MJSA Member News

Donald LeStage, Jewelry Manufacturer and Activist, Dies at Age 70

Donald LeStage, long-time jewelry industry official and community activist, died Feb. 14 at age 70. President of the family-owned LeStage Manufacturing Co., LeStage worked closely with his brothers Richard and Garner for decades at the company, which was purchased by their grandfather, Donald LeStage Sr., in 1916. LeStage was also involved in the formation of the Attleboro Jewelry Makers Outlet and was active in the Attleboro Land Trust. He is survived by his wife, Linda; son, Gregory of Cambridge, Massachusetts; daughter, Julie McOsker of Norwood, Massachusetts; and five grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at the Murray Universalist Church, 505 N. Main St., Attleboro, MA 02703, on Feb. 26 at 11 a.m. A reception will follow at the Highland Country Club, 104 Mechanic St., Attleboro, MA 02703. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Attleboro Land Trust, 1417 Park St., Attleboro, MA 02703, or to the charity of one’s choice.

United Precious Metal Refining Expands

Driven by a 70 percent increase in its refining business, United Precious Metal Refining in Alden, New York, recently built a 6,200 square foot addition to its plant in Alden. The expansion is designed to double the company’s refining capacity as well as to accelerate material processing time.

Paragon Lake Hires Director of Online Marketing

Dan Marques has been named director of online marketing for Paragon Lake in Lexington, Massachusetts. Marques will play a prominent role in strategic marketing and online efforts for the upcoming launch of the company’s website, which is scheduled for late spring. Prior to joining Paragon Lake, Marques served as manager, entrepreneur development at Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, where he was responsible for supporting and developing Babson’s entrepreneurs through the Hatchery and other programs.

Frederick Goldman Partners with Waldman Diamond Canada Ltd.

Frederick Goldman Inc. in New York City recently announced a distribution agreement with Waldman Diamond Canada Ltd., an independent sales firm in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Under the agreement, Waldman Diamond will represent the Goldman brands ArtCarved, Diana, and Triton. "We are delighted to work with Waldman Diamond Canada, who will extend our representation and reach into western Canada," said Jonathan Goldman, CEO of Frederick Goldman.

Roland Launches Redesigned Website

Roland DGA Corp. in Irvine, California, recently launched a redesigned website (rolanddga.com) featuring advanced navigation tools, easy access to information, and links to Roland on social networking sites such as Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. With the new site, Roland has integrated all products into one comprehensive view so customers can quickly browse through the full line of the company’s technologies. User-friendly drop-down menus enable access to information both by product category and core applications. In addition, a new Owners section enables curent customers to register their products and view service and support information critical to their businesses.

NTR Metals Opens New Locations

Headquartered in Dallas, precious metals refiner NTR Metals recently opened three new locations. NTR Metals now has facilities located at 5253 Old Dowd Road, Unit 1, Charlotte, NC 28208, 1-704-927-9999; 4658 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL 60630, 1-773-481-0300; and 333 Littlefield Ave., San Francisco, CA 94080, 1-650-589-1121.

Rautomead Ltd. Launches Russian Website

Rautomead Ltd. in Dundee, Scotland, recently launched a Russian language version of its website in order to better present its range of equipment for the casting of non-ferrous metals to this increasingly significant market. "It is our intention to make the website available in various languages," says Guy Henderson, sales and marketing manager. "However, the considerable interest we are attracting from the Russian marketplace confirmed in our minds that a Russian language version of the website was an absolute priority." The new site can be accessed at rautomead.ru.

Johnson Matthey NY Expands Palladium Offerings

Citing a need to make palladium mill products more accessible to small jewelry makers, Johnson Matthey NY is now stocking palladium plate, rod, and wire in its New York office. The company does not require a minimum purchase amount on these products, and it offers discounts to MJSA members through its participation in the M2M program. For more information, visit jmny.com.

Hoover & Strong and Keystone Findings Merge

Refiner and precious metals manufacturer Hoover & Strong Inc. in Richmond, Virginia, has announced its merger with Keystone Findings Inc., a manufacturer of die-struck and cast settings, solitaire wedding bands, and earrings. As part of the merger, Keystone’s Telford, Pennsylvania-based plant will be transported to Hoover & Strong’s facility in Richmond, Virginia, while order fulfillment and customer service for both companies remain fully operational. Hoover & Strong plans to merge product inventory and relocate staff over the course of the summer, followed by the introduction of a new product catalog at the beginning of 2010.

Rio Grande Partners with Craft Emergency Relief Fund

In an effort to make a difference in the lives of craft artists in distress, Rio Grande in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has partnered with the Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF). Through its Sweeps for CERF program, Rio Grande will accept sweeps from jewelers by mail, refine the tiny bits of metal, and donate the full value of the recovered metal directly to CERF. For nearly 25 years, CERF has responded to disasters that threaten the careers of craft artists with assistance that has helped hundreds of artists get back to work, build more resilient businesses, and prepare for unexpected threats to their careers.

Roland DGA Launches Online Store

Roland DGA Corp. in Irvine, California, recently launched a new online store located on the company’s website at rolanddgastore.com. The new store provides customers in the U.S. with 24-hour-a-day access to the company’s full line of certified supplies and accessories for cutters, engravers, and milling machines.