Jewelers of America Names Dave Bonaparte for Top Spot

David Bonaparte

The national trade association for fine jewelry retailers in the U.S. has tapped a jewelry industry veteran and the former manager of a competing tradeshow for its top post.

Jewelers of America said Sunday that it has named David Bonaparte as its president and CEO. He will succeed Matthew A. Runci when he retires at year’s end, after leading the trade association for 17 years. Bonaparte will work with Runci starting October 1, officially taking the helm on January 1, 2013.

Bonaparte was senior vice president of JCK Brands for Reed Exhibitions, a promotion that was granted a year ago. He has spent at least 16 years managing the JCK Las Vegas show and all of its affiliate tradeshows (such as Luxury at JCK and Swiss Watch at JCK) that were added over the years. JCK Las Vegas is one of largest and most important jewelry tradeshows in the world. Other jewelry shows directly under his watch include JCK Toronto and Luxury Privé, held in New York and Panama City. He was also the global leader for the jewelry portfolio at Reed Exhibitions worldwide. His responsibilities in recent years also included leading jewelry trade publication, JCK magazine.

Bonaparte is also an advocate in connection with issues and events affecting the jewelry industry. He was instrumental in helping Reed Exhibitions develop The JCK Industry Fund, which provides $400,000 annually to individuals, groups and associations that develop programs to benefit and promote the industry.

JCK Las Vegas also happens to be the major competitor to Jewelers of America tradeshow held twice a year in New York.

“Through a lengthy and thorough process, the committee selected Dave based on his proven leadership skills, knowledge of the industry and his vision for the future of the organization,” said JA board chair Georgie Gleim of Gleim the Jeweler. “We believe he will be a passionate leader for Jewelers of America, providing guidance and inspiration for JA’s Board of Directors and staff, while serving as a strong advocate for the association and the interests of its members.”

Bonaparte has been a supporter of the American Gem Society, Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America, Jewelry Information Center, Jewelers Security Alliance, Jewelers Vigilance Committee and Women’s Jewelry Association. He has worked closely with JA and many state and regional jewelry associations as well as other retail organizations in a combined effort to develop programs designed to build membership.

JA said that Bonaparte will work to expand the association’s membership, strengthening the organization in terms of both influence and resources, while continuing its leadership role in public and industry affairs as an advocate for its members and the jewelry industry at large.

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Longtime Jewelers of America CEO to Resign

Matthew A. Runci, president and CEO of Jewelers of America, announced Thursday that he is retiring from the national trade association for businesses serving the fine jewelry retail marketplace after 17 years at the helm. His resignation becomes effective at the end of the year.

“Matt’s contribution to Jewelers of America and its industry leadership role, both nationally and internationally, is immeasurable. In addition to strengthening good governance practices at JA and developing an active and dedicated board of directors, he was instrumental in the formation of the Responsible Jewellery Council and has been involved from the start with the Kimberley Process,” Georgie Gleim, JA board chair, said in a statement. “Our industry owes him a debt of gratitude. His dedication to JA has ensured that a transition to new leadership will be a smooth process, positioning the organization for its future.”

Runci informed the association’s executive committee of his decision on January 6. JA has asked Runci to remain during a transition period and to continue to assist the association with its work in the area of responsible business practices in 2013.

A search committee has been appointed that will commence work shortly, JA said. The association actually began formal succession planning in 2009.

Runci joined JA as President & CEO in 1995. He had previously served as CEO of Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America, where he held several positions over a 16-year period. Prior to that, he taught international politics, law and foreign policy at the university level.

He holds a PhD in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and a BA in History from Boston College. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, the 24 Karat Club of New York City and is a past president of the Boston Jewelers Club.

Runci and his wife, Laraine, reside in Connecticut. They have two children and six grandchildren.

Trade Association Jewelers of America Acquires Trade Publication National Jeweler

It’s one of those announcements saved for Friday afternoon in order to attract as a little attention as possible. However, it also seemed to coincide with Friday night’s Gem Awards gala in New York and a board of director's vote to approve the acquisition, held earlier in the day.

Whatever the reasoning for the late Friday announcement, the jewelry trade association, Jewelers of America, will enter into the publishing business by acquiring jewelry trade publication, National Jeweler. 

In a carefully worded statement on the JA website, it said it will purchase National Jeweler from Emerald Expositions, which owns the JA New York shows, Couture and tradeshows in several other markets. The tradeshow company, National Jeweler and JA already had a relationship through the two New York tradeshows. In fact JA and National Jeweler were both founded in 1906. 

The acquisition is expected to close by the end of the month. No reason was given for the acquisition and financial details were not disclosed.

The question is can a trade organization own a publication that is truly independent? JA, in its statement, took great pains to say yes. I have my doubts. 

“JA and National Jeweler will remain and act independent of each other,” the statement reads.

“National Jeweler is natural fit for our organization, as it shares our mission to be an informative resource to retail jewelry professionals,” David J. Bonaparte, JA President & CEO, said in the statement. 

Michelle Graff, editor-in-chief of National Jeweler, added, “We look forward to taking advantage of the additional resources being part of the JA team offers us, but we remain focused on our mission: to objectively deliver the news that retail jewelers need to run their businesses on a daily basis.” 

No matter how it’s being spun, it’s difficult not to see this as a publication that will lose at least some (if not all) of its independence. 

There are three major jewelry trade publishers left. The largest and most significant is JCK (my former employer). After facing the possibility of collapse during the 2008-2009 economic downturn, which dramatically impacted both the jewelry and publishing industries, Reed Expositions, which owns JCK tradeshows, took ownership of JCK. It gave publishing responsibilities to a third-party publisher: McMurry/TMG, a marketing company that creates custom magazines for a variety of organizations ranging from the Ritz-Carlton to WebMD. 

The result was a loss of editorial independence. 

The remaining independent publisher is Smart Work Media, which owns trade magazines InStore and InDesign magazines and the Smart Jewelry Show. These publications are the only ones left that truly targets jewelry retailers, something all of the publications should be doing, although it relies too much on old-school “industry experts” and not enough on its editorial staff. 

At a time when independent jewelry stores are closing at a significant rate, when young people are not entering the industry, and where the competition for disposable income is as intense as it has ever been, jewelry trade publications with independence are needed to provide leadership within the industry to tackle these problems. 

Instead, they continue to lose their voice. 

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