By Jacquie De Almeida
The Canadian Jewellers Association (CJA) has sworn in Geoffrey Beattie as chair for 2014-2015.
About 50 people gathered for the association’s annual general meeting earlier this month at Cambridge Suites in Toronto, where Beattie, who served previously as treasurer, was presented with the collar.
“It’s a huge honour to be given this position,” said Beattie of Barclay’s Fine Custom Jewellers in Victoria.
“It will only be for a year, so hopefully we can move ahead with the initiatives we’re working on. It’s an exciting time to be taking over as chair because we have a lot of new projects we’re bringing on. We’ve been working really hard at rebranding and re-energizing the CJA. Part of that is launching our new website. We’ve also been talking a lot about bringing younger members into the association. We’ve designed our website to be more interactive, but we’re also bringing in social media aspects, which will appeal more to this group.”
Beattie’s first order of business as chair was to present the 2014 Chairman’s Award to Paul Mara of Paul Mara Jewellers in Victoria.
Established in 2000, the award honours an individual who has gone above and beyond to enhance the profile of the Canadian jewellery industry by maintaining the highest professional standards and integrity.
“The jewellery industry as a whole is a very close-knit, traditional industry,” said Mara, who served as CJA president in 2006 and was a sitting board member from 2003 to 2008.
“It’s probably one of the few where millions of dollars change hands on a handshake. That’s one of the things that shouldn’t be forgotten or taken for granted.”
Things have changed since Mara got his first taste of working behind the counter as a teenager in Brockville, Ont. In the years since, though, he says the inner workings of the industry continue to fascinate him.
“I’ve had the privilege of being a guest of De Beers in South Africa and being down in the mines or out where the ocean is pushed back to excavate diamonds,” he adds. “It’s absolutely mind-boggling the degree of work they have to go through to get the diamonds.”
In addition to the chairman’s award, CJA bestowed the Erol Paylan Memorial Award on Darwin Copeman, president of Jewelers Mutual Insurance Co.
The award honours the memory of the association’s first vice-chair. Paylan—who was known for his penchant for asking probing questions about life—died in February 2013 at the age of 52.
His daughter, Mariam, was on hand to present the award to Copeman.
Having met Paylan, Copeman recalls his fondness for asking questions that made people think.
“He asked me, ‘How do you see an insurance company fitting in with the passionate, creative side of the jewellery industry?'” Copeman said.
“Erol caught me by surprise, like he did so many other people. I’ve contemplated that question many, many times and it doesn’t seem like a normal fit. However, I believe we have a very strong connection with the industry because we want to save lives and help prevent people from being traumatized. I feel almost guilty because I got to accept the award on behalf of 240 people. It will be an award we cherish and it will hold a prominent position in our home office.”
