Awards for Excellence Visionaries 2019

Each summer, the Women's Jewelry Association celebrates jewelry industry leaders at its annual Awards for Excellence. The gala event is WJA’s primary channel to raise funds for its scholarships and grants. The 2018 gala raised more than $30,000 for the WJA Foundation's 2019 scholarship and grant program. 

 



JULY 29, 2019 | 
Pier 60, New York

  

THe 2019 Visionaries


Carol Pennelli is the President of David Yurman, overseeing all functions outside of design and creative. She reports directly to David Yurman, cofounder, chairman and CEO of the brand. Pennelli joined the company in 2002 as Chief Commercial Officer where she oversaw all aspects of David Yurman’s commercial channels, profit & loss, and general performance including retail, wholesale, digital and outlet businesses. Prior to joining David Yurman, she served as Senior Vice President of sales, education, and global special events at Bobbi Brown Cosmetics. 





 


 
Stellene Volandes was named editor-in-chief of Town & Country magazine in 2016 – where she had been style director since March 2012. She also served as jewelry & accessories director since April 2011.Previous to her roles at Town & Country, Volandes was style editor for Departures magazine, where she assigned and edited all fashion and jewelry features, having held increasingly senior roles since 2003.Volandes is a graduate of Vassar College, with a Master’s degree in English and Comparative Literature from Columbia University. Her book, Jeweler: Masters, Mavericks, and Visionaries of Modern Design, was published on September 20, 2016 by Rizzoli.


 

 

THE cindy edelstein metorship award recipient

 

 
Mark Hanna is chief marketing officer of Richline Group, a Berkshire Hathaway Company. He chairs Berkshire Hathaway’s Sustainability Leadership Committee and is an active speaker and advocate on responsible issues at events such as the UL Responsible Sourcing Summit, MJSA Expo, Pure Earth, and the Jewelry Industry Summit. He serves on various boards including the Mercury-Free Mining Challenge, the Responsible Jewellery Council, the Special Olympics, and the U.S. Wildlife Trafficking Alliance. The CMO Club named Hanna the 2015 and 2018 CMO of Year, Corporate Social Responsibility. Hanna previously served as executive vice president, sales and marketing, for both Bel-Oro and Michael Anthony Jewelers. He graduated from NYU Stern with an MBA in marketing and has spent 45 years in the jewelry industry, in all facets of management, manufacturing, marketing, sales and compliance.