Sponsored by the Gemological Institute of America
Jeffrey Bilgore named AGTA board president
During its annual elections, the AGTA selected Jeffrey Bilgore of Jeffrey Bilgore LLC as the new president of its board. He succeeds Ruben Bindra.
Dallas--Jeffrey Bilgore of Jeffrey Bilgore LLC was selected as the new president of the American Gem Trade Association’s board of directors during the organization’s annual elections.
Re-elected as directors to the board were Cynthia Renée of Cynthia Renee Inc. and Avi Raz of A&Z Pearls Inc., while Kusam Malhotra of K&K Int. and Jeff Mason of Mason-Kay Inc. were newly elected directors to the board. They will take office in February and serve three-year terms.
Continuing with their positions on the board are Gerry Manning as vice president, Pramod Agrawal as treasurer, and Bruce Bridges, Charles Carmona, William Heher, Gina Latendresse, Niveet Nagpal, Robert Van Wagoner, Simon Watt and Larry Woods as directors.
Ruben Bindra of B&B Fine Gems and Sushil Goyal of Liberty Gems Inc. will complete their board terms as president and director, respectively, by February.
The nominating committee for this year’s elections was chaired by Past President Benjamin Hackman, with committee members Bilgore, Raz, Neal Litman, Douglas Parker and Ray Zajicek.
The AGTA Board of Directors holds elections on a rotating cycle to guarantee coherence of the board’s long-term plans. The new board members will be introduced at the AGTA membership meeting, open to all AGTA members and scheduled for Feb. 5 at the AGTA GemFair in Tucson.
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify the post to which Jeffrey Bilgore has been elected. He will serve as the new president of the AGTA’s board of directors.
The Latest

The 2025 Australian Open champion is the jewelry brand’s first athlete ambassador.

The West Village jewelry boutique’s new shop-in-shop is the cornerstone of Nordstrom’s revamped jewelry hall.

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

This past year, the manufacturer said it recorded below-zero emissions per carat of natural diamond.


The brand’s “Golden Strada” statement necklace features round, marquise, and pear diamonds that sparkle like Fourth of July fireworks.

JSA’s Scott Guginsky provided a list of nine security measures jewelers should observe while locking up for the long weekend.

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Located on Rodeo Drive, the store’s design was inspired by Hollywood and Los Angeles culture.

The new location continues the brand’s celebration of its 25th anniversary.

The online watch marketplace’s “Time Is Our Thing” campaign highlights the importance of time.

She will oversee strategic planning, fundraising, industry partnerships, and the launch of the Gem Legacy Campus in Tanzania.

Working with Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit and law enforcement, Pandora helped to shut down a large-scale counterfeit network in China.

The jewelry company has closed its three California brick-and-mortar stores, as well as its online shop, for now.

The company is providing the opportunity for an FIT student to work alongside master diamond cutter Willie Lopez in its workshop.

He is remembered for his successful entrepreneurship, generosity, and dedication to his family.

The jewelry store chain has reportedly been struggling with costs related to tariffs as well as tough retail competition.

Welcome warm summer days with red hot rubies perfectly chosen as July’s birthstone.

Co-founders Afzal Imram and Lin Ruiyin brought their son’s story of a cosmic egg, toadstool, and railroad to life in their new collection.

The best time to prepare for the holiday season is right now, according to columnist Emmanuel Raheb.

This year’s winner is Morgan Keefe, who is currently studying at GIA to be a gemologist.

“The Jewelry Book” comes out this September.

The company is focused on modernizing the custom jewelry buying experience with e-commerce tools like product visualization and 3D styling.

Following its recent acquisition, the storied brand has updated its leadership team and regional managers.

AGS also named the recipient of its “Women in Leadership” scholarship.

The 20-karat yellow gold and diamond wrap ring is modeled after the Monstera plants in the garden of the brand’s Miami villa.

Rocksbox President Allison Vigil shared the retailer’s expansion plans, and her thoughts on opening stores in malls.