Sterling Jewelers Donates $100,000 to GIA Endowment Fund
Terry Burman to join League of Honor for the first time

By Tara J. McKenna

Terry Burman, chairman and CEO of Sterling Jewelers, Inc. will be inducted into the GIA League of Honor in October for his company’s generous $100,000 donation to the Institute.

Sterling Jewelers, Inc., the second largest specialty jewelry retailer in the United States with 1,100 stores, is the parent company of Kay Jewelers, Jared The Galleria of Jewelry and several smaller regional chains. The company’s gift will benefit the GIA Endowment Fund, which was launched in 2000 to help ensure GIA’s cutting edge research, technology and education into the future.

“We consider GIA to be the highest caliber in our industry for research and education programs that help establish professional standards in our field,” said Burman, who served as co-chair for last year’s League of Honor Dinner. “We felt it was important to support the Institute because they give us the opportunity to be more accountable to our customers.”

He gave GIA’s country of origin of gem diamond research in 1999 as an example. The Institute concluded that a diamond’s origin could not be positively determined by practical means and suggested that a tracking system be developed. This, Burman said, was a critical step that led to the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, the widely used method of certifying a diamond’s path from mine to consumer to deter conflict diamonds. GIA’s research on gemstone simulants and treatments is a particular reason why Burman felt compelled to support the Institute.

“As the jewelry industry continues to be challenged by synthetics and treated stones, we need a research and educational organization that can be a source of knowledge about new developments and help give us credibility with our customers,” he said.

Burman joined the jewelry industry in 1980 when he became vice president of operations for Barry’s Jewelers, Inc. During his 15-year career with the company, he was named president in 1986 and chief executive officer in 1992. He joined Sterling Jewelers, Inc. as chairman and CEO in 1995. He was also named Group CEO of Signet Group, Sterling Jewelers’ London-based parent company, in 2000.

“Terry has earned a great reputation for his leadership of Sterling Jewelers and for the active role he has taken for the entire industry,” said Jerry Buckley, director of GIA Development. “In addition to the support he has shown us, he contributes his time and resources to many industry and non-industry organizations and is dedicated to helping children though his activities as chairman of the board for the Jewelers Charity Fund for Children.”