GIA announces Appointments, New Role

The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) announced the appointment of Tawfic Farah to the new role of vice president of International Operations, effective June 1. Farah will report directly to Donna Baker, president of GIA.

In this capacity, Farah will be responsible for all international activities at GIA. Directors of GIA’s international locations, as well as Seung-Hae Moon, director of Global Education, will report to him on matters of business planning and operations. GIA Education and the GIA Laboratory will be responsible for gemological matters.

Farah returns to GIA from the Dubai Multi-Commodities Commission (DMCC) where he served as executive director for diamonds and colored stones since June 2004.

GIA has appointed Duncan Pay, director of Course Development, to the newly created position of Chief Academic Officer. In this new role, effective January 1, Pay will assume the responsibilities of Brook Ellis, vice president of Education.

Ellis will take on a new role at GIA as Executive Advisor to assist with transitional issues until his full retirement in June 2009.