b'JBT Holds Annual Elections VDB Releases Lab Grown ProductTheJewelersBoardofTradeispleasedtoannouncetheVDB, a sourcing and trading app for the jewelry industry, has election of the following Officers and Directors to its Boardreleased a new category of products: lab-grown diamonds. The at the Companys Annual Meeting on February 13, 2019, andlab-grown products will be segregated from mined diamonds, Board Meeting on March 13, 2019. but will offer all the visual and technical search, buy, hold, and memo features of the VDB platform.TheBoardelectedthefollowingOfficersandDirectorsto serve a one-year term as follows: This may be viewed as a controversial move by some in the Chairman: Michael L. Kaplan, Rocket Jewelry Box, Inc.,jewelryindustry,saidTanyaNisguretsky,PresidentofVDB. Elmsford, NY We didnt do it to be controversial. We made the decision First Vice-Chairman: Ann S. Arnold, Buyers Internationalto offer lab-grown because so many retailers are offering this Group, LLC (BIG), Napa, CA product category to an increasingly interested consumer. And Second Vice-Chairman: Richard Katz, Richline Group, Inc.,we want to help our customer base make thoughtful, informed New York, NY decisions about the products they offer. Thats what the VDB President: Richard Weisenfeldplatform does bestit informs and facilitates a higher quality Secretary: Brenda M. Pimentel sourcing process.Treasurer: Richard Weisenfeld The Lab-Grown category on the VDB app is separated from Newly elected to the Board for a two-year term: mined diamonds. When users open the app, they will now seeMatthijs Braakman, CEO, Retail Management Publishing, Inc.,four categories: diamonds, color gemstones, finished jewelry, and lab-grown. To date, 11 lab-grown suppliers have signed up Montclair, NJ with VDB, and more than 4,800 lab-grown stones are available Additionally, re-elected to the Board for a period of two yearsontheapp,includinghigh-qualityphotographyandmany with 360-degree views. With high interest among lab-grown are: suppliers, more are expected over the next few weeks. Tim Coggins, Bank RI, Providence, RI Jeffery Corey, H. E. Murdock Company Inc., Waterville,ME We thought it was important to separate lab-grown in the app,Brian D. Fleming, Carla Corporation, E. Providence, RI similar to the way retailers should be careful to segregate theirMichael L. Kaplan, Rocket Jewelry Box, Inc., Elmsford, NY lab and mined diamond inventories in the store, said Tanya,Richard Katz, Richline Group, Inc., New York, NY This is an important discipline all jewelry businesses carryingMichael Pelto, Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, Neenah, WI both lab and mined should follow, and we decided to emulatePinny Rubin, Quality Gold Inc., Fairfield, OH that best business practice in the digital environment as well.The following Board members continue to serve their existingFor retailers, the new lab-grown search means they can offer terms: thousandsmoreitemstotheircustomers.Intherapidly- Ann S. Arnold, Buyers International Group (BIG), Napa, CA developingmarketforlab-growndiamonds,findingandIra Bergman, The Gordon Company, Inc., Pompano Beach, FL selectinglab-grownpartnerscanbetime-consumingandDavid Bonney, Lux Bond & Green, Inc., West Hartford, CT confusing. VDB makes it easy by offering a vetted communityEdward N. DeCristofaro, LDC, Inc., E. Providence, RI of lab-grown dealers. Roderick Lichtenfels, W.R. Cobb Company, E. Providence, RI Keven Peck, Color Merchants, Inc., New York, NY Retailers and designers offering lab-grown have also discoveredNilesh Sheth, Forever Collections, Inc., Los Angeles, CA that quality control on lab-grown diamonds is slightly differentTodd Wolleman, Leo Wolleman, Inc., Mount Vernon, NY than quality control on mined, and there is typically a higher rejectionrateonreceiptoflab-growncomparedtomined. The following Advisory Board members continue to serveTheVDBappwithitsmobile-firsttechnologyandhigh-their existing term: quality images and 360-degree viewshelps make the visualPhyllis Bergman, Phyllis Bergman Co., New York, NY aesthetics of the stones clear before the expense and time ofRichard Greenwood, A. F. Greenwood Co., Inc., New York, NY shippinghasbeenincurred.Formoreinformation,contact Holly Mui at 212-221-0975. THE RETAIL JEWELER |83'