Key takeaways
• The Jewelry Symposium announced Dennis Buzz Busby and Randy Welch as the 2026 recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award for their contributions to jewelry manufacturing technology.
• Both honorees are long-term industry veterans who retired from Stuller in 2024 after 41 and 43 years of service, respectively.
• The awards will be presented during the 2026 TJS symposium in Detroit, Michigan, scheduled for May 16 through May 19.
(TROY, MI) – TJS (The Jewelry Symposium), the jewelry industry’s annual international event dedicated specifically to the advancement of jewelry manufacturing technology, announced today the 2026 recipients of its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Awards. Dennis “Buzz” Busby, former Casting Director at Stuller, and Randy Welch, former Senior Tech Process Engineer at Stuller, will receive the prestigious award in recognition of their decades of exceptional global work, supporting, educating, and advancing the fine jewelry industry. The awards will be presented during the 2026 symposium in Detroit, May 16 – 19, 2026.
“We are honored to present Mr. Busby and Mr. Welch with the TJS Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s symposium,” says Linus Drogs, Chairman of the Board at TJS. “Both men have contributed much to the progress of fine jewelry manufacturing. ‘Buzz’ Busby was a regular attendee at SFS since the beginning, attending 29 of the 34 years. He and Randy Welch were both ever eager to share the latest advancements in the jewelry-making process. Separately and together, they have authored and co-authored presentations for SFS and other industry-wide conferences. Whether shared with hundreds of people at the symposiums or shared in thousands of individual conversations over the years, their goodwill and ongoing endeavors for knowledge sharing represent the embodiment of the TJS mission.”
The two deserving individuals receiving the award this year are colleagues and longtime friends. In 2024, both honorees retired from Stuller, a leading manufacturer, supplier, and technology developer based in Lafayette, Louisiana, since 1970. Both men joined the company in the 1980s. Mr. Busby retired in December 2024 after 41 years of service, and Mr. Welch retired in August 2024 after 43 years of service. In addition to their decades of work at Stuller, both awardees have been lifelong advocates of progress and information sharing in the jewelry industry. Their willingness to share their latest research and advancements in the precious metal casting process has always been greatly appreciated. The two have always been strong supporters of the annual symposiums.
The lifetime achievement award is not presented annually at TJS. The award is intended to recognize exceptional industry leaders when the timing is right. Previous awardees include Eddie Bell in 2023, the first recipient of the TJS Lifetime Achievement Award, in honor of his founding of the annual Santa Fe Symposium of Jewelry Manufacturing Technology (SFS), after which TJS is modeled, as well as his 34 years of steering SFS. The second awardee was the venerated gold technical expert, Dr. Christopher Corti, who was honored in 2025. Dr. Corti has over 45 years of experience in the precious metals industry, having worked with Johnson Matthey and the World Gold Council, serving as editor of Gold Technology, Gold Bulletin, and more. Since retiring, Dr. Corti continues his work as a global technical consultant, regularly presenting metallurgy papers at TJS, and also serves on the Board of Directors.
Lifetime achievement awardees receive a commemorative plaque and a free, full-access pass to TJS’s annual symposium for life.
For more information or event details regarding TJS, visit www.thejewelrysymposium.com or email Jessa Cast or jessa@thejewelrysymposium.com.
