From tech platforms to candy companies, here’s how some of the highest-ranking brands earned their spot on the list.
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.
The Latest

The “Khol” ring, our Piece of the Week, transforms the traditional Indian Khol drum into playful jewelry through hand-carved lapis.

The catalog includes more than 100 styles of stock, pre-printed, and custom tags and labels, as well as bar code technology products.

Launched in 2023, the program will help the passing of knowledge between generations and alleviate the shortage of bench jewelers.

The chocolatier is bringing back its chocolate-inspired locket, offering sets of two to celebrate “perfect pairs.”


The top lot of the year was a 1930s Cartier tiara owned by Nancy, Viscountess Astor, which sold for $1.2 million in London last summer.

The Swiss watchmaker has brought its latest immersive boutique to Atlanta, a city it described as “an epicenter of music and storytelling.”

Criminals are using cell jammers to disable alarms, but new technology like JamAlert™ can stop them.

In his new column, Smith advises playing to your successor's strengths and resisting the urge to become a backseat driver.

The index fell to its lowest level since May 2014 amid concerns about the present and the future.

The new store in Aspen, Colorado, takes inspiration from a stately library for its intimate yet elevated interior design.

The brands’ high jewelry collections performed especially well last year despite a challenging environment.

The collection marks the first time GemFair’s artisanal diamonds will be brought directly to consumers.

The initial charts are for blue, teal, and green material, each grouped into three charts categorized as good, fine, and extra fine.

The new tool can assign the appropriate associate based on the client or appointment type and automate personalized text message follow-ups.

Buyers are expected to gravitate toward gemstones that have a little something special, just like last year.

Endiama and Sodiam will contribute money to the marketing of natural diamonds as new members of the Natural Diamond Council.

The retailer operates more than 450 boutiques across 45 states, according to its website.

The new members’ skills span communications, business development, advocacy, and industry leadership.

The jeweler’s 2026 Valentine’s Day campaign, “Celebrating Love Stories Since 1837,” includes a short firm starring actress Adria Arjona.

The new features include interactive flashcards and scenario-based roleplay with AI tools.

Family-owned jewelry and watch retailer Deutsch & Deutsch has stores in El Paso, Laredo, McAllen, and Victoria.

The Italian luxury company purchased the nearly 200-year-old Swiss watch brand from Richemont.

Micro-set with hundreds of diamonds, these snowflake earrings recreate “winter’s most elegant silhouette,” and are our Piece of the Week.

Ella Blum was appointed to the newly created role.

Sponsored by RapNet

Investment firm Enhanced Retail Funding, a division of Gordon Brothers, was the successful bidder.























