GIA senior vice president Kathryn Kimmel retires
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Kathryn Kimmel, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, has retired from the Gemological Institute of America GIA.
According to the group, during her 29 years of service to the Institute and its mission to protect consumers, she built a “remarkable and enduring” legacy. It added that Kimmel played a “key role” in shaping the Institute’s domestic and international marketing, public relations and communications outreach efforts.
Her most visible achievement was developing 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.
Susan Jacques, GIA president and CEO, said: “Kathryn opened doors and created opportunities in the gem and jewelry industry for so many women and men.
“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 gem and jewelry industry.”
She added: “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 said: “My heart will forever be with the students – seeing them study at GIA, coming to GIA’s Jewelry Career Fair and becoming industry leaders has been one of the most rewarding parts of my job.”
