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Brand And Industry News: Jewelers Mutual Honored; AGS Presents Awards; De Beers Acquires Mine July 25, 2018 (0 comments)
Jewelers Mutual Honored By Insurance Industry For Eighth Year In A Row
Neenah, WI—Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company has been named to the 2018 list of Ward’s 50 top performing insurance companies, its eighth consecutive year of making the list. The award recognizes outstanding financial results in the areas of safety, consistency, and performance over a five-year period from 2013-17.
“We are intensely focused on our customers and providing solutions to their business challenges,” said Scott Murphy, Jewelers Mutual president and CEO. “Being named to Ward’s 50 again is a testament that our employees and partners continue to do so."
The list was released on July 17 by Ward Group, an Aon Hewitt company and the leading provider of operational and compensation benchmarking and best practices services for insurance companies. To develop its annual list of the top 50 performing insurance companies, Ward Group analyzes the financial performance of nearly 3,000 property-casualty insurance companies and 800 life-health insurance companies domiciled in the United States, and identifies the top performers in each segment based on objective data and subjective quality measures. Each company has passed all safety and consistency screens and achieved superior performance over the five years analyzed.
“We continue to look for new ways to evolve and strengthen our business so that we can be here for our customers when they need us the most,” added Murphy.
A complete list of the 2018 Ward's 50 companies for property-casualty is located at WardInc.com.
AGS Presents Annual Circle of Distinction Awards
New York, NY—Terry Chandler, president and CEO of Diamond Council of America (DCA), and David Bouffard, vice president of corporate affairs for Signet Jewelers Ltd. (NYSE: SIG) were both honored with a Triple Zero Award at the American Gem Society’s annual Circle of Distinction Dinner on July 17. Stephen Lussier, CEO of Forevermark, received the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
From left: Matt Runci, retired CEO of JA, with Terry Chandler and David Bouffard, AGS Triple Zero Award winners. Below: Stephen Lussier, Forevermark CEO.
“The term ‘Triple Zero’ signifies the highest grade a diamond can receive in the American Gem Society grading system. The American Gem Society established the award to recognize jewelry professionals for their valuable contributions to our industry,” says Katherine Bodoh, CEO of the AGS and AGS Laboratories.
Chandler echoed the sentiments of his fellow honorees. “I am honored and humbled to receive this special award from the American Gem Society and to join the ranks of the previous honorees, as well as tonight’s honorees. DCA has been a member and supported AGS for nearly two decades because they stand in the doorway to protect and promote the integrity and ethics of our industry."
De Beers Group To Acquire Peregrine Diamonds Ltd.
Nunavut Territory, Canada—De Beers Canada has entered into an agreement to acquire the outstanding securities of Peregrine Diamonds Ltd., owner of the high-quality Chidliak diamond resource located in Canada’s Nunavut Territory. The purchase price is C$0.24 per share, for a total cash consideration of approximately C$107 million.
The Chidliak resource was discovered in 2008 and is located approximately 120 kilometers northeast of Iqaluit on Baffin Island. A total of 74 kimberlite pipes were identified at Chidliak, for a total estimated mineral resource in excess of 22 million carats at an estimated valuation of US$151 per carat. Peregrine also has exploration properties elsewhere in Nunavut and the Northwest Territories.
Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group, said: “The Chidliak resource holds significant development potential and will be an exciting addition to our portfolio. With a strong outlook for consumer demand, we are seeking new opportunities to invest in our future supply potential and look forward to growing our portfolio in Canada and working with community partners in the Nunavut Territory as we further develop the project.”