The start of a new year is a time for renewing our commitment to the things we hold dear, and in some cases, striving to try something new or achieve more, personally or professionally. We look at where we came from and have a moment to think about where we are headed in the next 12 months.
At the American Gem Society (AGS), our goal is to constantly add value to your membership, which we’ll continue to do in 2022 by thinking creatively and strategically to meet your changing needs. We’re excited about the year ahead and supporting your business goals, whether it is helping to provide tools to onboard new employees, earning that credential you have been wanting to obtain, or having a marketing consultation with one of our marketing experts. We are here for you!
We welcome your feedback and want to know what keeps you up at night so we can evolve our benefits and services. Delivering value to our members and our mission of consumer protection remain the focus and our true north in 2022 and beyond. You are at the heart of everything we do!
With that said, we accomplished so much together in 2021, and there were some fantastic moments. My favorite memories revolve around reuniting with members at the Centurion show, JCK, and, of course, Conclave. Seeing everyone together filled me with so much joy and reminded me how lucky I am to serve so many wonderful people.
Also, I want to recognize my teammates and all their contributions. I am so proud of the AGS team and their sheer determination to deliver member benefits even when resource-challenged. I continue to be so fortunate to work with incredible people. We have a lot of new team members, and we can’t wait for you to meet them.
2021 Highlights
Learn:
- The first-ever Confluence: a virtual education experience held in April, featuring top marketing professionals.
- Return of Conclave! Visit the photo gallery to relive fun memories or get excited about 2022!
- Learn it. Earn it. Share it. We launched a campaign to raise awareness of the importance of digital badges and how this simple icon can help consumers better understand our members’ credentials, skill level, and commitment to ongoing education. Click here to watch a tutorial on how to access your badge and share it!
Connect:
- Enhanced: the Find a Jeweler website platform saw a 120% increase in searches allowing us to connect more consumers with our retail jewelers and appraisers, including an email to your designated key contact.
- Enhanced: AGS PRO, our online learning center, saw a 56% increase in new users. Want to submit content? Click here to submit your ideas or article(s).
- Enhanced: Spectra to include more articles written by the subject matter experts in the AGS community—more members shared their expertise on gemology, business practices, and sales on the pages of our quarterly magazine.
- New: “Sparkle Sessions” on Instagram, allowing retailers to connect with consumers and demonstrate their knowledge of and passion for jewelry.
- New: “All About Birthstones” video series, showcasing our members’ expertise on gemstones.
Collaborate:
- Our Strategic Partners, Jewelers Mutual® Group, Wells Fargo, and JewelersHealthCare.com, launched new services and tools to solve business challenges. What to learn more? Click here!
- Black in Jewelry Coalition (BIJC) grant collaboration for Conclave and our involvement with this important new organization has generated ideas and opportunities for the AGS Young Titleholders DEI Task Force to work on initiatives and opportunities dedicated to creating a more diverse and inclusive community. Learn more about BIJC here.
I want to personally thank you for your continued support of AGS during these continually changing times. The AGS community is extraordinary, and you inspire us in all that we do. Please follow us today if you have not already joined us on the AGS Community Instagram page!
With gratitude,
Katherine
