Oodles of Love in Carolina

“My little old dog:
A heart-beat
At my feet.”
- Edith Wharton

My guardian angel does not have wings. She has curly hair, a skip in her step, and an ever-wagging tail. Coco, my ten-year-old miniature “rescue” poodle, has been the one doing all of the rescuing since I adopted her from Carolina Poodle Rescue six years ago. She needed a loving home, yes, but I needed to heal my wayward heart. She arrived at a lonely, tentative time in my life and brought me the spirit that I needed to move forward.

I am ever-thankful for Coco and for Carolina Poodle Rescue, a private rescue group near Spartanburg, South Carolina. In the past nine years, they have carefully matched over 2000 fuzzy companions with their “furever homes.” Thanks to Dreamweaver Farms, CPR’s 50-acre haven in upstate South Carolina, they are able to provide rehabilitation and sanctuary, whether temporary or permanent, for poodles and other needy dogs. CPR focuses on poodles and poodle mixes, but as director Donna Ezzell explains: “We take in non-poodles from time to time because a non-poodle’s story touches the heart of someone here.” Their efforts are funded solely through adoption fees and donations, but I am amazed at how conscientiously and generously CPR cares for every creature who crosses its threshold. It was my admiration for all that CPR does that inspired me to join their team of volunteers.

My volunteer work with CPR even merges nicely with my work at Fink’s Jewelers. A retail schedule actually allows for unique availability when it comes to transporting dogs to the safety of the farm or from the farm to their adoptive families. At first I was sad that I wasn’t able to help out on the weekends, which is when most volunteers are available. However, I usually have a day off during the week, so I can fill in on weekdays when other volunteers are at work. I also make an effort to integrate my experience at Fink’s Jewelers with my CPR involvement. I’ve worked in the office and on the sales floor at Fink’s Jewelers. I apply my knack for paperwork and my passion for developing client relationships to help CPR treasurer Beth Jancse maintain one of their adopter databases.

Carolina Poodle Rescue and Fink’s Jewelers are among the many blessings for which I express gratitude this Thanksgiving - and every day. My rescue poodle is the embodiment of so many blessings – my guardian angel, my heart-beat, Coco.

To learn more about Carolina Poodle Rescue, please visit their website and check out their page on Facebook.

Now through December 16, 2009, support Carolina Poodle Rescue, just by voting at care2.com. The winning shelter will receive $10,000!

___________________________

Ellen Freeman has been with Fink's Jewelers for 4 years. When she's not busy rescuing poodles, she enjoys synchronized figure skating and spending quality time with friends and family.

Fink's Jewelers proudly honors our rich tradition and history for helping our communities become a better place to live, work and play. Each year we provide financial and in-kind support to numerous organizations and encourage our employees to become active leaders in the community.

Fink's Featured in InStyle Magazine

Fink’s Jewelers makes an appearance in one of the hottest fashion magazines!

Throughout the February issue of InStyle Magazine, you’ll see today’s hottest celebrities, the season’s latest fashion trends and… Fink’s Jewelers!!

We threw a Balinese bash at our Short Pump location in Richmond, Virginia and it was the talk of the town! Guy Berida, head designer for John Hardy, made a special appearance to unveil his latest designs and meet some of his avid collectors. In celebration of the John Hardy Balinese culture, guests enjoyed cocktails and organic hors d’oeuvres inspired by the Indonesian island of Bali. In addition to great food, friends and fabulous jewelry, one lucky guest won an all expense paid trip to Bali!

