Appointments: JBT, Gem Star, more

New York--A former Zale Corp. executive joining Canadian diamond company Gem Star and elections for the Jewelers Board of Trade’s board of directors are among the recent career moves in the industry.


Beverly Serraro is now a director of Canadian diamond and jewelry wholesale company Gem Star Inc. and will oversee the development of new business.

Serraro was the vice president of diamond sourcing for Zale and, prior to that, worked with Peoples Jewellers in in Toronto, traveling internationally to purchase diamonds.


The Jewelers Board of Trade has announced the names of the officers and directors elected to its board as of March 12.

Serving one-year terms are Richard Weisenfeld of Pranda North America Inc. as chairman; Todd Wolleman of Leo Wolleman Inc., first vice-chairman; Michael Kaplan of Rocket Jewelry Box Inc., second vice-chairman; Dione Kenyon, president; Brenda Pimentel, secretary; and Alisa Dumond, treasurer.

Re-elected to the board for a two-year term are Ann Arnold of Arnold Advisory Group; Anthony Capuano of HSBC Bank USA; Edward DeCristofaro of LDC Inc.; Philip Holden of the Gordon Company Inc.; Basant Johari of Kuber Manufacturing Inc.; Roderick Lichtenfels of W.R. Cobb Co.; Weisenfeld; and Wolleman.

Elected to the advisory board for a two-year period is Richard Greenwood of A.F. Greenwood Co. Inc., and re-elected to the advisory board for another two-year term is F. Daniel Pharr of Pharr Valuation & Business Services LLC.


Peter Cotton has been appointed vice president of national sales at Los Angeles-based jewelry company Jack Kelege & Co. where he will be responsible for co-branding campaigns to assist retailers in connecting with their customers.

Cotton most recently was the national director of sales at Whitehouse Brothers, and before that the western sales manager for several diamond jewelry designers. He also spent 12 years with North American Watch Corp where he was a sales representative for Corum and Piaget.


Bridal and fine jewelry brand Sylvie Collection is now being represented by southern California-based marketing, advertising and public relations firm Luxury Brand Group.

Sylvie Collection is headquartered in Plano, Texas and offers jewelry in platinum and 18-karat white, yellow and rose gold.


The Responsible Jewellery Council has certified Manufacture Horlogère ValFleurier against its code of practices for the company’s manufacturing facility in Buttes, Switzerland.