Press Releases

MJSA Re-elects Board Chair, Adds New Directors

Joseph Esposito enters his third term as chair, Stanley Zale and Allison Peck start their first as directors.

Published

1 year ago

December 18, 2022

Press Releases

Joseph Esposito | Stanley Zale | Allison Peck

(PRESS RELEASE) Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America, the U.S. trade alliance dedicated to professional excellence in jewelry making and design, recently re-elected Joseph Esposito to his third one-year term as chair of the MJSA Board of Directors.

The alliance also elected two new directors, Stanley Zale and Allison Peck, to three-year terms.

Joseph Esposito is the executive vice president of National Chain Group in Warwick, Rhode Island. He entered the jewelry industry as an apprentice in 1979 and, in 1988, partnered to form Prime Time Manufacturing in Warwick, Rhode Island. He later ran global manufacturing for the Berkshire Hathaway–owned Richline Group before joining National Chain in 2019. Esposito holds several patents for jewelry metallurgical processes and component designs.

Stanley Zale is vice president of diamond and gemstone procurement at Lafayette, Louisiana–based Stuller Inc., where he has served since 2006. A 40-year veteran of the diamond business, Zale was trained as a diamond sawyer. He has held accountability for diamond manufacturing at Zale Corp. and Stuller, and he represented both at the Diamond Trading Company.

Allison Peck is creative director of Color Merchants in New York City, where she oversees product design, merchandising, manufacturing, marketing, and trade shows. A second-generation jeweler, Peck joined the company in 2017 after several years in the fashion apparel industry. She is also the founder of Brevani, Color Merchants’ in-house brand that offers fashion-forward finished jewelry.

The following MJSA executive committee members were also re-elected:

Vice Chair: Arien Gessner, president of Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Vice Chair: David Siminski, vice president of sales and marketing at United Precious Metal Refining in Alden, New York.
Secretary: Dave Meleski, president/CEO of the New York City–based Richline Group.
Treasurer: Michael Toback, president of Myron Toback Inc. in New York City.
Officer at Large: Edward DeCristofaro, president of LDC Inc. in East Providence, Rhode Island.
Officer at Large: Ann Arnold, chief strategy officer for the Buyers Intelligence Group (BIG) in Norwood, New Jersey.
Chair, MJSA Education Foundation: Steven A. Cipolla, president of National Chain Group in Warwick, Rhode Island.

Coby Blanchard, chief supply chain officer for Stuller Inc., and Mark D. Devereaux, vice president of sales at Jewelers Mutual Group in Neenah, Wisconsin, ended their terms as directors. Both had served for two consecutive three-year terms.

For a complete list of MJSA officers and directors, go here

This Third-Generation Jeweler Was Ready for Retirement. He Called Wilkerson

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.”