Chapter Events Offer In-Depth, Exciting Experiences

Kate Donovan, manager of alumni relations

June 25, 2014

AGS reception
Guests at GIA's reception at AGS Conclave celebrate the American Gem Society's 80th Anniversary.
Alumni across the world continue to amaze me with their commitment to excellence. It is so rewarding to hear from our members: excited words shared by new alumni who are thrilled with their new affiliation; chapter leaders who regularly extend themselves for the benefit of their members; or “lost” alumni who reach out to the Alumni office to reconnect after 10, 20 or even 30 years. One message is consistent: their GIA education experience has impacted their life and they want to know how they can discover and learn even more.

My answer remains a simple constant: Stay connected. Stay informed. GIA delivers public and continuing education opportunities regularly to alumni members, but please don’t forget to take notice of the work of our chapters. Exciting things are happening for our alumni around the world.

Since our last Alum Connect edition in March 2014, the alumni office is pleased to report:

  • Big GIA Alumni Association numbers: It’s time to celebrate!
  • Active members: 99,000 plus
  • Chapters worldwide: 70
  • Chapters events so far this year: 74
  • Alumni Gathering at AGS Conclave: More than 250 alumni and industry dignitaries attended an event to celebrate our members and the American Gem Society’s 80th Anniversary. 
  • GIA in New York: Many alumni and local chapter leaders attended an opening reception of the new GIA lab and campus location in the International Gem Tower in New York.
Alumni at IGT
Members of the Manhattan Chapter – Gail Brett Levine, secretary/treasurer;
Irma Maria Davidson; Merle S. Koblenz, president; Delphine Leblanc; and
Victor Hugo Garcia, vice president – at GIA’s new location in New York.
  • Baselworld, Hong Kong and JCK Las Vegas shows provided great opportunities for reunions, including meeting up with many alumni members and chapter leaders from Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, London, Peru, South Africa, Switzerland and the U.S.
Here’s some of the CHAPTER highlight news and events that have occurred in the last few months:

  • Spain – our newest chapter! – hosted a very successful first event, meeting at Mineralia 2014 exhibition in Seville, followed by a social.
Spain Alumni chapter
André Neves Bento, president of the Spain chapter, left, and Adolfo de Basilio at
the chapter’s first event in Seville.
  • Chapter milestones: A round of applause to Shanghai for 25 years as a registered society in perfect time to re-launch chapter activity. Washington, D.C. celebrates 30 years!
  • Social gatherings brought Houston, Malaysia, Metro-Phoenix and Toronto members together. Students from Shanghai joined alumni from Hong Kong at a dinner hosted during the Changsha Show in China.
  • Safety and security was presented by FBI and LA police department detectives to the Los Angeles chapter.
  • Author Renee Newman presented a lecture on “Exotic Gems” at the Golden Gate, Illinois/Indiana and Wisconsin chapters.
  • Auction and jewelry history presentations at three chapters included: Alexander Eblen, from Leslie Hindman Auctioneers, at Minnesota -Twin Cities; a special preview at Heritage Auction Galleries for Los Angeles members; and Dr. Brenda Forman presented on “17th Century Diamonds and Pearls” at Washington, D.C.
  • Talks on minerals and gem mining history brought the gemological world together: John Rhoads on North America Gems and Minerals for Colorado, Mile High and Walter Goetz on the famous Montgomery Co. Gold Mining History in Washington, D.C. Members of the North Texas chapter were struck by the beauty of Dr. Rob Lavinsky’s gallery of exceptional minerals at their open house hosted at Arkenstone.
  • Watches, history, education and pricing were topics presented by experts Ken Specht, creator of the Specht Sheet, and Ed Faber, of Faber Galleries, in Las Vegas and Manhattan, respectively.
  • Demand for colored gemstone knowledge is up. AGTA’s CEO Doug Hucker presented “The Colored Gemstone Revolution” to the Wisconsin and St. Louis chapters. Pennsylvania/Delaware Valley and South Florida hosted Adam Graham, CEO of Erica Courtney Jewelry, to talk on "Selling Color." Seattle, London, Golden Gate and Ohio heard from gemstone experts and traders on the topics of mine to market, specialty gems and market sources in Sri Lanka and East Africa.
  • Gemology, research and “hands-on” sessions were experienced during a lab visit in Manhattan, a gem identification challenge in Colorado, and a synthetic and treated diamond event in Michigan.
  • Jewelry design, lapidary and gemstone photography events featured jewelry designer Etienne Perret in San Diego; the art of gemstone carving in Washington, D.C.; a lapidary school visit by Middle Tennessee; and capturing the beauty behind the lens by GIA’s Robert Weldon in Metro-Phoenix.
Chapter travel – you’re invited!

  • The Malaysia chapter is going to Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) this fall and all global alumni are welcome to go exploring with them! This second International Alumni Gathering trip planned by the chapter encourages worldwide members to join. All interested parties should contact the Malaysia Chapter for more details, information or to let them know you are interested in joining. Act quickly, space is limited.
  • Mexico City chapter leaves this week for its latest Gemstone Safari excursion to the Sea of Cortez to visit pearl farms and experience the harvest.
Alumni News – take note!

  • Join us to “Party at the GIA Gem Mine: Down Under” at the annual Tucson reunion, dinner dance and alumni auction to support the Alumni Endowment Fund on Feb. 6, 2015. Consider donating something related to this fun theme. For further donation information and to download a form, visit our web page.
I hope all of you who read this report are inspired by the committed alumni who are creating these opportunities for their fellow alumni members. And if you haven’t done so yet – get involved! To all our chapter volunteers and alumni members across the globe who plan and attend these continuing education opportunities, thank you. It’s your actions that drive our Alumni Association’s success.

Tucson Logo 2015