(PRESS RELEASE) RAPAPORT — New York… Rapaport Diamond Corporation (RDC), the US auction and trading company of the Rapaport Group announces the appointment of David Lee as the Chief Executive Officer and Michelle Ickowics as the Chief Operating Officer of the company.
The team will be working together to significantly expand the Group’s auction and trading activities with additional emphasis on gems and jewelry. RDC is currently the world’s largest recycler of diamonds, with auction sales of over 400,000 carats per year. The Rapaport Price List, RapNet, and Information services will continue to be owned and operated by Rapaport USA Inc., a separate company headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“We are excited to welcome David to Rapaport Diamond Corporation. Working together with Michelle, a 14-year Rapaport veteran, I am confident they will maintain Rapaport’s ethical values as they grow our diamond trading business and expand operations to gems and jewelry. We anticipate increased opportunity in the jewelry trade as elderly consumers sell their jewelry”, said Martin Rapaport, chairman of the Rapaport Group.
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.
