Jewelers of America Celebrates Emerging Talent with 20 Under 40 Program

Jewelers of America (JA) has opened nominations for its prestigious 20 Under 40 program, an initiative designed to spotlight the next generation of leaders in the jewelry industry. This program, launched in 2022 for retail professionals and expanded to include suppliers in 2025, celebrates young talent making significant contributions to both the retail and supply sides of the fine jewelry marketplace.

Recognizing Industry Innovators

The 20 Under 40 program features two distinct lists: 20 Under 40: Jewelry Retail and 20 Under 40: Jewelry Suppliers. Each list honors 20 individuals under the age of 40 who demonstrate exceptional leadership, innovative thinking, creativity, and a strong commitment to advancing the jewelry industry. JA President and CEO David J. Bonaparte emphasized the program’s goal: “Our 20 Under 40 program celebrates the next generation of leaders making meaningful contributions to the jewelry industry. By honoring both retail and supplier professionals, the program reflects the collaboration, innovation, and leadership that drive excellence across the entire fine jewelry marketplace.”

A panel of judges evaluates nominees based on their professional success, leadership capabilities, innovative mindsets, potential to improve their community, and their adherence to JA’s Code of Professional Practices and ethical standards. Nominees must be under 40 as of January 14th, a full-time employee at an active JA Member retailer or supplier company based in the U.S., and have at least three years of industry experience.

Class of 2026 Honorees Announced

Jewelers of America has proudly announced the 20 Under 40 Class of 2026. These honorees represent a diverse range of roles within the industry, from bench jewelers and sales consultants to store managers, designers, and C-suite executives. Their selection acknowledges the positive impact they have made on their organizations and the broader jewelry community.

The 20 Under 40: Jewelry Retail honorees for 2026 include:

• Bobby Bengivengo Jr. - Cellini Design Jewelers, Orange, Conn.
• SJ Boardman - Summerwind Jewelers & Goldsmiths, Portsmouth, N.H.
• Kyle Bullock - Bullock’s Jewelry, Roswell, N.M.
• Lauren P. Clawson - Huntington Fine Jewelers, Oklahoma City
• Baileigh Daoud-Soricelli - Daoud’s Fine Jewelry, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• Shelly Devine - Devine & Co. Private Jeweler, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Calif.
• Karen Fox - Fox Fine Jewelry, Ventura, Calif.
• Taylor Frank - Eiseman Jewels, Dallas
• Charlie Green - Lux Bond & Green, West Hartford, Conn.
• Morgan Hancock Lewis - Merkley Kendrick Jewelers, Louisville, Ky.
• Griffin Holbeck - Korman Fine Jewelry, Austin, Texas
• Brittany Kelly - David Adams Fine Jewelry, Fayetteville, Ark.
• Tony Maggio - Reflections in Gold, Venice, Fla.
• Sylvan Eugene Needham V - S.E. Needham Jewelers, Logan, Utah
• Mackenzie Nguyen - Ylang 23, Dallas
• Sara Beth Brown Prendeville - Brown & Co., Atlanta
• Sarah Martin Rowe - the Leake Co., Louisville, Ky.
• Victoria Ruta - Tiffany & Co., New York City
• J.C. Sanders - Sanders Jewelry, Andalusia, Ala.
• Olivia Wickersham - Bevy, Denver

The 20 Under 40: Jewelry Suppliers honorees for 2026 include:

• Laura Berardocco - Roberto Coin, New York City
• Domenique Collins - Adaptive, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
• Rohan Desai - Star Gems, Atlanta
• Elliot Dilamani - Dilamani, Great Neck, N.Y.
• Javier Garza - Xavier Jewelers, Austin, Texas
• Josh Genovese - Child-Genovese Insurance Agency, Hingham, Mass.
• Melanie Goldfiner Goldberg - Rahaminov Diamonds, Los Angeles
• Sarah Haugaard - Lionheart, New York City
• Hiba Husayni - ZAHN-Z, New York City
• Nicolai Israileff - ASBA USA, Sarasota, Fla.
• Gaurav Khandelwal - Union Gems, Houston
• Steven LeVian - Le Vian, Great Neck, N.Y.
• Casey Perez - Casey Perez Jewelry, Brooklyn, N.Y.
• Meir Saban - Saban Onyx, New York City
• Olga Shatrova - Olga Shatrova LLC, Irvine, Calif.
• Stella Song - Stella Song Designs, Irvine, Calif.
• Nicole Stern - Everspark, Great Neck, N.Y.
• DeAndre Williams - Aurora Payments, Tempe, Ariz.
• Ersin Yildirim - Golden Planet USA, New York City
• Gabriella Zwirn - Nur Jewels, Carlsbad, Calif.

Nomination Period and Recognition

Nominations for the 20 Under 40 program are now open and will be accepted through February 13th. Individuals can nominate themselves or be nominated by an industry colleague. Recipients will receive a trophy, national recognition, features across JA’s social media channels and website, a press release for local media, and a complimentary Jewelers of America Certification Course. The program is sponsored by Jewelers Mutual Group and Synchrony.

For more information on submitting a nomination or to learn more about the program, individuals can contact Jewelers of America’s Member Services at 1-800-223-0673 or visit their website.