Cheers to InStyle and John Hardy for bringing Fink’s Jewelers into the fashion spotlight! Grab the February issue of InStyle Magazine and check it out for yourself…

Goods for the Guys

by Rhonda Anderson, Fink’s Jewelers, Sales Associate, Chesterfield Towne Center, Richmond, VA

Men can be daring, stylish, elegant and professional. Through diverse looks and options, the David Yurman Men’s Collection has a style for every man.
Every man can fit jewelry into his lifestyle, he just has to know who he is and what looks he can handle. That’s why Saturday, November 1, 2008 Fink’s at Chesterfield Towne Center is hosting a spectacular Men’s Trunk Event. Men’s jewelry is a rapidly growing trend that gives men the opportunity to truly express themselves. David Yurman’s son Evan has introduced many distinctive designs with different textures such as Seahorse, Alligator, Rhinoceros and Sea Urchin, which shows a love of nature and craftsmanship. Hollywood celebrities such as Brad Pitt, Usher and many others have even been seen wearing his fine quality jewelry! Evan says, “Our jewelry is for a man who knows what works for him, who understands design and quality.” The collection features stylish dog tags, sterling silver heavy link chains, bracelets and rings with rare stones.
It also includes black diamonds, titanium and watches. . .something for everyone! We are so excited about this event and think you will be excited to see the new collections too. A David Yurman representative will be on hand to help present this collection and help each guy find his style. Please come in and see what’s new in store.

Rhonda Anderson is a Sales Associate at Fink’s Jewelers Chesterfield Town Center and the David Yurman diva in her store. She is a 10 year jewelry industry veteran.

The Pink Ribbon Gathering

by Sarah Floyd, Fink’s Jewelers, Sales Associate at 419 at Colonial Avenue, Roanoke, VA

This week marked Roanoke’s 11th annual Pink Ribbon Gathering. This American Cancer Society fundraiser is a project that the Fink family whole-heartedly supports and Marc Fink has actively backed it for years, hosting a table at the event as well. In the past Fink’s Jewelers has partnered with Mikimoto, Cartier, John Hardy, Roberto Coin and David Yurman for this event.

The Pink Ribbon event began as a Pink Ribbon Tea to raise fund for the local American Cancer Society Discovery Shop. It was hosted in the basement of St. John’s Episcopal Church. Ladies came in hats and white gloves to support this great cause. A fashion show of Discovery Shop fashions served as entertainment and a group of volunteers made sandwiches, tea and sweets. In the first year almost $10,000 was raised.

Over time, with excellent volunteer leadership, the event has expanded and grown into a large luncheon. The Pink Ribbon Gathering is now hosted at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. Over 600 attendees participate in the event. The luncheon includes a pre-Gathering time, gourmet lunch, fashion show, jewelry giveaway and a speaker.

Fink’s sponsorship has grown as well. This year we donated 100 gift bags containing jewelry, Fink’s Jewelers Gift Cards and one bag had a grand prize in it from a vendor partner. This year David Yurman and Fink’s are donating a necklace and earring set from the Pavé Quatrefoil Collection! No wonder the gift bags sell out before the day of the event! Proceeds from the gift bags are donated in full to the American Cancer Society to help find a cure for and contribute to the fight against breast cancer.

At 2007’s luncheon Janie Fink, author and survivor shared her incredibly funny and moving journey through cancer and beyond and received an enthusiast standing ovation from the crowd.


Annually, this event nets over $55,000 for the American Cancer Society breast programs and services. To find out more about the 2008 event that took place October 20, please go to www.pinkribbonroanoke.org.

Sarah Floyd has been in the jewelry industry for 27 years, the past 10 with Fink’s first as manager at Towers Mall and 419 @ Colonial Ave. and now as a Sales Associate at 419 @ Colonial Avenue, Sarah has been involved with the Pink Ribbon Luncheon as a committee member and attendee for the past 7 years. She is shown here with a rather handsome Abercrombie and Fitch model and Joy Davis of Fink's SouthPark.

