Press Releases

IGI Names North American President

He has 30 years of fine jewelry-related expertise.

Published

5 years ago

September 4, 2019

INSTORE Staff

(PRESS RELEASE) NEW YORK – The International Gemological Institute (IGI) announced that Avi Levy will serve as the new president of IGI North America. Levy succeeds industry veteran Jerry Ehrenwald, GG, ASA, who has served as IGI North America president and CEO since 1991.

With 30 years of fine jewelry-related expertise, Levy brings valuable experience to the institute, including diamond sourcing, manufacturing, product development, brand partnerships and wholesale trade to major jewelry retailers. His leadership skills and expertise gained from various roles have yielded advantageous results and strengthened key partnerships.

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“We are excited to welcome Avi to the team,” said Roland Lorie, IGI CEO. “He will play a significant role in bolstering the Institute’s relationships and services offerings between the overseas manufacturers and the U.S. customer base.”

“IGI has been a leader and innovator in the certification of fine jewelry for over 40 years. I’m excited to continue the tradition of building trust and recognition within the industry and beyond,” said Levy. “I look forward to leading the New York-based team, growing our current relationships as well as forging new strategic alliances, with a concentrated focus on gaining further recognition and expansion of the IGI global brand. It is an honor to have the opportunity to redefine the significance of an IGI certification and bring a new sense of trust and transparency to the end consumer.”

After nearly four decades of dedicated service, Jerry Ehrenwald, former president and CEO of IGI North America, will be overseeing LGDEX.org, which is a laboratory grown diamond exchange platform. Through his longstanding career with IGI, and having amassed a lifetime of industry experience, Ehrenwald’s legacy includes his invention of the U.S.-patented Laserscribe, which is a means of laser inscribing onto a diamond a unique indicia such as a Diamond Identification Number.

“There comes a time in life where you want to do something different, and that time for me is now,” said Ehrenwald. “While I have decided to move on to a new and exciting business venture, I will always keep IGI in my heart and hope to achieve the same level of pride and success with LGDEX.org as I have with IGI.”

Reflecting on Ehrenwald’s time with the Institute, Lorie shared, “Jerry and I have spent most of our professional lives working together and have seen the company flourish, and we are very proud of what we achieved for the Institute. Today, major players in the retail industry are utilizing IGI reports to bring confidence to their customers, and for that, I thank Jerry for his great work and wish him all the best with his new endeavor.”

For more information on IGI and its offerings, please visit www.igi.org.

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Retirement is never easy, especially when it means the end to a business that was founded in 1884. But for Laura and Sam Sipe, it was time to put their own needs first. They decided to close J.C. Sipe Jewelers, one of Indianapolis’ most trusted names in fine jewelry, and call Wilkerson. “Laura and I decided the conditions were right,” says Sam. Wilkerson handled every detail in their going-out-of-business sale, from marketing to manning the sales floor. “The main goal was to sell our existing inventory that’s all paid for and turn that into cash for our retirement,” says Sam. “It’s been very, very productive.” Would they recommend Wilkerson to other jewelers who want to enjoy their golden years? Absolutely! “Call Wilkerson,” says Laura. “They can help you achieve your goals so you’ll be able to move into retirement comfortably.”