Chapters

Metropolitan Chapter - New York and New Jersey

New York, Northern New Jersey, Puerto Rico

Click here to visit the Metropolitan Chapter web site.

Board of Directors

President

Michele Kwiat Siegel, Kwiat Inc.

michele@kwiat.com

President Elect

Karen Janowski, Diamond Vision Services

karen@diavis.com

2nd Vice President  & Director of Education

Karen Sampieri, Tiffany & Co.

karen.sampieri@tiffany.com

Secretary & Director of Special Events

Desiree Hanson, JCK Events
dhanson@reedexpo.com

Treasurer        

Danielle Ingwer, Leo Ingwer Inc.

daniellei@leoingwer.com

Immediate Past President  

Ronni Klein, Displays and More

ronniklein@yahoo.com

Director of Membership

Wendy Culpepper, Wendy Culpepper
wendy@wendyculpepper.com

Director of Mentorship

Carolyn Jacoby, South Sea Pearl Consortium/APC (USA)
cjacoby@apcpearls.com

Director of Publicity

Helena Krodel, Jewelry Information Center
helena@jic.org

Director-at-Large

Lynn Ramsey, Lynn Ramsey Public Relations
lrusa@earthlink.net

Committee Members

Lita Asscher, Royal Asscher of America

Bill Furman, JCK Magazine

Amanda Gizzi, Jewelry Information Center

Sharyn Grobman Korwin, Richard Korwin Designs/Wideband

Jeanne Hamburg, Norris McLaughlin & Marcus, PA

Susan Kilkenny, Vogue Magazine

Pam Palmieri, GCAL

Kathrin Schoenke, KNS Consulting LLC

Karen Uzel, Town and Country Magazine

Jeni Weinman

Mitzi Zieve, Mitzi & Associates Inc.

Advisory Board

Phyllis Bergman, Mercury Ring

Billie Sutter, Luxury Alliances

Chapter Newsletter

Click here to see the latest newsletter.

2009 Upcoming Chapter Events



Past Events

March 12, 2009
Speed Mentoring Event - SOLD OUT!
 
GIA New York Education
270 Madison Avenue at 39th Street
Rooms 206 and 207
6:00 - 8:30 PM

Speed Mentoring is your chance to have a coaching session with an industry executive who will answer your questions, help sharpen your focus, and offer career suggestions based on your experience, training and personality.  Now is your chance to take advantage of personal one-on-one guidance and receive practical advice about setting goals and objectives, creating strategies for success and how to make your resume shine.

January 29, 2009
Networking event at Sarabeth's, 40 Central Park West, at 6 p.m.

Wear and share stories of your favorite piece of jewelry.  We are kicking off the new year with this exciting networking event.  Be prepared to make new friends and show off your favorite piece of jewelry.

Members $55
Please click here to register.

Non-members $80
Please click here to register.

November 12, 2008
Annual Holiday Party
Enjoy the evening with industry colleagues and friends. Join us for cocktails and dinner.
6:30-9 pm
Yale Club

50 Vanderbilt Avenue (between 44th and 45th Streets)
New York, NY 10017

FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION FORM CONTACT MICHELE KWIAT SIEGEL 212-994-2413 OR MICHELE@KWIAT.COM


October 2

Chew, Chat N’ Chill Dinner with speaker Renee Palmer - FREE

Fashion Group International: 8 West 40th Street

Topic: E-mail Etiquette

YOU'VE GOT MAIL!

So, you'll...

Reply? Reply All? Forward? Delete? New Message? Cc? Bcc?

Wait! Before you do,

FIND OUT HOW E-MAIL PRACTICES CAN AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR CAREER PROSPECTS AND MUCH, MUCH MORE…

Join us for E-Mail Etiquette when expert, Renee Palmer will show and tell everything you’ll ever need to know about: E-mail signatures, mailing list traps, dangerous no-no’s, reply and forward best practices, how to set up e-mail in various programs and email marketing tips.

www.pinkrat.com

September 11th                       

Annual board meeting with Symposium Panel

Topic: "Cool Dad's GREATful Daughters"

Annual board meeting with Symposium Panel at FIT

 

Panel Guests

Robert Bridel & Associates

Cool Dad- Robert Bridel

GREATful Daughter- Kendra Bridel Weinman

Leo Ingwer Inc.

