The First Lady: Ruth Batson – CEO Of The American Gem Society
July 24, 11
When Ruth Batson became CEO of the American Gem Society in 2002, she became the first woman to head the organization since its establishment in 1934.
How and why did you get into the diamond industry?
I happened into association management for the jewelry industry through my experience and education in the accounting field. The American Gem Society (AGS) was in the process of relocating from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and I answered an ad in the newspaper for the position of controller for the Society. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the jewelry industry and its many wonderful people and volunteers.
What was the progress to your current position?
My 18-year tenure with the American Gem Society started in 1993 and has been a steady and rewarding progress of professional growth since. I first started with the organization as its controller and then advanced to the position of chief financial officer. In 1997, the position of CEO became available and I applied. While I did not get the job, I learned a great deal from the process. Four years later the opportunity became available again and I went for it. This time I was successful and have been in the role of CEO for the past nine years.
What does your job entail? What is a “typical” day like?
As CEO, I am responsible for managing and executing the organization’s primary objectives. Those objectives are determined by a volunteer board of directors. My job is to execute the board’s strategic plans while protecting the Society’s many assets and ensuring its long-term sustainability. Daily decisions involve marketing, member services, education and certification programs, finances and budgeting and personnel management. One of the interesting aspects of working for a volunteer board is that I get a new boss every two years! As challenging as that sounds, I’ve learned a great deal from each of them.
 Ruth Batson |
The AGS is a membership based organization primarily made up of retail jewelers in the U.S. and Canada. So from my perspective and the demographic that I serve, our membership stats indicate that the average AGS individual member is still a male somewhere in his mid-fifties. Also, over the last 77 years, of the 40 or so AGS volunteer board presidents only four have been women! Two of the four women presidents, however, have served in the last 10 years. In fact, our current AGS president is Cathy Calhoun, a successful retail business owner. More and more ladies are holding leadership roles in the family business as we move into second a third generation ownerships.
Do you think being female has either helped or hindered you in the industry? What have your experiences been as a woman in the industry?
As only the fifth person to serve in the role of CEO for the Society and the first woman in that role, I have certainly been on the front line of this issue. My professional growth, my relationship with the AGS Board and my other leadership roles within the jewelry industry have been a wonderful experience for me and I do not feel that being a woman has hindered me in any way. An added perk for me is that I’m certainly the first AGS CEO to be asked to model a member’s gorgeous jewelry!
Why do you think there are relatively few women outside of the retail sector? Is this something that you see changing?
Men do outnumber women on the supply-side of our industry. What I find most exciting is the growing number of successful women jewelry designers and design company owners. A few names that come to mind are: Erica Courtney, Penny Preville, Phyllis Bergman, Rina Limor, Jenny Perl and Myriam Gumuchian. These are some very successful and amazing business women in the supply chain, and their numbers will continue to grow, as will their successes. I am woman hear me roar…all the way to the bank!
Where would you like to see more women participating in the industry?
I’d like to see more of our industry’s women getting involved in industry organizations and becoming active on committees and boards. This is a great way to elevate not only your own professional growth and business success, but also the impact of women in our industry.
Does AGS do anything specifically to help and encourage women in their careers?
AGS offers credentials to all jewelry industry professionals who want to strive to meet the highest industry standards and to further their careers. What AGS can provide to its female members is a community of likeminded professional women to network with and learn from at AGS events. For example, all four of the female AGS board presidents I mentioned earlier were in attendance at this year’s Conclave in San Francisco. I have also heard from many young women who view an AGS certification as an opportunity to give them an edge as they rise in their own careers.
What has been the high point of your career so far?
The most rewarding part of my job happens once a year at Conclave, the annual AGS membership meeting. Interacting with members, reporting on the Society’s progress and providing our attendees with competitive advantages are high points for me every year.
Which woman do you most admire in the industry?
There are so many women that I admire in this industry, certainly all four of our AGS past presidents! Another one of my heroes is Donna Baker at the GIA. Donna has one of the most demanding jobs in our industry and she is also the first woman to do it. Also, Susan Jacques and Beryl Raff for making the short list of jewelry industry CEOs reporting to Warren Buffet and may I say, doing an amazing job for him! And again, I’ve been fortunate to work with very inspiring women who have led the AGS board, like Cathy Calhoun, Sallie Morton, Georgie Gleim and Ellen Lacy. The impact they’ve had on the direction of the AGS has paved the way for other women. And lastly, the women I most admire are the ones that I work with everyday at the AGS headquarters. They live and breathe the ideals of the AGS. They amaze me!