Press Releases

Dione Kenyon Joins Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company’s Board of Directors

Published

8 years ago

May 25, 2016

INSTORE Staff

Dione Kenyon

(Press Release)
NEENAH, WI – Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company has announced a new addition to its board of directors, Dione Kenyon.

Kenyon has more than 35 years of financial services experience, including consumer and commercial lending and credit services focused on the diamond, precious metals and jewelry industries.

“When considering new board members, we look for someone who would complement our board’s talent and experience, and we found that in Dione,” says Mark Fiebrink, chairman of the Jewelers Mutual Board of Directors. “Being deeply rooted in the jewelry industry and with her financial services experience, she will provide a positive impact on Jewelers Mutual.”

Kenyon recently retired from her position of 14 years as president of The Jewelers Board of Trade (JBT), a member-sponsored trade association delivering credit, collections and data-based services exclusively for the diamond and jewelry industry. Including her prior tenure as a JBT board member, she served the association for 25 years.

“It is an honor to have Dione join our board of directors,” says Scott Murphy, president and CEO of Jewelers Mutual. “Her knowledge and experience within the jewelry industry combined with her overall business experience is exceptional. We are fortunate to have her expertise available to us as Jewelers Mutual continues to aggressively grow and evolve.”

Prior to joining JBT, Kenyon was managing director of the consumer lending group at FleetBoston Financial Corporation (now Bank of America). Before that position, she was senior vice president and division manager of Fleet Precious Metals for nine years. Prior to her career in the banking industry, Kenyon held positions in credit lending and marketing in the metals and jewelry industries, including the Leach & Garner Company.

Kenyon is a member of the board of governors of the Gemological Institute of America, where she chairs the finance committee. She was also a past president and director of the Boston Jewelers Club, and a member of the 24 Karat Clubs of New York and Southern California. Additionally, she serves on the Board of American Student Assistance in Boston, MA, a non-profit assisting in education loan default prevention, and on the distribution committee for The Champlin Foundations, based in Rhode Island. She previously served as board chair of the Lincoln School, and as a board member of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee and the Women’s Jewelry Association.

You Wouldn’t Cut Your Own Hair. Why Run Your Own Retirement Sale?

After being in business for over a quarter of a century, Wayne Reid, owner of Wayne Jewelers in Wayne, Pennsylvania, decided it was time for a little “me time.” He says, “I’ve reached a point in my life where it’s time to slow down, enjoy a lot of things outside of the jewelry industry. It just seemed to be the right time.” He chose Wilkerson to handle his retirement sale because of their reputation and results. With financial goals exceeded, Reid says he made the right choice selecting Wilkerson to handle the sale. “They made every effort to push our jewelry to the forefront of the showcases,” he says, lauding Wilkerson for their finesse and expertise. Would he recommend them to other jewelers who want to make room for new merchandise, expand their business or like him, decide to call it a day? Absolutely he says, equating trying to do this kind of sale with cutting your own hair. “The results are going to happen but not as well as if you have a professional like Wilkerson do the job for you.”