Events & AwardsApr 13, 2026
JA Accepting 2026 Impact Initiative ApplicationsIndependentsApr 21, 2026
Meet Jewelers of America’s 2026 ‘20 Under 40’ Class
The annual list honors rising professionals on the retail and supply sides of the jewelry industry.
Jewelers of America has named the retailers and suppliers in its 2026 “20 Under 40” class.
New York—Jewelers of America has announced the inductees into this year's “20 Under 40” program.
Launched in 2022, the program recognizes rising professionals in the jewelry industry under the age of 40.
The program features two lists, one recognizing jewelry retail members and one for jewelry supplier members, which was introduced last year.
Each list recognizes 20 individuals for a total of 40 honorees.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this year’s 20 Under 40 class, an inspiring group of professionals who represent the next generation of leadership in our industry,” said David Bonaparte, president and CEO of Jewelers of America.
“By continuing to recognize both retailers and suppliers, the program highlights the collaboration and creativity that fuel the jewelry community.”
The retail recipients are:
Bobby Bengivengo Jr., owner at Cellini Design Jewelers in Orange, Connecticut;
SJ Boardman, senior sales consultant and social media marketing manager at Summerwind Jewelers & Goldsmiths in Portsmouth, New Hampshire;
Kyle Bullock, owner at Bullock's Jewelry in Roswell, New Mexico;
Lauren P. Clawson, store manager and advertising & marketing advisor at Huntington Fine Jewelers in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma;
Baileigh Daoud-Soricelli, managing partner and director of marketing at Daoud's Fine Jewelry in Fort Lauderdale, Florida;
Shelly Devine, Graduate Gemologist and certified appraiser at Devine & Co. Private Jeweler in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California;
Karen Fox, shop manager at Fox Fine Jewelry in Ventura, California;
Taylor Frank, president at Eiseman Jewels in Dallas, Texas;
Charlie Green, director of stores at Lux Bond & Green in West Hartford, Connecticut;
Morgan Hancock Lewis, director of marketing at Merkley Kendrick Jewelers in Louisville, Kentucky;
Griffin Holbeck, vice president of sales and store director at Korman Fine Jewelry in Austin, Texas;
Brittany Kelly, manager and designer at David Adams Fine Jewelry in Fayetteville, Arkansas;
Tony Maggio, owner at Reflections in Gold in Venice, Florida;
Sylvan Eugene Needham V, assistant manager at S.E. Needham Jewelers in Logan, Utah;
Mackenzie Nguyen, director of retail & e-commerce at Ylang 23 in Dallas, Texas;
Sara Beth Brown Prendeville, president at Brown & Co. in Atlanta, Georgia;
Sarah Martin Rowe, founder and principal designer at The Leake Co. in Louisville, Kentucky;
Victoria Ruta, engineer technician at Tiffany & Co. in New York, New York;
J.C. Sanders, owner and jeweler at Sanders Jewelry in Andalusia, Alabama; and
Olivia Wickersham, director of sales & operations at The Bevy in Denver, Colorado.
Related stories will be right here …
Launched in 2022, the program recognizes rising professionals in the jewelry industry under the age of 40.
The program features two lists, one recognizing jewelry retail members and one for jewelry supplier members, which was introduced last year.
Each list recognizes 20 individuals for a total of 40 honorees.
“We are thrilled to celebrate this year’s 20 Under 40 class, an inspiring group of professionals who represent the next generation of leadership in our industry,” said David Bonaparte, president and CEO of Jewelers of America.
“By continuing to recognize both retailers and suppliers, the program highlights the collaboration and creativity that fuel the jewelry community.”
