Press Releases

Karen Goracke Receives Women’s Jewelry Association’s Visionary Award

Karen Goracke was honored at WJA’s 2021 Awards for Excellence Gala in New York City.

Published

4 years ago

October 26, 2021

Press Releases

Karen Goracke

(PRESS RELEASE) OMAHA, NE — Borsheims President and CEO Karen Goracke was presented with the Visionary Award at the Women’s Jewelry Association’s (WJA) 2021 Awards for Excellence Gala in New York City on Wednesday evening. The annual fundraising event brought together 250 guests in person and hundreds more virtually for a night of networking and celebration.

Being honored alongside Goracke was fashion industry titan and award-winning creator of New York Fashion Week, Fern Mallis. Themed Building Resilience Through Responsible Business, the event highlighted three important focus areas: diversity, equity and inclusion; responsible sourcing and sustainability; and leadership development for women.

In her acceptance speech, Goracke made a point to recognize her many sponsors, colleagues and mentors who have helped support and guide her throughout her distinguished career. In the audience to support her on Wednesday night were her husband of 30 years, two of her adult sons, and Sonny Sethi of Tara Pearls, one of her many mentors.

WJA’s mission to “help women in the jewelry and watch industries advance and develop professionally through networking, education, leadership development, and the provision of member services” means a great deal to Goracke. Having stepped into the jewelry industry more than 30 years ago as a young woman fresh out of college, Goracke understands how essential these things were to her professional development. With over 85% of Borsheims staff being female, the company has been a longtime champion for working mothers and a proponent of promoting women to leadership positions. Before being appointed President and CEO by Warren Buffett, Goracke served in several different roles, including Sales Associate, Inventory Supervisor, Buyer, and Director of Merchandising. This range of experience, paired with her involvement in various industry affiliations, has helped her acquire a breadth of knowledge not only of Borsheims but also of the worldwide jewelry industry.

Visit borsheims.com/blog for photos of Goracke from the event.

Family Legacy, New Chapter: How Wilkerson Turns 89 Years of History Into Future Success

After 89 years of serving the Albany community, Harold Finkle Your Jeweler faced a pivotal decision. For third-generation owner Justin Finkle, the demanding hours of running a small business were taking precious time away from his young family. "After 23 years, I decided this was the time for me," Finkle explains. But closing a business with nearly nine decades of inventory and customer relationships isn't something easily managed alone. Wilkerson's comprehensive approach transformed this challenging transition into a remarkable success story. Their strategic planning handled everything from advertising and social media to inventory management and staffing — elements that would overwhelm most jewelers attempting to navigate a closing sale independently. The results speak volumes. "Wilkerson gave us three different tiers of potential goals," Finkle notes. "We've reached that third tier, that highest goal already, and we still have two weeks left of the sale." The partnership didn't just meet financial objectives—it exceeded them ahead of schedule.