Fall 2010 AJA Newsletter.cdr

Alabama Jewelers Association
FALL 2010
Inside This Issue:
AJA Member Recognition
2
President's Message
3
Board of Directors
4
Design Competition Winners
7
October 7th-10th at The Island House Hotel
Orange Beach, Alabama
Page 2
AJA Members Recognized
Ingrid Strange of Ingrid's Jewelers in Daleville, Alabama was awarded the coveted
Jeweler of the Year Award by the 24 Karat Club SEUS.
Congratulations Ingrid!
2010
Keep up the good work with your never-
ending support of our soldiers!
Steve Lange of Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Alabama
was awarded the new 24 Karat Club-Sterling Reputation Scholarship
for 2010.
The school will receive $2500 to assist students with course
fees and materials expenses.
Bishop State offers an 18-month
Ingrid Strange
program in jewelry design and watch repair.
For more
information you may call the AJA office.
Congratulations to AJA members recently inducted into
the 24 Karat Club SEUS.
Steve Lange
Judy Carter, John Falotico, Adam Staub, and AJ
Tosyali (wearing medallions, left to right).
The Alabama Jewelers Association would like to thank each of our members for their
support and confidence as we strive to make this organization an important part of your
business. Please let us hear your thoughts and ideas about how we can be of service to
you. After all, this is your association!
Our Sympathy:
To the family and friends of Kelley Winn.
Kelley was a Past President of AJA, and a
long time supporter of our organization.
While she was unable to attend many of our events in recent
years, she always called to offer well-wishes, and ask if there
was anything she could do. Kelley will be missed.
2010 AJA Associate Member of the Year
Thank you so much for awarding me the honor of Associate Member of
the Year. I feel as though I do not deserve it, but I'm very grateful you
think otherwise. Hope and I are so very blessed to be a part of this
great organization. The friendships we have made over the past five
years are priceless. I look forward to many more years helping to keep
our industry thriving by serving AJA.
Sincerely,
John Falotico
Page 3
President’s Message
As the recently appointed President of AJA, I would like to express my sincere thanks to
fellow members and supporters of our association. I've been moved by those who have offered
their help and support for me personally, and for the Alabama Jewelers.
To our advertisers, sponsors and members, I thank you for hanging in there with us this past
year as we've worked to rebuild and reorganize our association in respect to the changes in
our relationship with JA as well as the challenging economy. We've all been forced to make
adjustments in our business strategy, and I'm confident that together, we will be become
better at what we do by building upon the relationships we've formed as members of AJA.
I would like to invite everyone to join us for our upcoming Saltwater Seminar October 7th10th to enjoy fun, fellowship and learning. We always have a wonderful time at the beach,
and this year we will be helping local businesses as we patronize the area and show our
support for those who have been severely affected by the gulf oil spill. The gulf has been our
Saltwater playground for over 20 years, and we feel called to show our support. Please come join us!
Finally, I'm excited about the decision to reunite again with the Georgia jewelers for our 2011 convention, March 25th
27 . We're going to Lakepoint State Park Resort in Eufaula, Alabama. I visited the park earlier this year, and you will
want to bring your family, and be with us for another memorable convention.
Wishing everyone a prosperous holiday season!
Sincerely,
Nick Sanders
Page 4
AJA Board of Directors
Executive Officers
Nick Sanders, President Nick Sanders Jewelers, Jasper
Jared Nadler, Vice President/Treasurer Levy's Fine
Jewelry, Birmingham
Steve West, Secretary Lorch Diamond Centers,
Tuscaloosa
Kathy Beall, Executive Director
Regional Vice Presidents
Danny Clarke, Gold Art, Mobile
Lewis Leopard, Bromberg & Co., Birmingham
Ed LaFontaine, Ted's Jewelers, Dothan
Shay Morgan, Shay's Jewelers, Hoover
Bill Wismar, Metal Benders, Fairhope
Advisory Board
Don Lowe, Lowe Jewelry, Demopolis
Nancy Dawkins, Nancy & Co., Northport
Marshall Sanford, Hayes Jewelers, Mobile
John Poole, Hudson-Poole Jewelers, Tuscaloosa
Richard White, Ed White Jewelers, Cullman
Gene Poole, Hudson-Poole Jewelers, Tuscaloosa
Associate Members
Judy Carter, Judy Carter & Associates
John Falotico, Camelot Bridal
Craft Maier, Citizen Watch
Brent Johnson, Richard's, Inc.
Bill Harrison, Ashi
Renee Singer, Start-to-Finish
Page 5
“Change is usually not a
question of capability; it's
almost always a question of
motivation.”
Anthony Robbins
Page 6
3525
Lorna
Ridge
205-323-5335
s
Drive
Birmingham,
1-800-423-5335
s
Alabama
fax:
35216
205-323-1094
Page 7
th
th
2011 Alabama-Georgia Convention March 25 -27
Lakepoint State Park Resort in Eufaula has been announced as the site to co-host the Alabama and Georgia
Jewelers convention for 2011.
The park is located approximately 30-minutes outside of Columbus, Georgia,
making this a convenient setting for attendees from both states.
Lakepoint re-opened less than a year ago following a $12 million dollar renovation by the State of Alabama.
Their convention facility offers state-of-the-art technology, and meeting services comparable to most upscale
hotels.
We hope you will mark your calendar to attend!
For more details on Lakepoint State Park visit
www.Alapark.com.
2010 AJA DESIGN COMPETITION WINNERS
rubellite
Top Honors went to Bill Wismar of Metal
Benders in Fairhope, Alabama.
st
1
Wismar won
Place in Categories II & III, as well as the
Best of Show and People's Choice Award.
The
mounted inside
an 18kt yellow
gold hammered
Best of Show design will represent the state of
dome, with
Alabama in the newly announced SJTA State
“Roman”
Design Competition “Torch Awards” to be held
columns flanking
during the Spring 2011 Atlanta Jewelry Show.
each side.
Robert Levy of Levy's Fine Jewelry in
Congratulations
st
Birmingham, Alabama was awarded 1
in Category I.
Place
His entry was a 3.14 carat oval
to Bill and
Robert!
Category III, Best of Show, and People's
Choice Award is a hand-fabricated
platinum necklace with a 16.70 carat
crystal opal and 1.50 carats of diamonds
created by Bill Wismar of Metal Benders
in Fairhope, Alabama.
12850 Highway 9
Suite 600-PMB 373
Alpharetta, GA 30004
www.AlabamaJewelers.org
Phone: 770-751-8622
Fax: 770-206-2352
We’re paying premiums for Diamonds, Estate
Jewelry, Signed Pieces & Watches. One item or
Entire Estates. We’re the Estate Buyers of
choice for individuals, Banks, Attorneys,
Jewelers, Gemologists & Appraisers.
Please call us first if you or your client have
items for sale.