Canadian Jewelry Trade Group Appoints Two Cochairs

The Canadian Jewellers Association (CJA) has elected Chau Lui and Eric Senftleben to cochair its board of directors for 2026.

The organization elected Lui of Paris Jewellers in Edmonton and Eric Senftleben of Citizen Watch Canada in Markham at its annual general meeting (AGM) in Toronto last month, it said recently.

The board meeting took place during its third Annual CJA Industry Summit, which included a day of education, networking, dinner and the distribution of five awards. More than 200 members and industry professionals attended the event.

Other board members elected were:

• Past chair: Angela Betteridge of Angela Betteridge Jewellery, Kelowna
• First vice chair: Marco Pasteris of Birks Group, Montreal
• Second chair: Shant Purutoglu of Gem Lab Appraisal Services, Toronto
• Executive Member: Justin Opert of Sorbet Sapphire, Thornhill
• Director: Mark Devereaux of Jewelers Mutual Insurance Group, Neenah, Wisconsin
• Director: Kevin Vantyghem of Vantyghem Diamonds, Kitchener
• Director: Tom Hart of C.J. Ltd., Dartmouth
• Director: Arka Akkelian of Canadian Gem, Montreal
• Director: Pramendra Baid of La Pierre Precieuse, Montreal
• Director: Simon Parker of MBA4Rent and Douglas College, New Westminster
• Director: Carey Spanbauer Wilde of Refined Custom Jewellers, Cochrane
• Director: Simon Marcil of Tech-Emotion, Montreal

Image: Chau Lui (left) and Eric Senftleben. (Canadian Jewellers Association)