Sourcing

CEO, CFO out at synthetics company Scio

SourcingJun 22, 2014

CEO, CFO out at synthetics company Scio

Lab-grown diamond company Scio Diamond Technology Corp. has another new CEO at the helm following the recent termination of Michael McMahon.

Greenville, S.C.--Lab-grown diamond company Scio Diamond Technology Corp. has another new CEO at the helm following the recent termination of Michael McMahon.

In a Form 8-K filed June 16 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, Greenville-based Scio said that 52-year-old Gerald McGuire, a consultant and current member of the company’s board of directors, had been appointed interim CEO.

McMahon’s termination was effective immediately.

In addition, Scio fired its chief financial officer, Jonathan Pfohl, and replaced him with 56-year-old Douglas Walker, a consultant to the company. Walker will serve as CFO in an interim capacity.

Prior to joining Scio, McGuire, who has 25 years of experience in the semiconductor industry and was appointed to the Scio board in May, was a senior vice president and general manager of the low-voltage and mid-power analog business at Fairchild Semiconductor. Walker spent the last 20 years working as the managing director of SWBi International, a management consulting company specializing in executive search in North America. He also is a CPA and a certified gemologist, according to the filing.

McGuire becomes the latest in a line of individuals to lead Scio, which grows diamonds using the chemical vapor deposition process and got its start after absorbing another lab-grown diamond company, Boston-based Apollo Diamonds, in September 2011.

Joe Lancia led the company as president and CEO from its inception until his departure in November 2012. Stephen Kelley then was named CEO and served in that role until January 2013, when he was replaced by the now-departed McMahon.

RELATED CONTENT: Shareholders seek to oust Scio board

In addition to its new interim CEO and CFO, Scio appointed Bruce Likly to serve as co-chairman of its board of directors, which is led by Chairman Edward Adams.

Earlier this year, the shareholders of Scio were making a push to replace Adams, along with board members Theodore Strous and Robert Linares, Adams’ father-in-law and the founder of Scio predecessor Apollo Diamond, because the company isn’t making any money, the shareholders stated in an SEC filing. 

The board has been expanded since that time, adding McGuire, Likly, and, in May, James Korn, the chief executive officer of Temp-Air Inc., a leading manufacturer of temporary industrial and commercial heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment.

Michelle Graffis the editor-in-chief at National Jeweler, directing the publication’s coverage both online and in print.

The Latest

Fope Golden Now Campaign Imagery
CollectionsApr 06, 2026
Fope’s New Jewelry Debuts Are Golden

“The Golden Now” campaign celebrates the here and now with the brand’s signature styles and a selection of its new pieces.

Former Signet executive Kecia Caffie
MajorsApr 06, 2026
Kecia Caffie, Corinne Bentzen No Longer With Signet Jewelers

Signet confirmed that Caffie, president of Zales and Banter, and Bentzen, who headed Blue Nile, have left the company.

Author Tanzy Ward and her book Precious Black Jewels The Bijou Material Culture of Black Victorians & Edwardians
CollectionsApr 06, 2026
Historian Tanzy Ward Pens Book on Black Victorians’ Jewelry

The antique jewelry dealer talks about the importance of including Black Americans in jewelry history and preserving their stories.

GIA iD100®
Brought to you by
Protect Your Customers and Your Business

You deserve to know what you are selling–to protect your customers as well as your business and your reputation.

Screenshot of Taylor Swift's "Elizabeth Taylor" music video
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Taylor Swift’s ‘Elizabeth Taylor’ Video Puts Jewelry Front and Center

Iconic pieces, like the Mike Todd Diamond Tiara, appear in the superstar’s new music video for her song inspired by the actress.

Weekly QuizApr 02, 2026
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
Neiman Marcus store in Fort Worth, Texas
MajorsApr 03, 2026
Saks Global Says It Will Emerge From Bankruptcy This Summer

The luxury retailer, which went Chapter 11 in January, announced Thursday that it has secured $500 million in exit financing.

NouvelleBox logo
Events & AwardsApr 03, 2026
JCK Luxury, NouvelleBox Partner on New Designer Ballroom

The NouvelleBox ballroom will feature independent jewelry designers, including Lene Vibe, Wyld Box Jewelry, and Kiaia Limited.

TopImageCrop.jpg
Brought to you by
Is This You? Every Jeweler Has This Problem; We Have the Solution.

Every jeweler faces the same challenge: helping customers protect what they love. Here’s the solution designed for today’s jewelry business.

