Chris Blakeslee has experience at Athleta and Alo Yoga. Kendra Scott will remain on board as executive chair and chief visionary officer.
Halstead Grant Goes to San Diego-Based Designer
The wholesale jewelry supplier has awarded its 11th annual grant for business-minded jewelry designers.

Prescott, Ariz.--Wholesale jewelry supplier Halstead has awarded its 11th annual grant for jewelry designers who exhibit entrepreneurial acumen.
The grant went to Enji Studio Jewelry, run by San Diego-Calif.-based designer Niki Grandics.
Grandics founded Enji Studio Jewelry in 2014. She studied at San Diego State University and the Gemological Institute of America. Last year, she was a Halstead Grant finalist.
“Niki took the dream route to prepare for life as a studio artist,” said Halstead President Hilary Halstead Scott.
“She has a marketing education, a metals degree and a GIA graduate jeweler certification. She has all the right tools, plus a distinct gift for design.”
Grandics’ designs are 100 percent handmade with ethical and sustainable metalsmithing in mind. She works primarily in sterling silver, gold and gold fill, incorporating stones like rutilated quartz.
Among the prizes included in the Halstead grant are $7,500 in cash, $1,000 worth of supplies, a trip to Prescott, Ariz., and a feature in the grant publication, Reveal.
Grandics said of the grant, “It was so helpful just to set aside the time to think about the direction of my business and all of the steps it will take to actually make that happen. That’s definitely something I’ll do going forward.”
For more information, visit HalsteadBead.com.
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