Cool Dad- Kenny Ingwer

GREATful Daughter- Danielle Ingwer

Kwiat

Cool Dad- Sheldon Kwiat,

GREATful Daughter- Michele Kwiat Siegel

Lieberfarb

Cool Dad- Mark Schonwetter

GREATful Daughters- Ann Schonwetter Arnold & Isabella Schonwetter Fiske

Myron Toback Inc.

Cool Dad- Myron Toback

GREATful Daughter- Joy Toback- Galicki

July 29th                         

Breakfast at the Javits Center

Speaker Hedda Schupak, Editor-in-Chief of the JCK Publishing Group

Topic: The State of the Jewelry Industry: Challenges and Opportunities

July 27th                         

Awards for Excellence Dinner - Chelsea Piers (National Event)

May 15

Poker Party at Slate

Networking, Poker, Billiards, Ping Pong & Foosball

Dinner and Drinks

                                           

Sponsored by The Lucky Eight:

Displays & More           

Leo Ingwer, Inc.  

MJM Global                 

Mitzi & Associates  

Niche Media

Pintura Cultured Diamonds

Rocket Red Box

SHR & Simmons Jewelry       

                      

Click here for Poker Party pictures.

June 2

Diva Party - Las Vegas (National Event)

June 10

New: 3M's - Metro Mix & Mingle

Spring has sprung, and what better time to kick off the first ‘Metro, Mix & Mingle’.Born out of a desire of many Metro chapter members to gather once a month for a casual cocktail hour.  At fabulous venues like Hotel Giraffe Rooftop, The Royalton,   Morgan Hotel Rooftop, Divine Bar and Ruhlmann’s. The first of these gatherings will be at a rooftop venue to be decided.

Open to members and potential members.  No fee, just the cost of your drink of choice.

Second Tuesday of every month.

March 18                 

Chew, Chat N’ Chill Dinner with Negotiation Speaker Kathy Holub

                                         

Listen up!  Listening is one of the key skills in successful negotiation.  That was just one of the tips that Kathy Holub, a Harvard Law School professor and negotiation speaker, provided to a packed room.   Kathy also reminded the group that nearly everything in life is negotiable.

Kathy is a senior consultant with Mobius Executive Leadership in Wellesley, MA.                                    www.mobiusleadership.com. 

Gracie Mansion, January 22, 2008

WJA CELEBRATES 25TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY

New York – The celebration of the Women’s Jewelry Association’s 25th Anniversary was held on January 22, 2008 at Gracie Mansion in New York City.  The event was filled with new and current members sharing past and present stories and toasting achievements within the WJA and the jewelry industry at large.  There could not have been a more fitting venue to hold this event than Gracie Mansion.  The Mansion and the WJA each capture its own unique spirit of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Gracie Mansion, dating from 1799, was built and served as the home of the abounding New York merchant Archibald Gracie.   Several families took ownership of the estate before serving as the permanent residence of the Mayor of the City of New York in 1942.   Since the current Mayor, Mayor Bloomberg, does not reside at the Mansion, it is open to the citizens and guests of New York so they can enjoy and take part in the history and culture of the site.  Members of the WJA were fortunate enough to take part in ongoing tours of the Mansion during the event. 

The new president of WJA Metropolitan Chapter, Michele Kwiat Siegel, started the evening off by welcoming all members of the WJA and thanking them for attending as well as thanking The Gracie Mansion Conservancy for graciously hosting the event.  Michele Kwiat Siegel expressed “what a magical evening to bring together the rich history of WJA’s members within one of New York’s most prized historical venues.”  The honorary guest of the evening was Peggy Kirby, one the founding members of WJA in 1983.  Peggy’s nickname was the “red-headed computer” because of her vast knowledge of the jewelry and watch industry.  No longer a red head, she still has the fire and intensity of the true leader she is. 

Click here to see photos of the event.

 

Mentorship

It is the Chapter’s hope that mentoring will enrich and strengthen your ability to achieve your personal goals and career objectives in the jewelry industry.

If you have any questions about the Metropolitan Chapter’s Mentorship Program, please contact Carolyn Jacoby at 212-747-0300 or by email at cjacoby@apcpearls.com.