JFC Elects Peter Engel as Chairman

JFC chair-elect Peter Engel

(IDEX Online News) – Peter M. Engel, President of Fred Meyer Jewelers, will replace Edward Bridge as chairman of Jewelers for Children stating October 1. Engel is replacing Edward Bridge after a two-year term.

Other newly elected officers include Ruth Batson of the American Gem Society, who will serve as Vice President for Charity Programs; James De Mattei of Viewpoint Sales and Marketing, who will serve as Vice President of Special Programs; Mark Light of Sterling Jewelers, who will serve as Vice President for Fundraising; Joel Schechter of Honora, who will serve as Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations; Dennis Ulrich of Richline Group, who will serve as Treasurer and Steven Kaiser of Kaiser Time, Inc., who will serve as Secretary.

The officers of the organization serve as the executive committee, along with Bridge who serves as Immediate Past Chairman and Chairman of the Nominating Committee.

"Jewelers for Children brings the industry together in the service of so many worthwhile causes. I am excited to work with the board in expanding our support for children whose lives have been affected by illness, abuse or neglect," Engel said.

Eight directors were elected to a three-year term on the board for the first time. They are: Jeffrey Cohen, Citizen Watch Company of America; Stewart Wicht, Rolex Watch USA; John White, Pandora Jewelry; Susan Rothman, Hearts on Fire; Ellen Fruchtman, Fruchtman Marketing; Hank Siegel, Hamilton Jewelers, Laura Stanley, Stanley Jewelers Gemologist; and Howard Tapper, Tapper’s Diamonds and Fine Jewelry.

In addition, the terms of nine directors have concluded and they will depart the board on September 30. They are David Bonaparte, JCK Shows/Reed Exhibitions; Jerry Ehrenwald, International Gemological Institute; Cecilia Gardner, Jewelers’ Vigilance Committee; Efraim Grinberg, Movado Group, Inc.; Howard Hurwitz, Howard’s Jewelry Center; Eddie Le Vian, Le Vian Corp.; Marvin Markman, Suberi Brothers; Glenn Rothman, Hearts on Fire; and Abhay Jhaveri, M. Suresh/SDC Designs.

JFC was founded in 1999 by the U.S. jewelry industry with the mission of helping children in need. Since its inception, JFC has donated more than $37 million to programs benefiting children whose lives have been affected by illness, abuse or neglect.