The American Gem Society, a nonprofit trade association dedicated to consumer protection, education, and ethics, recently elected local Jacksonville businessman, Michael Richards, as President of the American Gem Society Board of Directors. Richards brings to the position a wealth of knowledge and rich experience in the jewelry industry.
Richards has worked at Underwood Jewelers for over 30 years, beginning his career as a store manager and rising to Vice President and then Chief Operating Officer. For the last 12 years, he has served on the Board of Directors of the American Gem Society. He has also served as the Chair of both the Education and the Gemological Sciences Committees before joining the Executive Committee, where he served as Secretary, then President-Elect before being elected President on June 1. Richards also currently serves on the AGS Laboratories Advisory Committee, the Executive Committee of the Jewelers Vigilance Committee, and serves as the Treasurer of the Board of Directors for Theatre Jacksonville.
Underwood has four locations in Northeast Florida, including shops at The Shoppes at Ponte Vedra and the Avenues Mall.
“I’m very excited about the challenges I will face over the next two years,” said Richards. “Membership in the American Gem Society has been an extremely important part of my career, and the chance to lead the board of directors will certainly be a highlight.”
“I’m looking forward to partnering with Michael,” said Katherine Bodoh, CEO of the American Gem Society and AGS Laboratories. “He is dedicated to the AGS core values of consumer protection, integrity, education, and setting and maintaining high standards of business ethics. He has demonstrated hs commitment to those ideals through his service to AGS and through his work at Underwood Jewelers. He truly cares about developing his team, which allows them to provide unparalleled service, knowledge, and gemological expertise to the Jacksonville community. We are fortunate to have Michael’s vision and strategic guidance over the next two years.” To learn more about Underwood Jewelers, visit www.underwoodjewelers.com. To learn more about the American Gem Society, visit www.ags.org.
