Executive Chairman Richard Baker will take over the role as rumors swirl that a bankruptcy filing is imminent for the troubled retailer.
MJSA’s ‘BeAJeweler’ Headed to Portland Jewelry Symposium
The educational outreach program will host an open house for potential students at the Portland Jewelry Academy.
Portland, Ore.--Trade organization MJSA is bringing its student outreach program, BeAJeweler, to the Portland Jewelry Symposium, an annual conference on industry topics and trends.
The symposium is scheduled for Oct. 2 and 3.
In conjunction with the two-day conference, MJSA will host an open house at the Portland Jewelry Academy from 1 to 4 p.m. on Oct. 2. The Academy offers 16-week courses in foundational bench jewelry skills. The open house will have jewelry-making demonstrations and Q&A sessions with professional jewelers.
The Symposium will officially begin the evening of Oct. 2 with a dinner and address by keynote speaker Bennett Freeman, former U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state. His speech will be on “Responsible Sourcing: From Conflict and Controversy to Innovation and Cooperation.”
On Oct. 3, the Symposium will host a day of sessions that cover topics such as lean manufacturing and design strategy.
The Symposium is offering students currently enrolled in jewelry programs half-price registration, $95 before Sept. 9, or $105 after.
The BeAJeweler program was founded in 2015 to promote the jewelry profession in partnership with schools, organizations and businesses. It is an initiative of the MJSA Education Foundation, a subsidiary of the MJSA jewelry-making trade association.
For more information visit MJSA.org.
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