The retail recipients are:
Bobby Bengivengo Jr., owner at Cellini Design Jewelers in Orange, Connecticut;
SJ Boardman, senior sales consultant and social media marketing manager at Summerwind Jewelers & Goldsmiths in Portsmouth, New Hampshire;
Kyle Bullock, owner at Bullock's Jewelry in Roswell, New Mexico;
Lauren P. Clawson, store manager and advertising & marketing advisor at Huntington Fine Jewelers in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma;
Baileigh Daoud-Soricelli, managing partner and director of marketing at Daoud's Fine Jewelry in Fort Lauderdale, Florida;
Shelly Devine, Graduate Gemologist and certified appraiser at Devine & Co. Private Jeweler in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California;
Karen Fox, shop manager at Fox Fine Jewelry in Ventura, California;
Taylor Frank, president at Eiseman Jewels in Dallas, Texas;
Charlie Green, director of stores at Lux Bond & Green in West Hartford, Connecticut;
Morgan Hancock Lewis, director of marketing at Merkley Kendrick Jewelers in Louisville, Kentucky;
Griffin Holbeck, vice president of sales and store director at Korman Fine Jewelry in Austin, Texas;
Brittany Kelly, manager and designer at David Adams Fine Jewelry in Fayetteville, Arkansas;
Tony Maggio, owner at Reflections in Gold in Venice, Florida;
Sylvan Eugene Needham V, assistant manager at S.E. Needham Jewelers in Logan, Utah;
Mackenzie Nguyen, director of retail & e-commerce at Ylang 23 in Dallas, Texas;
Sara Beth Brown Prendeville, president at Brown & Co. in Atlanta, Georgia;
Sarah Martin Rowe, founder and principal designer at The Leake Co. in Louisville, Kentucky;
Victoria Ruta, engineer technician at Tiffany & Co. in New York, New York;
J.C. Sanders, owner and jeweler at Sanders Jewelry in Andalusia, Alabama; and
Olivia Wickersham, director of sales & operations at The Bevy in Denver, Colorado.
The supplier recipients are:
Laura Berardocco, sales director and senior vice president at Roberto Coin Inc. in New York, New York;
Domenique Collins, strategic partnerships & roadmap at Adaptive in Saratoga Springs, New York;
Rohan Desai, operations manager at Star Gems in Atlanta, Georgia;
Elliot Dilamani, vice president of global sales at Dilamani in Great Neck, New York;
Javier Garza, founder at Xavier Jewelers in Austin, Texas;
Josh Genovese, vice president at Child-Genovese Insurance Agency, Inc. in Hingham, Massachusetts;
Melanie Goldfiner Goldberg, chief marketing & business development officer at Rahaminov Diamonds, Inc. in Los Angeles, California;
Sarah Haugaard, co-founder and creative & operations director at Lionheart in New York, New York;
Hiba Husayni, founder and designer at Zahn-Z in New York, New York;
Nicolai Israileff, co-owner at ASBA USA in Sarasota, Florida;
Gaurav Khandelwal, chief operating officer at Union Gems in Houston, Texas;
Steven LeVian, manager of couture at Le Vian Corp. in Great Neck, New York;
Casey Perez, founder and designer at Casey Perez in Brooklyn, New York;
Meir Saban, president at Saban Onyx in New York, New York;
Olga Shatrova, designer and founder at Olga Shatrova LLC in Irvine, California;
Stella Song, founder and CEO at Stella Song Designs in Irvine, California;
Nicole Stern, co-founder and vice president at Everspark in Great Neck, New York;
DeAndre Williams, senior account executive at Aurora Payments in Tempe, Arizona;
Ersin Yildirim, owner and CEO at Golden Planet USA Inc. in New York, New York; and
Gabriella Zwirn, founder and designer at Nur Jewels in Carlsbad, California.
The recipients were chosen by a panel of industry judges, and were evaluated on their professional success, innovative thinking, leadership qualities, and dedication to the greater jewelry community.
Each nominee also demonstrated a commitment to the Jewelers of America Code of Professional Practices and the highest standards of professional ethics, said JA.
For more info about this year’s recipients, visit the JA website.
Editors' Picks
Sponsored by
More on Independents
The Latest
PodcastsAug 20, 2026
Episode 8: Diamond Industry Update With David Bonaparte & Ronnie VanderLindenThe industry veterans join the podcast to discuss diamond marketing, the FTC Jewelry Guides, and lobbying for lower tariffs.
TechnologyAug 20, 2026
A New AI-Powered Gemstone Identification App Is HereFounder Vik Westermann said the app is a “starting point” to inspire people to work with appraisers and gem labs, not replace them.
AuctionsAug 20, 2026
Storied Unicorn Brooch Up for Auction Gallops to New Home The Verdura brooch, which belonged to the late Virginia Fortune Ryan Ogilvy, was sold to a private collector in Asia.
Brought to you by
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSubmit your pieces for a chance to win in this year's competition.
Events & AwardsAug 20, 2026
MJSA Education Foundation Names 5 Scholarship WinnersThe five students were awarded a total of $10,000 through the nonprofit’s 2026 “Future of Jewelry Making” scholarship.
