Todd Wolleman Elected JBT Board Chair

Warwick, R.I.--The Jewelers Board of Trade just announced the results of its annual elections, held during meetings in February and March.

Todd Wolleman, of Leo Wolleman, Inc. in New York, was elected to a one-year term as chairman of the JBT Board.

Wolleman recently chaired the search process to select a new president and CEO to replace Dione Kenyon, who has announced she will retire from the JBT this year as soon as a replacement is found.

First vice chairman is Michael Kaplan of Rocket Jewelry Box Inc. in Bronx, N.Y., while Ann Arnold, of Norwood, N.J.-based Arnold Advisory Group, was elected to serve as second vice chairwoman.      

Kenyon remains the organization’s president and was elected treasurer while Brenda M. Pimentel retains her post as secretary.

Richard Katz of Samuel Aaron Inc. was appointed to the JBT Executive Committee.

Newly elected to the board for a two-year term were Ira Bergman, president of The Gordon Company Inc.; Lux Bond & Green Chief Financial Officer David Bonney; and Nilesh Sheth, president of Forever Collections Inc. in New York.

Re-elected to the board for a period of two years were: Arnold, Anthony Capuano of HSBC Bank USA, Edward DeCristofaro of LDC Inc., Roderick Lichtenfels of W. R. Cobb Company, Richard Weisenfeld of East Greenwich, R.I. and Wolleman.

Newly elected to the organization’s Advisory Board for a two-year term was Phyllis Bergman of Mercury Ring, while Richard Greenwood of A. F. Greenwood Co. Inc. and F. Daniel Pharr of Pharr Valuation & Business Svcs. LLC were re-elected.

In addition, the JBT announced that the nine following board members will continue to serve their existing terms:
--Jared Ashland of Appleton, Wisc.;
--Danielle Ingwer Cohen, Leo Ingwer Inc. in New York;
-- Brian Fleming, Carla Corporation in E. Providence, R.I.;
-- Kevin Green, Seiko Corporation of America in Mahwah, N.J.;
-- Kaplan of Rocket Jewelry Box;
-- Katz of Samuel Aaron Inc.;
-- Richard LeStage, LeStage Manufacturing Co. in Attleboro Falls, Mass.;
-- Avi Raz, A & Z Pearls, Inc., Los Angeles; and
-- Pinny Rubin of Quality Gold Inc. in Fairfield, Ohio.