John Hardy Month at Fink’s Jewelers

by Tammy Cox, Fink’s Jewelers, Sales Associate, Short Pump Town Center, Richmond, VA

September was John Hardy Month at Fink’s Jewelers’ Richmond stores. If you’ve stopped by lately you may have noticed the new John Hardy images on the wall and the huge selection of John Hardy pieces on display. To wrap up this focus month in style, Saturday, October 4th Fink’s Jewelers Short Pump Town Center is hosting an event with John Hardy Head Designer Guy Bedarida and we couldn’t be more excited! All three Richmond stores have come together to focus on John Hardy’s vision and BEAUTIFUL new designs this fall. Lucky for us, Guy is personally coming to unveil the new collections and even previewing one-of-a-kind pieces from the Cinta Collection!

Some of the collections being featured are the Bamboo, Naga, Langit and the list goes on! The Bamboo Collection is a tribute to the beauty, strength and versatility of bamboo, the noble tree-like grass that has been called “nature’s gift to mankind.” This collection depicts bamboo saplings and leaf shoots in a new design evolution. In staying true to the philosophy of sustainable luxury, each piece from the Bamboo Collection has the number of bamboo planted stamped inside.


The Naga Collection is not for the faint of heart! The naga is the cosmic dragon found in ancient cultures throughout the world. In Chinese Mythology and throughout much of Asia, the universe is supported by two entwined nagas, an expression of positive and negative forces. The naga symbolizes the life force that brings health and prosperity. This collection is truly a must see!


The Langit Collection is a new twist on the Silver Chain Diamond Pavé Collection and is just plain gorgeous. Each piece is delicate and bold at the same time.



Of course all this is just a preview, I’m sure the real deal will be a sight to see!

Tammy has been with Fink’s jewelers for fours years and in the jewelry industry for over 25 years. She is the John Hardy Store Captain for the Short Pump Town Center location of Fink’s Jewelers and has a bench work and custom design background.

The Big Bad Ball

by Carlos Colmenero, Fink's Jewelers, Store Manager at The Streets at Southpoint, Durham, NC

There is nothing like a night out on the town! The first event I was able to attend for Fink’s was the Hospice of Wake County’s “Big Bad Ball” hosted by the Capital City Club in downtown Raleigh. Talk about electricity! The club occupies the entire top floor of the Progress Energy Building! That’s one thing I love about working for Fink’s Jewelers. Marc Fink really wants us involved in the community. He told me on my first day I needed to find something that I believed in, that I could be a part of and help to make a difference. Anyway, I’m digressing…..back to the Big Bad Ball. The name says it all. As a manager, I am fortunate to attend a variety of events. They all have great causes and many are for charities that help the community. The Big Bad Ball is one that takes it to another level.


The first year I attended, I remember Adriane Karlinski from our Triangle Town Center store giving me a call to ask if I would like tickets for my wife and me to attend. Of course I had heard about it from years past and immediately said yes! Since then, I have been looking forward to it every year. It’s a black tie event and when walking down the hall of the Progress Energy Building in downtown Raleigh, YOU FEEL THE ENERGY! You are always greeted with a smile…..at $125 a ticket you should be…but they spare no expense. Up to the top floor you go. There you are greeted with champagne and again a smile.

Another great thing for both the Hospice of Wake County and Fink’s is that we earn a Platinum Sponsorship which means Fink’s commits to donating over $10,000 to Hospice. This year, for example, we have partnered with Breitling for the event to provide two luxury timepieces.


Every year as I survey the attendants, everyone looks sharp. When I first arrive I like to see what we are donating on display. Adriane, who I mentioned earlier, is responsible for the event for Fink’s, and has been working hand in hand with the Hospice of Wake County on the pieces we are raffling. Everyone who purchased a ticked is eligible to win. When you get there, you tear off your ticket stub and throw it in the bucket. Like I mentioned, Breitling is our 2008 partner and I can’t wait to see what will be won!

Time to hit the silent auction tables; so many things for auction; I have to keep my wife from taking us to the poor house! Oh well, it’s for a great cause! From autographed basketballs and footballs to Hurricane jerseys and trips to Mexico, the silent auction has it all. I’m telling you…..there are literally over 1000 pieces up for bid! There is even a local artist who creates a masterpiece before your eyes.