Weekly QuizAug 20, 2026
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
MajorsAug 20, 2026
Plumb Club Elects 2026-2027 BoardSteven Lerche is now beginning his term as the youngest member to become president of The Plumb Club’s elected executive committee.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Mike Alexander To Succeed Scott Murphy as Jewelers Mutual CEO Murphy will retire at the end of the year and Alexander, currently the company’s president, will take over at the start of 2027.
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 & IssuesAug 19, 2026
Spinelli Kilcollin Embraces Dupes With Trade-In ProgramThe jeweler is encouraging customers who own lookalike rings to come into the store and trade them for credit towards an authentic piece.
MajorsAug 19, 2026
Zales Wants You to Wear Fine Jewelry Every DayThe new campaign, “You Are The Occasion,” discourages shoppers from saving their fine jewelry for special occasions only.
SourcingAug 19, 2026
Vasant Mehta, a Dedicated Diamond Industry Leader, Dies at 81Mehta led India’s GJEPC through the 2008 financial crisis and was respected worldwide for his wisdom, integrity, and knowledge.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
2 California Men Arrested in Fatal Vehicle Smash RobberyOne is the driver who allegedly crashed a car into a Sacramento jewelry store in April, striking a 71-year-old employee who later died.
ColumnistsAug 18, 2026
Peter Smith: The IKEA Effect and Bridal Branding In a new column, Peter Smith posits that people actually enjoy putting together IKEA furniture, and the same is true for engagement rings.
CrimeAug 18, 2026
Thieves Snatch $1M in Jewelry From New Jersey Jeweler9lakha Jewelers in Iselin, New Jersey, was the target of a smash-and-grab robbery on Aug. 8.
Lab-GrownAug 18, 2026
Ring Concierge, Kendall Jenner’s Tequila Brand Collab on GiveawayThe jeweler has partnered with 818 Tequila to gift lab-grown diamond studs to a bride-to-be and their bridal party.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
Exhibition on Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Studios to Open at The MetThe exhibition will feature more than 100 drawings of stained-glass lampshades, windows, and more, many created by women and émigrés.
CollectionsAug 17, 2026
Marquise Diamonds Dance in Spinelli Kilcollin’s ‘Wren’ CollectionMarquise-cut diamonds in drop charms are the center of the new collection, reflecting the movement of a dancer in modular styles.
Events & AwardsAug 17, 2026
There’s a New Jewelry Show Coming to FloridaThe inaugural Fort Lauderdale Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show will be held from Jan. 28 through Feb. 1, 2027.
CrimeAug 14, 2026
Wife of Man Convicted in Jeweler’s Murder Sentenced for Conspiracy Amanda Ileana Hernandez is married to Carlos Hernandez, one of two men in prison for the 2024 murder of Michigan jeweler Hussein Murray.
TrendsAug 14, 2026
Paul Morelli’s Latest ‘Wavey Vine’ Earrings Embrace ColorThe reimagined jewel, our Piece of the Week, trades the diamonds in the original 1998 design for blue, pink, yellow, and green sapphires.
Supplier BulletinAug 13, 2026
Your Piece Could Be the One Editors Talk AboutSponsored by American Gem Trade Association
FinancialsAug 13, 2026
Pandora’s ‘Talisman’ Collection Shines, Lab-Grown Diamond Sales FallIn the United States, second-quarter sales were flat amid soft consumer sentiment and lower in-store traffic.
AuctionsAug 13, 2026
This Gold Cadbury ‘Conundrum’ Egg Set a World Auction RecordThe 22-karat gold egg, sold at Batemans Auctioneers in the U.K., was part of a 1980s treasure hunt ad campaign for Cadbury Creme Eggs.
SourcingAug 13, 2026
2,488-Carat Diamond, Largest Found in Botswana, Has a New Owner Lucara Diamond Corp., which recovered the “Motswedi” diamond from the Karowe mine, sold the stone for an undisclosed amount.
CollectionsAug 13, 2026
John Hardy Infuses ‘Icon,’ ‘Heishi’ Collections with ColorThe expanded collections now feature hand-cut gemstones like topaz, tanzanite, chrysoprase, chalcedony, smoky quartz, and fire opal.
Lab-GrownAug 13, 2026
Jean Dousset Opens Third StoreThe lab-grown diamond jewelry brand’s newest boutique is in Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California.
SourcingAug 12, 2026
Eshed-Gemstar on the Painstaking Process of Cutting ‘The Legacy Emerald’The gemstone supplier and manufacturer acquired the remarkable 104-gram Zambian emerald at Gemfields’ auction in May.
