WJA Honors Women Who Drive Equality

RAPAPORT... The Women's Jewelry Association (WJA) has announced thehonorees for its Visionary Awards, the newest category in its Awards forExcellence. The awards, which will take place in New York in July,recognize those aimed at advancing women's equality within the industry. The eventwill mark the WJA's 35th anniversary. "The WJA board voted to introduce its Visionary Awards as away to mark our anniversary and to recognize individuals and organizationsmaking a difference in the cause of women's equality," WJA board president JennyLuker said in a statement Tuesday. "Our four awards will go to women who arethe first to hold their high positions of leadership in their companies, and toorganizations that are providing support and mentorship to women." The WJA aims to aid the advancement of women in the jewelryand watch industry. The Visionary Award honorees are as follows: Mercedes Abramo, CEO of Cartier North America, and a keyadvocate for the Cartier Women's Initiative Awards, an international business-plancompetition for women entrepreneurs, which aims to support projects that solvecontemporary global challenges. Caryl Capeci, president of Hearts On Fire,responsible for all company operations around the world, and the integration ofHearts On Fire into Chow Tai Fook's retail network. Nadja Swarovski, the first female member of theSwarovski executive board, and leader of the company's global branding andcommunications (pictured). She created a charity bracelet in cooperation with UN women,and is in charge of Swarovski's sustainability program, and the SwarovskiFoundation, both of which focus on promoting women's empowerment. She is alsoan ambassador for Women for Women International, and has propelled Swarovski tojoin the UN Women's Empowerment Principles and the UN Global Compact. De Beers, jointly with UN Women, who together haveformed a three-year partnership to accelerate the advancement of womenthroughout the De Beers organization.