WJA Honors GIA with First Hall of Fame Corporate Award for Excellence

CARLSBAD, Calif. – Aug. 3, 2009 – The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) was honored by the Women’s Jewelry Association (WJA) with the organization’s first-ever “Hall of Fame Corporate Award for Excellence” at its annual gala dinner in New York City.

WJA President Yancy Weinrich presented the award to GIA President and CEO Donna Baker.

“GIA has been an integral touchstone for literally tens of thousands of trained gem and jewelry professionals,” said Weinrich. “The Institute continues to advance the knowledge and accomplishments of both women and men in the industry. Because their contributions have been, and continue to be, so meaningful and profound, the WJA has established this special ‘Hall of Fame Corporate Award for Excellence’ to honor GIA.”

The WJA Hall of Fame Awards for Excellence recognize individual women and men who have proven to be of superior merit and distinction in helping women succeed in the gem and jewelry industry. Besides GIA this year, two new Hall of Fame members now include Diane von Furstenberg, world-renowned fashion designer who received the WJA Lifetime Achievement Award and Matt Runci, president of Jewelers of America, who received the WJA Ben Kaiser Lifetime Achievement Award.

The WJA also bestowed its traditional Award of Excellence to nine other exceptional and well-regarded individuals at the ceremony.

“It is with great pride that we receive this Corporate Award for Excellence, especially to do so standing in the company of such prominent leaders,” Baker said.

“The Institute is a longtime proponent of WJA and its mission and we are proud of those women who have contributed to the Institute's many achievements throughout its history,” she added. “Beatrice Shipley, wife of GIA founder Robert Shipley, was instrumental in the formation of GIA and helped ensure its operational success. Eunice Miles, one of the first women to attend the Institute, played a key role in the establishment of the GIA Laboratory in New York and had a distinguished career in gemological research. A highlight of her years in the industry was in 1987 when she received the WJA Hall of Fame Award.”

However, GIA is most proud of its graduates, Baker said, among them successful women from all over the world, employed in every sector of the trade, who have turned to GIA for their educational and professional credentials. It is their leadership that has helped foster the growth of the WJA and elevated the standards of the industry overall. It is notable that a number of these GIA alumni and staff have been WJA chapter presidents, board members and award recipients.

Since its inception in 1983, WJA has consistently honored and recognized many GIA key employees, besides Miles who received one of the very first honors from WJA, including Kathryn Kimmel, Alice Keller, Susan Elliott, Debbie Hiss and William Boyajian.