Kathryn Kimmel, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, will retire from GIA on August 30, 2019. During her 29 years of dedicated service to the Institute and its mission to protect consumers, she built a remarkable and enduring legacy.“Kathryn opened doors and created opportunities in the gem and jewelry industry for so many women and men,” said Susan Jacques, GIA president and CEO. “Her pioneering spirit and tenacity established the annual GIA Jewelry Career Fairs for GIA students and for tens of thousands of industry professionals looking for knowledge, development and advancement within the industry. Millions of consumers across the world have confidence in their gem and jewelry purchases because she had the insight and drive to reach them with independent, credible and research-based knowledge about diamonds, colored stones and pearls.”
Kimmel played a key role in shaping the Institute’s domestic and international marketing, public relations and communications outreach efforts. She steered the launch of GIA’s digital presence with consumer and trade, focused websites designed to offer valuable, dynamic and interactive content. Her most visible achievement was the development of the Institute’s ongoing consumer outreach campaign to help consumers understand the 4Cs of Diamond Quality and the importance of GIA’s independent gem identification and grading reports to trust their purchases.
“Kathryn’s expertise, guidance and unerring dedication to GIA’s mission helped to make our Institute what it is today,” said Tom Moses, GIA executive vice president and chief laboratory and research officer.
She also bridged the gap between the trade’s need for new talent and the ambition of GIA graduates and other aspiring professionals by founding the GIA Jewelry Career Fair in 1991, which has expanded in the last 28 years to Carlsbad, India, Las Vegas, London and New York. That same year, Kimmel became the co-chair of GIA’s International Gemological Symposium and was the driving force behind six Symposia since, including the most recent one in October 2018 in Carlsbad.
“My heart will forever be with the students – seeing them study at GIA, coming to GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair and become industry leaders has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job,” said Kimmel.
Kimmel won broad acclaim for her many contributions. She received the YWCA’s Tribute to Women and Industry award, the AGS Distinguished Service Award, the GIA Richard T. Liddicoat Award for Distinguished Achievement, the 24 Karat Club Excellence in Service Award, the WJA Award for Excellence in Promotion and the AGS Triple Zero Award. She is also a member of the WJA Hall of Fame.
As a third-generation member of the jewelry industry, Kimmel acquired a broad range of experience in many of its areas, working in retail, as managing director of Anthony Geml Jewelers in Southern California; in manufacturing, as customer service manager and later as vice president of marketing and sales for Nova Stylings. She is a founding member and served on the national
board of the Women’s Jewelry Association for 20 years, and is past president of the Los Angeles Chapter. She also served on the national board of the Jewelry Industry Council and the board of the 24 Karat Club of Southern California.
About GIA
Established in 1931, GIA is the world’s foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. A public benefit, nonprofit institute, GIA is the leading source of knowledge, standards, and education in gems and jewelry. Students around the globe turn to GIA for the knowledge, skills, and credentials that launch successful gem and jewelry careers. The world leader in gemological research, GIA’s breakthrough discoveries deepen our understanding of gemstones and the world. Through research, education, and unbiased gem grading and analysis, GIA strives to protect the gem and jewelry buying public by setting global quality standards. For more information, please visit www.gia.edu.
