RAPAPORT... This past Wednesday the Diamond Manufacturers & Importers Association of America (DMIA) held its bi-annual elections and  Ronald J. Friedman was re-elected as the Association’s president.  Also re-elected were DMIA's vice president-CFO Ronnie VanderLinden, and vice presidents Fred Knobloch, Sheldon Kwiat, Jay Greenberg, Rick Cohen, and Matthew Schamroth.  Hertz Hasenfeld was elected DMIA secretary.

Elections were also held for positions on the DMIA’s board of directors. The following were re-elected to the board: Marvin Finker, Saul Goldberg, Tom Heyman, Mickey Ishida, Daniel Kaleko, Philip Klein, Daniel Klugman, Isidore Kratka, Michelle Lieber, Ronnie Morgenstein, Alan Rehs, Stuart Samuels, and Steven Verstandig.

Two newly elected board members were Ishaia Gol and Charles Rosario.

During the meeting, which was held July 30, Friedman renewed his commitment to working on behalf of the Association in advancing and promoting the interests of the diamond industry and diamond manufacturers in the United States. 

He also congratulated VanderLinden on his recent election as secretary-general of the International Diamond Manufacturers Association (IDMA.)

DMIA past-presidents Jeffrey H. Fischer, Alan Kleinberg, Jacques Roisen, and Paul Bialo remained as members of the DMIA’s advisory board.