Speaker Service Center

Seminar Speaker Center
The following speakers will be presenting at the JA New York Education programs, please click here for the complete seminar listing.


BRUCE COLTIN  
Bruce Coltin currently serves as Director of the Supplier Pavilion at JA New York. His mission is to broaden the scope of the JA Winter show to address the growing need of companies and individuals engaged in the processes of designing and manufacturing jewelry. Prior to joining the JA show, Mr. Coltin served as Director of Sales & Marketing for Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America (MJSA). He brings with him
twenty-five years of experience in developing and managing trade shows, directing exhibit sales, attendee promotion, and seminar programs.


BRAD HUISKEN
In 1996, after spending a year writing his first book and developing his own sales training program and sales management systems, Brad Huisken started IAS Training. IAS Training has grown significantly through the years to where Brad is now an internationally known sales and sales management trainer, speaker, and consultant. Mr. Huisken conducts sales and management seminars all over North America, Europe and Australia and delivers public and private seminars and in-house consulting. In addition his company produces books, audio programs, video DVDs and other materials on these subjects. Brad uses practical methods, realistic strategies and usable techniques to help increase sales through providing exceptional customer service. His seminars are fun, motivational and educational. Mr. Huisken specializes in in-house training and consulting working with both large and small companies installing sales management systems and training salespeople on sales, customer service and communication. The success of these projects is a direct result of the implementation of these systems and the unique follow-up given by IAS Training (www.iastraining.com


DAVID PETERS
David Peters is the director of member services for Jewelers of America, Inc. (JA) where his areas of responsibility include member relations, member benefits and services development and delivery, and jewelry trade relations. Additionally, he works on the design and delivery of education and educational services to JA’s nationwide membership. He also develops methods of making education and business-building resources more readily accessible to retail jewelers across the United States. Peters has been with JA since 1998 and previously held the position of director of education. Peters holds a master of science in education and educational technology from Pepperdine University is a Graduate Gemologist (GIA), Certified Gemologist (AGS) and has more than 16 years’ experience in the retail jewelry industry. Prior to JA, Peters spent seven years as an instructor at the Gemological Institute of America (GIA), where he had extensive experience training retail jewelers. He has also conducted seminars and educational programs at major industry events both within the United States and internationally. Peters is a member of the 24 Karat Club of Southern California and the 24 Karat Club Southeastern US. He is also on the board of directors of the Diamond Council of America (DCA).


WHITNEY SIELAFF
Whitney Sielaff is editorial director of 104-year-old National Jeweler, an award winning business-to-business media brand that reports on the international fine jewelry industry. Published by Nielsen Business Media, New York, National Jeweler is recognized as the leading news analysis provider to U.S. retail jewelers and those serving them. Whitney began writing about the jewelry industry in the 1980s, specializing in reporting on the international diamond industry. He was appointed National Jeweler Editor-in-Chief in 1995 and served as publisher from 1999-2003. Among a diverse range of projects, he has overseen the development of the multifaceted jewelry information Web site NationalJewelerNetwork.com and the brand’s e-mail newsletter, National Jeweler Daily News. Most recently, he has headed development of the ABJ Network, the jewelry trade’s only online social network. Whitney has won two Jesse Neal Awards from the American Business Press, one for his editorial writing and another as part of an investigative reporting team whose work captured the prestigious Grand Neal Award in 1997. In 2005, he received the Timothy White Award for highest journalistic integrity and was named to Folio magazine’s Dream Team as the nation’s top trade magazine editor. He serves on the executive boards of Jewelers for Children and the jewelry chapters of the Organization for Rehabilitation. Through Training and the National Conference of Community and Justice. In 2000, he received a human relations award from the American Jewish Committee and now serves as chairman of the group’s Jewelry Chapter. He is a member of the Twenty-Four Karat Club of the City of New York. In 2002, he was roasted at Carnegie Hall by New York’s Golden Circle Club.