Gem Legacy Expands Advisory Council

RAPAPORT… Gem Legacy, which advocates for artisanal mining communities, has made three additions to its advisory board.

The new members are Katherine Bodoh, CEO of American Gem Society (AGS) and AGS Laboratories; Stuart Robertson, research director of Gemworld International; and Sumit Dangi, chief financial officer of Jewelers Mutual Group, Gem Legacy said Monday.

They will join the founding members of the board: Niveet Nagpal, president of Omi Gems and Omi Privé, and Jonathan and Brecken Farnsworth, owners of Parlé Jewelry Designs.

The board members serve as ambassadors for the organization, which focuses on supporting African colored-gemstone mining communities. They also advocate for its initiatives, work on enrolling new partners. and collaborate with industry organizations and businesses to help form alliances, Gem Legacy explained.

“The expansion of the Gem Legacy advisory council is an exciting step forward for our industry, for [the organization], and for the communities and businesses the organization supports,” said Ben Smithee, CEO of The Smithee Group, who serves on Gem Legacy’s board of directors. “Our new advocates will lead the charge for a unified movement to support the communities that serve as the foundation of our industry.”

Image: A selection of colored gemstones. (Shutterstock)