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American Gem Society Presents Several Awards During Conclave May 09, 2023 (0 comments)
Louisville, KY--The American Gem Society (AGS) presented several prestigious awards at the recently held 2023 AGS Conclave.
On May 3, during the Titleholders Luncheon, Maria Brown, RJ, chair of the Young Titleholders Committee, gave out the 2023 Young Titleholder of the Year Award to Courtney Sivard, CSA, of BC Clark Jewelers, Oklahoma City, OK.
The Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) collaborated with the Young Titleholder’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee to award one BIJC member a grant for Conclave: Nifé Le Blanc. The grant covered the cost of Conclave registration and lodging and provided a $500 gift card from AGS toward travel expenses.
[Courtney Sivard of BC Clark Jewelers, Oklahoma City, OK, holding her Young Titleholder of the Year Award in one arm and someone special in the other]
In addition, Brown announced the recipients of the Young Titleholder’s Conclave Scholarships. This year, they awarded seven individuals with this honor, which provided each a free registration to Conclave. The recipients were:
- Amberlee Haddix, Ross Elliot Jewelers, Terre Haute, Indiana
- Abigail Hinds-Aldrich, Brown Goldsmiths & Co., Inc., Freeport, Maine
- Andrea Lopez-Irlanda, Jae’s Jewelers, Coral Gables, Florida
- Lex Melendez, Carter’s Collective Fine Jewelry, Petal, Mississippi
- Andrea Pooler, Hill & Company, Yorkshire, England
- Taryn Quigley, TQ Diamonds, Madison, Wisconsin
- Tiana Yamaguchi, Vardy’s Jewelers, Cupertino, California
Amanda Coleman-Phelps, CGA, Chair of the International Guilds Council, also presented several awards at the Titleholders Luncheon.
The Sallie Morton Award for 2022 went to Meier Opalek of AGTA, who was unable to attend last year's presentation. William Frost, who was with the Roanoke and Maryland National Capital Guild, won the award for 2023.
The Guild of the Year Award went to the St. Louis Guild. The Guild’s President, Anne Howitt, accepted the award.
The John J. Kennedy Award, given to outstanding law enforcement and security professionals who have served the jewelry industry, went to Special Agent Mark Dennis Jr. of the FBI’s Tampa division.
The next Conclave will be held April 15–17, 2024, in Austin, TX.