AGS Heads to Denver for International Conclave 2007

From AGS, Las Vegas, Nevada - The American Gem Society’s International Conclave will be held in Denver, Colorado from April 25-28, 2007 at the Denver Marriott City Center. Five ground-breaking speakers will present programs throughout the four-day conference recognized as one of the industry’s premier educational and networking events. Jim Collins, Andrea Learned, Renée Mauborgne, Scott Ginsberg, and Ross Shafer will make an appearance at this year’s Conclave— each exemplifying the highest level of experience and know-how in strategic planning, marketing, advertising, and brand development.

Jim Collins has invested more than a decade of research into successful businesses. Collins has authored four books, including GOOD TO GREAT: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t, which topped the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week bestseller lists. Collins has developed practical tools for senior executives and CEOs at more than 100 companies, and has also worked with social sector organizations, such as Johns Hopkins Medical School, The Girl Scouts of the USA, and the United States Marine Corps. Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company will sponsor Collins’ appearance at International Conclave 2007.

Author, marketing consultant, and speaker Andrea Learned is the founder and president of Learned on Women, as well as co-author of Don’t Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy and How to Increase Your Share of this Crucial Market. Learned’s marketing philosophy centers around the concept of “transparent marketing”— developing a deeper understanding of gender roles, lifestyles, and generational experiences. Companies will develop authentic connections with their market going beyond the stereotypical marketing techniques creating rich, relevant, and lasting relationships with their customers. Diamond Promotion Service will sponsor Learned’s appearance at International Conclave 2007.

Renée Mauborgne is one of the world’s premier experts on business strategy, innovation and wealth creation in the knowledge economy. As co-author of the book Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant, Mauborgne brings business audiences an important breakthrough in strategic business thinking. Mauborgne considers “Blue Oceans” to be untapped markets, and her presentation will focus on how companies can define a new market space for themselves. Hearts On Fire will sponsor Mauborgne’s appearance at International Conclave 2007.

As the only person in the world who wears a name tag all day, every day, Scott Ginsberg has made it his mission to help people be friendlier and more approachable. At only 26 years of age, Ginsberg has carved a niche for himself in the international business community through the publication of three books, as well as speaking engagements, and interviews on the “Today Show,” “CNN Headline News,” and the Wall Street Journal.

Emmy Award winner, author, comedian, and failed pet shop manager turned network TV host, Ross Shafer, is, as his friend Jay Leno put it, “a motivational speaker without the speech.” Schafer, who saw great success with his book Nobody Moved Your Cheese, will be making his second Conclave appearance in 2007. He has written several other books, including the comedic delight Cook Like a Stud. Recently, Shafer founded the Customer Empathy Institute™ focusing on customer service. Shafer has worked with companies such as Microsoft, Nordstrom, Wells Fargo, and Federal Express, just to name a few.

In addition to presentations by internationally renowned speakers, Conclave attendees may attend a Welcome Reception featuring fare by Gourmet magazine, a Fashion Show presented by Vogue, an in-room educational event titled, Breakfast in Bed, sponsored by Wells Fargo Financial Retail Services, and Access AGS, a 24-hour-a-day source for Conclave information hosted by Ross Shafer.

American Gem Society members can register for International Conclave 2007 at AmericanGemSociety.org/conclave. Non-members interested in attending should contact Wendy Stevens at conclave07@ags.org or toll-free at 866.805.6500 extension 1018.

The American Gem Society, founded in 1934 by Robert M. Shipley, is a not-for-profit trade association dedicated to proven ethics, knowledge, and consumer protection within the jewelry industry. The American Gem Society is the international professional organization for all Registered Jewelers (RJ), Certified Gemologists (CG), and Certified Gemologist Appraisers (CGA). Members are held to the highest ethical and professional standards in the industry and must pass annual recertification examinations to maintain their American Gem Society titles. Less than five percent of jewelers in the country have met the exacting requirements for membership. For more information regarding the American Gem Society, please call 702.255.6500, or visit their website at http://www.americangemsociety.org/.