased to welcome and congratulate our newly elected directors as they join the board. With this exceptional group of leaders, I am confident in our ability to navigate the challenges ahead and to advance the interests of both our association and the broader colored gemstone industry.”
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