(Press Release) CIRCA announced that Ed Hartman has been appointed director of CIRCA Chicago and Alexandra Azrael Lopato has been appointed Director of the soon to open CIRCA Baltimore location.
Open since 2002 and located in the John Hancock building since 2003, CIRCA Chicago is the international brand’s oldest satellite location.
Prior to joining CIRCA in 2008 as a buyer in Chicago, Hartman spent many years working for various retailers, such as GRAFF and Trabert & Hoeffer. Hartman received his Graduate Gemologist Degree from The Gemological Institute of America, and continues to take advanced GIA courses and watchmaker workshops to further his knowledge in the business. Hartman’s first tenure at CIRCA saw him fulfill roles as a buyer, senior buyer and then director of Midwest retail.
CIRCA’s president, Richard Tilles, commented on Hartman’s return: “For several years, Ed worked for CIRCA successfully running events throughout the Midwest for our retail division and buying from clients in the Chicago office. Ed is one of our most experienced buyers and is native to the Chicago area. He is familiar with our culture and our philosophy. It is great to have Ed back. His experience, manner and knowledge will prove to be great assets as we look to expand in the Chicago area.”
The CIRCA Baltimore office will be located in the northern Baltimore suburb of Towson, MD, in a soon-to- be confirmed location.
Lopato brings years of experience in the jewelry industry to the Baltimore area. Five of those years have been at CIRCA, which she joined in 2011 taking on the role of buyer in the New York office, CIRCA’s global headquarters.
CIRCA’s president, Richard Tilles, commented, “Alexandra’s promotion to Director is well deserved. She has shown great aptitude, perseverance and determination. She exhibits all the qualities we admire in a Director. She is thoughtful, empathetic, yet unafraid. She seeks knowledge and imparts it as well. She is organized, persuasive and loyal. We are thrilled to open in our new Baltimore location with Allie as Director.”
Established in 2000, CIRCA is an international buyer of pre-owned jewelry, gemstones and watches with more than 100 associates and 13 offices worldwide including New York, Chicago, Beverly Hills, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Palm Beach, Barcelona and Hong Kong.