Peter Smith gives tips on leading meetings, developing marketing, and making trade show appointments in the age of short attention spans.
Appointments: Signet Jewelers appoints treasurer
Signet Jewelers Ltd. has promoted Denise Shaffer to the newly created role of treasurer, the company announced Tuesday.
New York--Signet Jewelers Ltd. has promoted Denise Shaffer to the newly created role of treasurer, the company announced Tuesday.
In the new role, Shaffer will be responsible for the expanded function of Signet treasury in the company, as well as managing the bank group and multi-divisional international cash positions and funding.
Shaffer first joined Sterling Jewelers, Signet’s U.S. division, more than 24 years ago as manager of the corporate treasury.
She was promoted to director of the treasury in 1992, which was then expanded in 2005 to director of treasury and strategic financial planning. Two years later, she was promoted to vice president of corporate treasury and strategic financial planning.
Prior to joining Sterling, she held various positions at NCNB National Bank, which is now known as Bank of America.
In addition, Sterling Jewelers announced the promotion of both Vince Marchetta and David Jacobsen to the position of vice president, real estate.
In his new role, Marchetta will be responsible for Sterling’s real estate portfolio for the western part of the U.S., along with the development of financial and tactical plans. Jacobsen, meanwhile, will be responsible for the company’s real estate portfolio for the eastern regions of the country.
Marchetta joined Sterling in 1989 as a leasing administrator and has held other various positions at the company, including leasing representative, senior leasing representative, Jared leasing manager, and most recently, director of mall real estate.
Jacobsen joined Sterling in 1998 as a store manager and has since held the position of district manager and most recently served as leasing representative.
The slate of personnel changes follows Signet’s February announcement that it plans to acquire rival Zale Corp. in a deal valued at $1.4 billion, creating a chain of more than 3,600 jewelry stores.
Alex and Ani CEO Giovanni Feroce has resigned for undisclosed reasons.
The company said in a statement last week that founder and creative director Carolyn Rafaelian has been named as the interim CEO. The search for a new CEO is expected to take several months.
Rafaelian and Feroce partnered in 2010, and the latter helped the company’s revenue grow to about $230 million last year.
Alex and Ani has about 40 branded retail stores across the country and is also sold at more than 150 specialty gift and jewelry shops.
Eric Carlborg has announced that he will resign from Blue Nile’s board of directors.
Concurrent with Carlborg’s decision not to stand for re-election, the board has announced that it will reduce its size from nine to eight members effective as of the date of the 2014 annual meeting.
Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company announced that Trina Woldt has accepted the newly created position of chief marketing officer within the company’s personal lines division. In her role, Woldt will be responsible for developing the company’s marketing efforts of its Perfect Circle Jewelry Insurance brand.
Before joining Jewelers Mutual, she served as the director of marketing and development at the Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh, Wisc.
Jewelers Mutual also appointed Michael Calabresa as director of business development, personal lines. He previously served as director of agency operations and as a commercial lines sales and marketing consultant.
Prior to joining Jewelers Mutual, Calabresa was vice president of sales and marketing at Integrity Mutual Insurance Company, as well as held numerous sales and marketing leadership positions during more than 24 years with Sentry Insurance.
Woldt and Calabresa are both filling newly created roles for Jewelers Mutual as it continues to promote its Perfect Circle Jewelry Insurance product. Both will be working on direct-to-consumer and business-to-business campaigns.
Rio Tinto Diamonds has named Brandee Dallow to manage its U.S. representative office in New York. The appointment was effective March 1.
Dallow has more than 15 years of experience in the industry, including a role as the vice president of global communications for diamond company Julius Klein Group before joining Rio Tinto.
Rio Tinto opened its New York office in 2007 to establish an on-the-ground presence in the market and to support Rio Tinto Diamonds’ customers in their U.S. activities, the company said.
Mastoloni is expanding its independent sales force with the appointment of Matt Broerman as sales manager for the brand’s Southeast territory.
Broerman brings a strong skill of driving sales in the luxury skill set to Mastoloni, the company said, with his experience working for a number of jewelry and timepiece companies.
Christine Purdue has joined the boutique marketing firm Communiqué as public relations director. She will be based in New York City.
Purdue most recently served as media relations manager at Van Cleef & Arpels, and was also a public relations manager at Neiman Marcus.
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