MJSA Expo New York
March 8-10, 2009
Jacob Javits Convention Center
New York City
2009 Seminars
SUNDAY, MARCH 8
Free Seminars
Location: Seminars will take place in the presentation area at the rear of Hall C.
11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.
Financing Precious Metals and Diamonds
Speakers: Edward Gately, Senior Vice President; Richard Seufert, Senior Vice President; and Jeffrey Sarfaty, Vice President—all of HSBC Bank
When it comes to financing precious metals and diamonds, the rules of the game have changed dramatically. Tight credit has led to much stricter requirements that have left many would-be borrowers out in the cold. What must your company do to qualify for financing in the cautious lending market that will remain the reality for the foreseeable future? Don’t base your financing expectations on rumors or misinformation. The experts from HSBC will give you the facts.
sponsored by:
1:15 to 3 p.m.
RETAIL SUMMIT: What Retailers Want From Manufacturers
Moderator: Ron Mondillo, Principal of HM Research Associates
Panelists: Jeff Taraschi, Senior Vice President Jewelry of Fashion & Beauty for QVC; David Pillow, Vice President of Zales Corp.; Rona Mohammedi, Group Director of Supply Management for Tiffany & Co.; John Green, President/CEO of Lux Bond & Green; and more to come!
sponsored by:
1:30 p.m.
5th Annual MJSA Innovation Awards Presentation
Come meet the 2008 MJSA Innovation Award-winning products’ innovators and distributors! Each year, a panel of judges selects new technologies that are allowing jewelry manufacturers to extend their capabilities dramatically.
3:45 to 5 p.m.
Marketing to Gen-Y: The New Generation of Jewelry Buyers
Speaker: Ken Gassman of the Jewelry Industry Research Institute
Smart jewelry suppliers are looking beyond the current economic slowdown and finding new opportunities in the next generation of American jewelry consumers. Known as the Millennials or “Gen-Y,” they are second only to the Baby Boomers in sheer size, form households that have two incomes, no children, and have a particularly high propensity to buy jewelry that is distinctively different. Gassman, a jewelry industry analyst, will help you understand this developing market and how you can tap into it.
sponsored by:
Paid Sessions
Session Rates: $50 each for MJSA members; $75 each for non-members; $37 each for students. Receive a 30% discount on your rates by signing up for all three sessions! Sessions will take place in Meeting Room 1C04.
PALLADIUM CERTIFICATE SERIES: Profiting With Palladium
Palladium is durable and lightweight; it has a platinum pedigree. It also poses some unique challenges both to caster and bench jewelers. These sessions will show you how to master the newest precious metal to come to market. Certificates of completion will be presented to those who attend all three sessions.
sponsored by:
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Session One: Palladium At the Bench
Speaker: Chris Ploof of Chris Ploof Studio
At some point, every bench jeweler will have to work with palladium. Learn how the metal responds to typical bench applications to ensure every repair or fabrication project turns out just as you intend.
11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Session Two: Casting Palladium
Speaker: Linus Drogs of Au Enterprises
Casters beware: Palladium moves sluggishly, freezes quickly, and has a voracious appetite for hydrogen and oxygen. Learn how you can overcome these challenges and produce smooth, porosity-free castings.
2:00 to 3 p.m.
Session Three: Palladium Designs—Three Case Studies
Speakers: Jim Binnion of James Binnion Metals Arts, Chris Ploof of Chris Ploof Studio, and Egemen Barlas of Unique Settings of New York
Whether you plan to machine, cast, or fabricate a design, this session will offer expert advice on how to avoid problems and take maximum advantage of palladium’s potential.
MONDAY, MARCH 9
Free Seminars
Location: Seminars will take place in the presentation area at the rear of Hall C.
10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
KEYNOTE PANEL: How Bad is Bad and What Good Might Come From it?
Moderator: Michael Barlerin, CEO of Michael Barlerin Associates LLC
Panelists: Richard Powers, President/CEO of Cookson Precious Metals, David Meleski, President of Richline Group, Timothy Dinneny, Managing Director of ScotiaMocatta, Michael Bondanza of Michael Bondanza Inc., Maeve Gillies, Co-Founder/Owner of MaeVona
If the current economic downturn is changing the way you do business, you are not alone. Highly successful industry executives with a broad spectrum of perspectives will candidly discuss the impact of economic forces on their own companies and on the industry as a whole.
sponsored by:
12:45 to 2 p.m.
Runway to Reality: Capitalizing on Fashion and Jewelry Trends
Speakers: Helena Krodel, Spokesperson for the Jewelry Information Center; and a representative from Crystallized Swarovski Elements
Fashion and fine jewelry are inexplicably intertwined today much to the surprise of many retailers and manufacturers. Learn from experts the inside scoop on exactly what is hot and what is not. Topics will include: what is a trend/how to identify them, trend influences, fashion details and clothing trends, runway jewelry versus reality jewelry, and new trends yet to hit the market and how to capitalize on them!
