Buying discipline at trade shows starts with clarity about your inventory levels, Smith writes.
JBT Announces its New Board
The Jewelers Board of Trade elected new officers and directors earlier this year.

New York—The Jewelers Board of Trade elected new officers and directors at its annual company meeting and most recent board meeting, both held earlier this year.
The organization elected Michael L. Kaplan of Rocket Jewelry Box Inc. out of Elmsford, New York, as chairman; Ann S. Arnold of Buyers International Group, LLC out of Napa, California, as first vice-chairman; and Richard Katz of Richline Group, Inc. out of New York City as second vice-chairman.
Richard Weisenfeld was again elected to the role of president as well as to the role of treasurer, while Brenda M. Pimentel was elected secretary.
The aforementioned individuals will serve in these roles for a one-year term.
Additionally, newly elected to the board for a two-year term is Matthijs Braakman, group publisher and CEO at SmartWork Media, the publisher of InStore Magazine.
Braakman has 20 years of experience in the fine jewelry industry and 18 years of business-to-business publishing experience.
At its recent meetings, the JBT also re-elected several members for another two-year period, including Kaplan and Katz.
The other re-elected board members are: Tim Coggins of Bank RI in Providence, Rhode Island; Jeffery Corey of H.E. Murdock Company Inc. in Waterville, Maine; Brian D. Fleming of Carla Corporation in E. Providence, Rhode Island; Michael Pelto of Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group out of Neenah, Wisconsin; and Pinny Rubin of Quality Gold Inc., out of Fairfield, Ohio.
Members continuing to serve their current terms, including Arnold, are: Ira Bergman of The Gordan Company, Inc. in Pompano Beach, Florida; David Bonney of Lux Bond & Green, Inc. out of West Hartford, Connecticut; Edward N. DeCristofaro of LDC, Inc. in E. Providence, Rhode Island; Roderick Lichtenfels of W.R. Cobby Company in E. Providence, Rhode Island; Keven Peck of Color Merchants, Inc. in New York, New York; Nilesh Sheth of Forever Collections, Inc. in Los Angeles, California; and Todd Wolleman of Leo Wolleman, Inc. in Mount Vernon, New York.
Phyllis Bergman of Phyllis Bergman Co. in New York and Richard Greenwood of A.F. Greenwood Co. Inc. in New York also continue to serve their existing terms as advisory board members.
For more information, contact Brenda Pimentel at 401-467-0055, ext. 3512 or bpimentel@jewelersboard.com.
The JBT is a resource for jewelry industry-related data, credit reporting, debt collections and marketing services. It provides members services to help them make better and more knowledgeable decisions regarding credit, and business and marketing strategy.
The Latest

The trade show’s education series returns, with sessions on retail trends, AI, watches, marketing, corporate responsibility, and more.

The Curated Designer Project has expanded to highlight eight independent jewelry designers during CBG’s Las Vegas show.

As gold prices rise, today’s retailers are looking for alternatives at prices that will appeal to wider audiences.

Bring a cool tone to your summer jewelry with these white metal pieces.


The deal closed this week, which means Instore will produce the JA NY show slated to take place this fall.

The company’s jewelry sales were up in Q4 and the fiscal year, with Richemont raising prices in part because of the cost of gold.

With the trade and customer trust in mind, GIA® developed NextGem™ – on-demand training designed specifically for retail.

The “Bauble” capsule collection of colorful one-of-a-kinds includes our Piece of the Week, the “Bauble” earrings, featuring rose zircon.

Everett covers colored stones’ surging popularity, the mellow return of the “Mellon Blue,” and his “The Devil Wears Prada” doppelgänger.

Fourth-generation CEO Lilly Mullen wants to emphasize experience, connection, and personalized service.

The new award, created in partnership with Henne Jewelers, honors the late designer’s legacy through supporting jewelry education.

The addition of the diamond-producing countries as nation affiliated members broadens the federation’s global representation, WFDB said.

The NYPD is warning elderly New Yorkers to keep their jewelry hidden when walking outside to avoid being a target.

Designer Viviana Langhoff has realized her dream of owning a space for her Chicago jewelry store that looks and feels like her brand.

The sessions will run from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, with one being a live taping of an episode of Couture’s podcast.

Former Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry executive Morgan P. Richardson is joining the lab-grown diamond jewelry brand.

The $400 pocket watch is a blend of Audemars Piguet’s iconic eight-sided Royal Oak and Swatch’s unserious Pop watches from the ‘80s.

With gold prices on the rise, the “Modern Electrum” collection uses an alternative, non-tarnishing metal alloy composed of gold and silver.

Fruchtman Marketing has new owners, Erin Moyer-Carballea and Manuel Carballea, and will relocate to Miami.

In a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Smith lists 10 time-tested principles about sales that still ring true.

In a column for the 2026 State of the Majors issue, Golan spells out how the growing economic divide in the U.S. is reshaping the market.

The “Limitless Expansion of Joy and Hope” collection evokes summer through colored gemstones and motifs of butterflies and florals.

The jewel, circa 1890, is from the late Victorian era and was owned by descendants of the last high king of Ireland.

This is what the nine recipients plan to do with the funds.

The Western star’s 14-karat gold signet ring sold for six times its low estimate following a bidding war at U.K. auction house Elmwood’s.

The discussion, "Rebuilding the Jewelry Workforce," will take place on Saturday, May 16, in Troy, Michigan.

