Buddha Mama Moon Locket
CollectionsApr 03, 2026
Buddha Mama Brings Its ‘Moon’ Locket To Dallas

The one-of-a-kind locket, our Piece of the Week, opens to reveal three hidden images to keep close to your heart.

Pandora distribution facility Canada
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Pandora Opens New Canadian Distribution Center Amid Tariff Concerns

The new facility was also designed to better serve its growing customer base in Canada.

Michelle Yeoh Mikimoto
TrendsApr 02, 2026
Michelle Yeoh Fronts New Mikimoto Campaign

The campaign is a tribute to the year 1893, when Kokichi Mikimoto created the world’s first cultured pearl.

GIA President and CEO Pritesh Patel at GIA Taiwan campus
GradingApr 02, 2026
GIA Debuts New Campus in Taiwan

It is the only GIA school to offer the GIA Graduate Gemologist program in Chinese.

DCA Second Spark Workforce Initiative Graphic
MajorsApr 02, 2026
DCA Launches ‘Second Spark’ Workforce Initiative

The initiative connects veterans and parents returning to the workforce with careers in jewelry retail.

Michael Angelo
MajorsApr 02, 2026
Hoover & Strong Names New National Sales Representative

The wholesale manufacturer and precious metals refiner has appointed Michael Angelo as its new national sales representative.

Pandora and Foundrae medallion jewelry
MajorsApr 01, 2026
Foundrae Sues Pandora for Allegedly Copying Its Medallion Designs

Foundrae also accused the jewelry giant of copying its mood board style of marketing.

John Jacob Astor IV's Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co., Battin & Co. pencil case
AuctionsApr 01, 2026
John Jacob Astor IV’s Titanic Pocket Watch Heads to Auction

A Patek Philippe for Tiffany & Co. timepiece owned by the American businessman who died on the Titanic will be offered at Freeman's Chicago.

Stock image of a Shell gas station
SurveysApr 01, 2026
Consumers’ Outlook Improves Again in March

The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index edged up, with optimism about the present outweighing worries about the future.

Zach Bear and the Window Necklace Children’s Book from Zachary’s Jewelers
IndependentsApr 01, 2026
Zachary’s Jewelers’ Constance Polamalu to Release Children’s Book

The retailer’s Zach Bear gift comes to life in “Zach Bear and the Window Necklace,” which centers on curiosity, bravery, and helping.

Accredited Gemologists Association Logo
Events & AwardsApr 01, 2026
AGA Opens 2026 Gemological Scholarship, Research Grant Applications

Applications are open for the AGA Gemological Scholarship Program through May 15, and until June 2027 for the Gemological Research Grant.

National Jeweler columnist and Smart Age founder and CEO Emmanuel Raheb
ColumnistsMar 31, 2026
Q1 Clues That Reveal Where Your Jewelry Store’s Sales Are Heading

These customer behavior patterns say a lot about how successful your jewelry store is going to be this year, Emmanuel Raheb writes.

Mejuri Puzzle Collection Campaign Imagery
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Mejuri Adds Silver to ‘Puzzle’ Collection

Mejuri’s popular collection of 18-karat yellow gold vermeil rings debuted in sterling silver alongside new “Puzzle” slider charms.

Ashley Longshore in Buddha Mama jewelry
CollectionsMar 31, 2026
Buddha Mama, Ashley Longshore to Host Pop-Up in Dallas

The Miami-based jewelry brand and the NYC-based artist will be in Dallas from April 9-11.

Jillian Wolk, the new CEO of Tracr
SourcingMar 31, 2026
GIA VP Jillian Wolk to Take Over at Tracr

Wolk’s first day on the job as CEO of Tracr, De Beers Group’s blockchain platform, will be May 1.

Tom Moses examining the “Motswedi” diamond
EditorsMar 30, 2026
Tom Moses Looks Back on His Decades at GIA

Moses, who will leave the lab in May after nearly 50 years, discusses his start in the business, gemstones that stand out, and what’s next.

Oscar Heyman Spring Catalog Aquamarine and Diamond Necklace and Platinum Opal, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond Bracelet
TrendsMar 30, 2026
Oscar Heyman Debuts First Spring Catalog

The new catalog, which showcases 35 one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry, is a compliment to the company’s popular holiday catalog.

Diavik Diamond Mine winter aerial shot
SourcingMar 30, 2026
Rio Tinto Hauls Last Load from Diavik

Production has ceased at the Canadian diamond mine, which has yielded more than 150 million carats of rough diamonds in its 23-year run.

Tanishq Westborough Massachusetts store
MajorsMar 30, 2026
Tanishq Opens First New England Location

The store opening marks the 10th United States location for the India-based jewelry retailer.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy