Periodically, we like to introduce you to a member of our staff whose hard work is so integral to the outstanding products and services The Kingswood Company offers. This month, we profile Megan Powell, Account Executive.

Megan has been with The Kingswood Company for close to four years, having joined our staff immediately upon graduating from Capital University in Bexley, Ohio.

Megan has become very involved in the Women’s Jewelry Association and is looking forward to the In the Know Conference being held March 10 in New York. For more information on the event or to purchase tickets, visit the WJA website here.

What do you like about your job?

I love working as an account executive. Sales work is challenging, allowing me to extend myself which is what I have always wanted to do. Working for Kingswood makes it so much easier, because we are all about doing what is right for our customers. It’s so rewarding to work for a company that is dedicated to surpassing people’s expectations. I really enjoy helping my clients develop their product line. Being part of meetings where we discuss ideas, reviewing the samples our fantastic design team creates, executing the final product, and then hearing from a customer that they love the product – it is a great feeling.

And I love working at the jewelry shows! It is so much fun meeting our clients face-to-face and helping them choose a line of products. It is such a great opportunity to meet people in the jewelry industry, and I learn so much.

How have you gotten involved in networking with others in the jewelry industry?

Our President & CEO, Kristie Nicolosi, has been very involved in the Women’s Jewelry Association for a long time and encouraged me to get involved. I was excited to do so, but found it was hard to get together very often, as the Midwest Chapter meetings were held in the Chicago area. I spoke to other WJA members in Ohio and Kentucky who felt the same way, so I wondered if we could work to launch an Ohio/Kentucky chapter of WJA.

I was introduced to Stephanie Wesdorp of Jewel-Craft and together we coordinated with the Midwest Chapter of WJA to get a regional chapter off the ground. It was exciting to be part of this effort, and eventually we put together a board in 2012. The support we have gotten from WJA has been amazing. Kristie was an outstanding resource, as were so many other women in WJA. I know people are so busy, but they were always willing to take time out of their day to offer us support.

So the Ohio/Northern Kentucky Chapter is up and running?

It is! We kind of jumped in with both feet, and each year it gets better and better. At the end of 2014, we were approved as an official chapter, so although we have have held events over the past couple of years, 2015 will be our inaugural year.

Coming up in April, we are hosting an event that should be a lot of fun for our chapter. There is an exhibit at Kent State University in northern Ohio that features work from the American Jewelry Design Council. This year’s theme is Variations on a Theme: 25 Years of Design, which represents an archive of work by some of America’s most influential jewelry designers. Our event will be held on April 12, with a bus picking up participants from Kentucky, moving through Ohio and ending at the exhibit at Kent State University. It will be fun to ride together, catch up, network, and take in this amazing exhibit. (If you are interested in participating in this event, you can contact Megan at mpowell@thekingswoodcompany.com).

I am also excited to attend the In the Know Conference next week, as well as the President’s Conference, where Stephanie and I can talk with the presidents of other chapters to learn how to improve our chapter. We also look forward to presenting our chapter’s Shining Star Award Tuesday night at In the Spotlight to Laurie Watt of Mayor & Watt.