(PRESS RELEASE) Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America, the U.S. trade alliance dedicated to professional excellence in jewelry making and design, recently announced that Lee Krombholz has been named vice chair of the MJSA Education Foundation, the alliance’s 501(c)3 subsidiary.
The third-generation owner of Kromboholz Jewelers in Cincinnati and an award-winning jewelry designer, Krombholz has a long connection with MJSA. He’s been a member of the MJSA board of directors since 2012 (including several years as vice chair), has served on the MJSA Custom Design Advisory Council, and was named an MJSA Mentor Jeweler in 2018. He has also been a frequent contributor to the MJSA Education Foundation’s activities. He has presented several educational sessions at the annual MJSA Expo in New York City, and for the past few years he has been a judge for the Foundation’s scholarship program.
He also previously served as president of the Ohio Jewelers Association, is a member of INSTORE magazine’s “Brain Squad,” and has served on the advisory board of the INSTORE show.
In his new role, Krombholz joins the Foundation’s chair, Steven A. Cipolla of National Chain Group in Warwick, Rhode Island, and its executive director, Rich Youmans. Together, they will pursue training and career initiatives for workers throughout the jewelry industry. Those initiatives include the recently launched MJSA Mentor & Apprenticeship Program. A recipient of a JCK Industry Fund grant, the program aims to develop the tools needed by businesses to bring on apprentices and train them properly. Nanz Aalund, author of the MJSA Press book A Jeweler’s Guide to Apprenticeships, is now developing a framework and curriculum for training bench jewelers; when completed, it will have the first nationally recognized standards for bench work. The program is expected to roll out in early 2023.
To learn more about the MJSA Education Foundation and its initiatives, click here.