Awards

Awards for Excellence

The Women's Jewelry Association pauses each year to honor a number of outstanding women who have excelled at their jobs in the jewelry and watch industry -- and by doing so have advanced the cause of women in general. A magnificent banquet attended by more than 600 people is the venue for these awards, making it a memorable evening for everyone.

All members were encouraged to submit names to their respective Chapter Presidents, for submission to WJA Headquarters, by March 27, 2009 for consideration in each category.   Supporting information such as a biography, letters of recommendation were included on the  Awards for Excellence nomination form.

WJA congratulates the 2007 Awards for Excellence Winners:

CATEGORY I: Design: Fine Jewelry & Watches

Paula Crevoshay

Mellika Co., Inc. - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Paula Crevoshay earned her Masters Degree with Honors in Painting and Sculpture. She then went to India where she lived in a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery for three years and pursued her art. Crevoshay lived on the goldsmith’s street and was exposed to the jewelry arts and soon began buying gems and designing jewelry. Her career as a jewelry designer blossomed; she has been honored with special exhibitions and her work is now on permanent display in museums including the GIA Museum, Carnegie Museum and in the National Gem Collection at the Smithsonian Institute. The graceful beauty and opulent design of her jewels and especially her painterly approach to gemstone combinations, have earned her the name “Queen of Color.”

CATEGORY II: Manufacturer, Dealer, or Supplier for Fine Jewelry, Gemstones,

Metals, or Watches

Eve Goldberg, Vice President

William Goldberg Diamond Corporation - New York, New York

Eve Goldberg, a member of the prestigious William Goldberg family, has been a principle partner in the family business for over 20 years.  Goldberg began her jewelry career in publishing. She worked as Executive Editor for Executive Jeweler magazine until she joined the family business in the mid 80’s to work alongside her legendary father, William Goldberg. Since then Goldberg has contributed to the international success of the company by introducing the patented diamond cut, Ashoka, and expanding their high jewelry collections. In addition, she has adorned many celebrities with William Goldberg diamond jewelry.

CATEGORY IIIA: Retail – More than 15 Stores

Tryna Kochanek, Senior Vice President of Field Operations

Sterling Jewelers Inc. - Akron, Ohio

Tryna Kochanek has been a model of success in the jewelry industry for over two decades. As Senior Vice President of Field Operations she oversees the development of initiatives that meet the diverse needs of today’s jewelry consumers. Today, Kochanek leads more than 17,000 sales and repair shop team members who have helped make Sterling the number one specialty retail jeweler in the country. Under her leadership, Sterling team members participate in programs that celebrate diversity from talent acquisition through leadership development. Today, 73% of Sterling’s sales force is highly talented and skilled professional women.

CATEGORY IIIB: Retail – Fewer than 15 Stores

Susan Eisen

Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry & Watches - El Paso, Texas

Susan Eisen founded Susan Eisen Fine Jewelry and Watches in 1980 as a goldsmith and jewelry designer. Her credentials include Graduate Gemologist, GIA, Certified Gemologist Appraiser, AGS, and Master Gemologist Appraiser, American Society of Appraisers. Because helping people to become better jewelry consumers is one of her goals, she wrote her new book entitled "Crazy About Jewelry, The Expert Guide to Buying, Selling and Caring for Your Jewelry" which will be released in 8 weeks. Eisen has been on the national board of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, and is currently on the board of the Gems and Jewelry Committee of the American Society of Appraisers and the Jewelers Vigilance Committee. She has been interviewed in over 100 industry trade magazines, and her designs were recently featured in the June 2007 edition of National Jeweler. Eisen's charitable contributions include a League of Honor scholarship at GIA, an art metals scholarship at UTEP and various health charities in El Paso.

CATEGORY IV: Sales

Janet Goldman, Chairman

Fragments - New York, New York

Janet Goldman, founder and creative force behind Fragments, is an artistic entrepreneur whose passion and vision have set the trends in the jewelry and accessory industries for over 20 years. Founded in 1984, Fragments showroom now represents over 35 top of the line fashion and fine jewelry designers serving over 6,000 retail outlets, here and abroad.  Goldman continues to bring the artists eye and the business-woman’s commercial know-how to the table to assist her designers in effectively developing and merchandising their lines while staying artistically unique.

CATEGORY V: Marketing & Communications

Diane Warga-Arias, Educationalist & Business Consultant

DWA Communications - Pompano Beach, Florida & New York, New York

Diane Warga-Arias has unique skill sets that have placed her in the boardrooms of some of the largest and most prestigious corporations in the luxury market and jewelry industry. Anchored with advanced degrees in education, human resources management, and organizational development she has helped thousands of luxury brands transform selling environments into shopping experiences that consumers crave. Warga-Arias has been a long-term consultant for the Diamond Trading Company and their advertising agency of record, JWT. She has also become well-known as a passionate public speaker and is one of the most soughtafter presenters throughout the jewelry industry and luxury retail market.

CATEGORY VI: Editorial, Reporting & Publishing

Kathleen Fitzpatrick, Contributing Jewelry Editor

Veranda - New York, New York

From American and world history to natural history to upscale lifestyle - and in particular, jewelry - it’s been a long trip for Kathleen Fitzpatrick.  Fitzpatrick started her editorial career over three decades ago. After working her way up in various companies such as American Heritage and Audubon, Fitzpatrick joined Departures as managing and jewelry editor. Since then, she has retired from Departures to be Contributing Jewelry Editor of Veranda, where the magazine’s elements of the past as well as the present have brought her full circle.

CATEGORY VII: Special Services

Susan C. Elliott, Dean of Students

Gemological Institute of America - Carlsbad, California

Since beginning her career in the jewelry industry in 1974, Susan C. Elliott, G.G. has gone from a retail sales associate at Bullock’s Department store to Dean of Students at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), where she presides over student life at GIA's campus in Carlsbad, California. In addition to developing and maintaining the policies and procedures vital to the integrity of GIA education, she oversees the day-to-day activities of GIA students to ensure their educational experience is both productive and positive. In recognition of Elliott's significant contributions to student well-being and to the Institute as a whole, GIA awarded her its prestigious GIA Staff Member of the Year Award. An active participant in the WJA, Elliott chaired the DIVA committee from 2003 to 2005 and served as the President of the WJA San Diego Chapter from 2002 to 2005.

Click here to view the past recipients of the Awards for Excellence.