Press Releases

Gem Legacy Expands Advisory Council

Three industry members join in advocacy for artisanal gem mining communities.

Published

1 year ago

March 1, 2022

Press Releases

(PRESS RELEASE) ROYAL OAK, MI — Gem Legacy, a 501c3 nonprofit organization launched in 2018 and dedicated to East African artisanal gem mining communities, has expanded its advisory council, with the addition of: Katherine Bodoh, CEO of the American Gem Society (AGS) and AGS Laboratories; Stuart Robertson, research director of Gemworld International; and Sumit Dangi, CFO of Jewelers Mutual Group.

Founding members of the advisory council are Niveet Nagpal, president of Omi Gems and Omi Privé, and Jonathan and Brecken Farnsworth, owners of Parlé Jewelry Designs.

Council members are dedicated to sharing Gem Legacy’s mission and inspiring the industry to give back at the source. They serve as ambassadors for Gem Legacy and advocates for Gem Legacy’s initiatives.

The expanded council will endeavor to enroll new partners and collaborate with industry organizations and businesses to form alliances with Gem Legacy.

“The expansion of the Gem Legacy advisory council is an exciting step forward for our industry, for Gem Legacy, and for the communities and businesses the organization supports,” says Ben Smithee, CEO, The Smithee Group, who serves on Gem Legacy’s board of directors, responsible for day-to-day decision making at the nonprofit. “Our new advocates will lead the charge for a unified movement to support the communities that serve as the foundation of our industry.”

For more information about Gem Legacy or to schedule an interview, email info@gemlegacy.org or visit gemlegacy.org.

It Was Time to Make a Decision. It Was Time to Call Wilkerson.

Except for a few years when he worked as an accountant, Jim Schwartz has always been a jeweler. He grew up in the business and after “counting beans” for a few years, he and his wife, Robin, opened Robin James Jewelers in Cincinnati, Ohio. “We were coming to a stage in our life where we knew we have to make a decision,” says Jim Schwartz. He and Robin wanted to do it right, so they called Wilkerson. The best surprise (besides surpassing sales goals)? “The workers and associations really care about helping us move out own inventory out of the store first. It was very important to us.”