Jewelers for Children (JFC) will hold their annual Facets of Hope event on Sunday, June 5, 2016 at the Mandalay Bay Resort Hotel Casino in Las Vegas, NV. Stuart Lee of Signet Jewelers, and Dennis Ulrich of the Richline Group, and JFC Chairman, have been named as honorees.
The event celebrates the success of JFC’s fund raising efforts for the year, and commitments to the charity partners will be announced. In 2015, more than 1,850 industry guests attended during the Las Vegas market events. Both Lee and Ulrich have agreed to serve as guests of honor at the event with the responsibility of assisting JFC in raising funds to benefit children who are the victims of catastrophic illness or life-threatening abuse and neglect. Each year, prominent industry leaders are honored by the charity.
“It’s very exciting to be named as an honoree while serving as board chair,” said Ulrich. “Being selected with someone as deserving as Stuart is a true honor and I’m certain the evening will be memorable.”
The festivities will begin at 6:00 p.m. in the South Seas Ballroom on the third level of the hotel, with dinner and the program beginning at 7:30 p.m. Anyone interested in attending or sponsoring can contact JFC at 212-687-2949 or info@jewelersforchildren.org. Details and participation forms are available at the JFC website, www.jewelersforchildren.org. Dinner and the program will conclude by 9:00 p.m. as some folks will make their way to the annual JCK Rocks the Beach party and others can stay and enjoy some exciting new activities being planned for 2016.
Stuart Lee joined Signet Jewelers more than 19 years ago as Director of Jared Merchandising. In 2006, he became Vice President of Merchandising, a position he held until 2012 when he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Merchandising, General Merchandise Manager.
Stuart LeeIn July 2015, Lee was promoted to Signet Executive Vice President, Merchandising. In his new role, Lee is responsible for merchandising activities across all Signet store brands and jewelry assortments.
Prior to joining Signet, Lee began his career in the jewelry industry in 1975 working as a sales associate, store manager, buyer and then senior buyer prior to moving to Akron in 1996.
He is currently on the Signet Executive Committee and Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America Board of Directors, serving as Secretary.
Lee attended Yuba College in Yuba City, California. He resides in Wadsworth, Ohio, with his wife, Dawna, and their three children.
After graduating Wharton in 1973 with a B.S. Economics, Dennis co-founded the Richline Manufacturing Company with his father and mother, Mitchel and Ruth Ulrich in 1975, beginning his 40 plus years of experience in the jewelry industry. His career experience has encompassed all facets of management, manufacturing, marketing and sales.
Dennis UlrichUlrich, with his wife Liz, started Bel-Oro International in 1994, out of his attic, as an Italian gold jewelry importer and built it into one of the largest suppliers of gold jewelry in the United States. In 2007, Bel-Oro was sold to Berkshire Hathaway and the new Richline Group was initiated.
Ulrich is now the CEO of the firm, which since becoming part of Berkshire, has grown into one of the largest global jewelry manufacturing companies, selling precious metal raw materials, blanking gold and silver coins for the US Mint and producing fine jewelry that is marketed to the largest volume users around the world.
Ulrich’s additional industry activities have included board positions on Jewelers for Children, and Jewelers Security Alliance, and serving as president of the Twenty Four Karat Club of New York.
Ulrich and his wife live in New York and are the parents of two children.
Jewelers for Children was founded in 1999 by the U.S. jewelry industry with the mission of helping children in need. Since its inception, JFC has donated more than $48 million to programs benefiting children whose lives have been affected by illness, abuse or neglect through charity partners St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Make-A-Wish® America, and the National CASA Association. JFC also provides support to Make-A-Wish® International, and the Santa-America Fund. This nationwide success is due to the continuing generosity of jewelry trade organizations, jewelry and watch manufacturing companies, jewelry retail stores, individual jewelry professionals and jewelry consumers.
