Welcome to On the Road! We just returned from Dallas, site of this year’s American Gem Society (AGS) Conclave event.
After a cancellation in 2020, then a delay that moved the show to September in 2021, this was the first Conclave in over two years, and it was every bit the wonderful reunion it promised to be. Congratulations to Katherine Bodoh, CEO at AGS, and her team, as well as current AGS president Michael Richards of Underwood Jewelers in Jacksonville, Florida, on a smash success!
Despite the presence of masks and “vaccinated” buttons, it was an otherwise “normal” AGS, with great networking, terrific education, and big laughs from host Jeff Zell. The evenings included dinners with friends, the Young Titleholders Trivia Night, and the event cocktail parties.
Special congrats to two of my favorite people in the business: Alexis Padis of Padis Jewelers and David Bindra of B&B Fine Gems, who were presented witj the 2020 and 2021 Young Titleholder of the Year award, respectively. Alexis and Dave are truly the embodiment of the future of this industry, and with dynamic, engaged and enthusiastic folks like this, the future looks bright!
This story has additional reporting and photography by Benjamin Guttery (a.k.a. @thirdcoastgems)
Top photo: The AGS Young Titleholders (courtesy @agscommunity)
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