2:15 to 3:30 p.m.
Get the Lead out: How the New Federal Law Will Affect Your Precious Metal Jewelry Business
Panelists: Michael Akkaoui of Tanury Industries, Howard Schachter of Aquatronics Industries, George Morse of Liz Claiborne, and John S. Satagaj, MJSA’s Legislative Counsel
Your company works only with karat gold or silver, so you have nothing to worry about from the new restrictions on lead in children’s jewelry, right? This panel session will address the product safety act’s history and mandates, how to comply, and the potential industry-wide effects. Take note: As of this writing, regulators have made no exception for precious metal jewelry. When enforcement begins on Feb. 10, 2009, a 14k gold pendant that an 11-year-old might receive for her birthday may be subject to the same requirements as a plastic one. Panelists who have been deeply involved in the lead issue will also discuss the resources available to help ensure compliance, including a testing program and educational materials created by MJSA. This seminar will take place in Meeting Room 1CO4.
3:15 to 4:15 p.m.
Introduction to the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC)
Speaker: Robert Headley, Co-chair of RJC Standards Committee
After four years of effort, the Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC) is launching a certification system that will validate adherence to the council’s best practices by all member companies in the jewelry supply chain—from mining to manufacturing to retail. Created to reinforce consumer confidence, the council will employ independent auditors to determine whether participating companies comply with a code of conduct regarding human rights, the environment, and social welfare. Headley, co-chair of the RJC Standards Committee, will discuss the certification system and its benefits for individual participants and the industry in general.
This seminar will take place in Meeting Room 1C04.
3:45 to 5 p.m.
The Basics of Memo Transactions - The Dos and Don’ts of Trading on Memo
Speakers: Cecilia Gardner, President/CEO of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC); and Dione Kenyon, President of The Jewelers Board of Trade (JBT)
Topics for this presentation will include consignment agreements, UCC filings, protecting your business in an event of bankruptcy, the steps to take to check credit worthiness, monitoring significant changes of debtors, and more. Information presented in this seminar can be found in “The Essential Guide to ‘Memo’ Transactions,” co-produced by JVC and JBT. The guide and seminar were developed to respond to industry concerns, especially now, about the consequences of sending goods on memo, and provides jewelry firms with a step-by-step method to best position their businesses in cases of economic reversals. Attendees will receive a copy of the JVC-JBT memo guide.
Paid Sessions
Session Rates: $50 each for MJSA members; $75 each for non-members; $37 each for students. Receive a 30% discount on your rates by signing up for all three sessions! Sessions will take place in Meeting Room 1C04.
CAD/CAM CERTIFICATE SERIES: CAD/CAM, Custom Design, and You
The emergence and evolution of computer-assisted design and manufacturing has opened a world of possibilities in custom design. Whether you’re a retailer seeking to create a new profit center, a designer intent on expanding your skills, or a manufacturer that wants to cut costs and increase efficiencies, these sessions will show you how to apply the power of CAD/CAM to create custom designs that set you apart. Certificates of completions will be given to those who attend all three sessions.
9:30 to 11 a.m.
Session One: Choosing the CAD/CAM System That’s Right for You
Speaker: Mark Maxwell, Designer and Goldsmith
Learn about the various jewelry-specific CAD programs, the differences between milling and rapid prototyping systems, and how to evaluate all of the options to get the systems that best fits your needs.
11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Session Two: Creating Custom Designs in CAD
Speaker: Lee Krombholz of Krombholz Jewelers
Discover how you can use CAD to draw a customer into the design process and ultimately create a custom piece that captures that customer’s individual style—delivering maximum satisfaction.
1:30 to 3 p.m.
Session Three: Virtual Velocity—CAD/CAM as a Marketing Tool
Speaker: Greg Stopka of JewelSmiths
CAD/CAM offers not only new design possibilities, but also new marketing opportunities. Learn how you can cut costs and generate excitement by creating a virtual inventory of custom designs, and discover how those designs can then be presented dramatically to customers.
TUESDAY, MARCH 10
10:30 am
18th Annual MJSA Vision Awards Presentation
Come meet the winners of this year’s competition! An MJSA Vision Award is one of the most highly regarded honors a jewelry designer can receive. Each year, a distinguished panel of judges determines winning entries based on an array of criteria, including originality, creativity, and wearability.
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
PROFITING BY DESIGN
Hosted by Marlene Richey, jewelry designer, business expert, and author of the MJSA Press book Profiting by Design.
Richey will host a procession of professional designers and industry veterans, all of whom are ready to share their hard-earned (and invaluable) wisdom on how to run a successful jewelry design business. Learn the secrets to everything from setting up your business to pricing, marketing, and selling your work in even the toughest times. Based on Profiting by Design (Prime Sponsor: D.H. Fell & Co.)
EXTRA: All registrants can purchase signed copies of the book for $20—a 40% discount!
