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Michael Harris Is the New CEO of Mercury Ring
The former Camelot Bridal president joined the company over the summer.
New York—Former Camelot Bridal President Michael Harris is the new CEO of Mercury Ring.
A New Jersey native who graduated from Emory University in Atlanta, Harris—who first started working in the jewelry business in high school—joined Tessler & Weiss/Premesco and Camelot Bridal in 2001.
He spent nearly 17 years at the New Jersey-based jewelry manufacturer, working his way up to become president of Camelot Bridal while also overseeing sales at Tessler & Weiss. Tessler & Weiss shut down last year following the death of owner Mark Tessler in September at the age of 71.
In late June, Harris joined Mercury Ring as CEO, succeeding Phyllis Bergman who, as JCKOnline.com reported, left the company after 32 years to start a new business.
Harris, 39, told National Jeweler on Monday he is currently focusing on merchandising the business and expanding Mercury Ring’s sales team into a national sales force. The company has new representatives who will be going on the road this week and plans to have all 50 states covered in a year’s time.
Mercury Ring is a division of Unique Designs Inc/Kiran USA; Unique acquired the company last year.
Harris said he will take advantage of the parent company’s size to aid independent jewelers in the United States.
“The goal of Mercury is to be able to provide the independent jeweler everything they need to be successful in today’s economy,” he said.
This includes hundreds of new designs every year; displays for every product; marketing materials, both traditional and digital; memo packages; special holiday programs; and unique products.
Arthur Bergman started Mercury Ring in 1944 and his grandson, Jeffrey, remains with the company as president.
Mercury Ring is a member of the American Gem Society, Plumb Club, and is also a part of buying groups IJO, RJO, CBG and Leading Jewelers Guild.
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