For the first time in its 97-year history the Manufacturing Jewelers & Suppliers of America has elected a woman as chairperson of its board of directors. Babette Goodman-Cohen, of I.B. Goodman Manufacturing Company, a family run precious jewelry manufacturer, based in New York City, was elected chairperson of the board at the annual MJSA meeting held last month at the Providence Biltmore. She was appointed to a two-year term.
She takes over the position from Peter Fuller, president of the Fuller Box Company located in North Attleboro, Mass. Fuller served as chairman for two years.
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“If you were to look at the (organization) 20 or 30 years ago the industry was definitely a boys club,” said John Harvey, communication director for MJSA. “But that is definitely changing. We have more and more women who are extremely capable coming into this organization and the industry which is very exciting.”
Not only is Goodman-Cohen the first women to hold the position as chairperson of the board, but according to Harvey she also breaks what had become a tradition of chairpersons coming from either Rhode Island or Massachusetts.
“I think that if you looked at it historically, predominantly most of the chairpersons came from this area,” he said. “We have actively tried to change that. We are not a Massachusetts of Rhode Island trade group but a national trade group. We have worked hard to put a good mix of people into leadership roles.”
The organization has also had a variety of crafts within the industry represented by the chairs, Harvey said.
“We don’t mandate what section they come from,” he said. “But it’s nice when we have a mix.”
Goodman-Cohen, who recently passed her presidency at I.B.Goodman on to her son, will remain with the company Harvey said. As chairperson of the MJSA board she will work with the organization’s President and CEO James F. Marquart on programming and other operational duties, Harvey said.
“In the past our chairs have been extremely proactive,” he said, and added that it’s a trend he expects to continue with Goodman-Cohen.
