Jewelers of America (JA) have announced that they will be redefining its relationship with state and regional affiliate jewelers associations due to the current economic conditions.

In a media release they mentioned that after careful evaluation during an 18 month strategic review done last year. JA’s board of directors identified that their business model was not sustainable to cover its operating costs. JA has a history of producing and developing major services offered to the members, still it retains less than 20 percent of the annual dues paid by the member companies. The remitted balance of annual dues is then remitted back to the 39 affiliated associations by JA.

JA has come up with a new partnership model where it will no longer offer operational assistance to affiliate associations, such as due collection and database maintenance. Yet it will continue a positive and healthy ongoing relationship through other educational and marketing support, this was informed by the organization in a media release.

The current structure will end by Aug. 17, 2009 and under the current model JA members have joint membership with their local jewelry association and the national organizations. Going forward with the new model the members will elect to join or renew their membership with JA and/or their local association separately.

JA President and Chief Executive Officer Matthew A. Runci in release said, "While the current economic forecast has made it necessary to redefine the relationship Jewelers of America has with its affiliates, the association intends to continue a long-term connection with them through restructured agreements and future partnership opportunities."

This change in the operating structure is done in view with aligning the JA resources to provide positive benefits to its immediate members, the organization said in the release. It will continue its focus on benefits that best address the current concerns of its member companies and to identify direct delivery options at their best suitable convenience – in their stores, local events or online.

The association also has new benefits on the horizon which includes a new and spruce up user-friendly Web site which is all set to launch this fall. With this Web site in place its members can obtain lot of services online, including JA’s exclusive regulatory and legislative guidance materials and online educational offerings from GIA and other education partners.

With an effort to support the independent jewelers JA is strengthening its base in Washington, D.C., through legislative advocacy on key retail issues, like fairness in sales tax and group healthcare access. An important merger with the Jewelry Information Center (JIC) is also planned which brings lots of promises to give its members exciting offers to access the high-quality consumer marketing materials and traffic-building programs. With this partnership the JIC members will receive same access to JA benefits just like any other JA member as they will become JA members.