After tearing my wife away from the spa and beauty table we head over to check out the food. This is what I look forward to the most. The buffet at this event puts any buffet in Vegas to shame…no joke! And the music, oh the music. They have live bands
and I have a good friend who usually plays the keyboard in one of the bands, so I go visit him for a few. Meanwhile the countdown is on for the silent auction…which means we are only minutes away from the main event (and I’ve lost my wife again). I guess I could be a little biased when it comes to this part of the event…mainly because we are involved. Time for the magic!

Everyone gathers around the podium. With windows all around, you can see Raleigh in all its splendor….The winner of the Breitling watches are…? I guess you’ll have to attend this year if you want to know, it could be you!

Time to get another bite to eat and hit the dance floor. I’m not even sure what time the event ends since it has outlasted me the past 4 years. Sincerely though, the event is a great time. The part that I like best is that everyone has a great time
and it helps support a wonderful cause. My grandfather was in need of hospice care but where he lived it wasn’t offered. A true shame. To help an organization like the Hospice of Wake County is not only part of the job…but a pleasure!

For more information or to join in on this year’s Big Bad Ball, click here.

Carlos has been in the jeweler industry for 12 years and will be celebrating his 6th year with Fink's this October. He and his beautiful wife Lori have been married for 10 years and have a superstar son, Kobe and a soon-to-be daughter, Avery.

Pink Ribbon Polo Cup

Charlottesville, VA
pinkribbonpolo.com

Fink’s Jewelers participates in many Pink Ribbon events throughout the year. Each employee involved volunteers their personal time and energy to make event a success. One such event is the Pink Ribbon Polo Cup ....

Over the past four years the Pink Ribbon Polo Cup has become a highly anticipated event in Charlottesville. This year’s event was held on June 14 at the King Family Vineyards in Crozet with Team Eagle versus Team Embarq in the main event. Proceeds from this event are divided equally between Martha Jefferson Hospital and the University of Virginia Health System Cancer Center for the fight against breast cancer. Organized by the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation the event is more than just a polo match.

Festivities began mid-morning with a tour by the Stage Junction Clydesdales; live music was provided by the Duke Merrick Band and a wine tasting was held by the Vineyards. The majority of attendees brought picnic lunches and set up either under the pink umbrellas or field side waiting anxiously for the traditional divot stomp. Karen Sherwin and Dianne Bain from Fink’s Jeweler’s Barracks Road location participated, coordinating a beautiful Roberto Coin Cheval Collection bracelet donation for the raffle. With breast cancer prevention, awareness and research being near and dear to the Fink’s family, we’re ecstatic to participate in such wonderful and worthwhile events.

Dog Days of Summer

By Lindsey Kirby
Fink’s Jewelers Marketing Director, Roanoke, VA

Ahhh, the lazy days of summer… I wish!

Somewhere in-between the spring flowers and holiday sparkles lie the dog days of summer. While most people lounge by the pool or take relaxing beach vacations, we here in the Fink’s Jewelers marketing department work through our busiest time of year! Now is the time Susan, Hollie and I prepare for the much anticipated Holiday selling season. It all begins with our annual Holiday catalog.


The process starts with hand-selecting the beautiful pieces of jewelry for every page. Our buyers have just returned from the industry’s largest jewelry show held in Las Vegas armed with orders for fall’s hottest fashions. Each buyer, along with Mr. Fink, selects the best-of-the-best to feature in our catalog. Then, the fun begins! Susan, our Art Director, begins the creative process of hand-drawing the entire book – page by page. Those drawings are then sent to our photographer in New York where he will position the jewelry for every shot as Susan envisioned.

At the same time, each of us in the marketing department sifts through hundreds of model shots to pick the beautiful face that will represent Fink’s Jewelers for the coming year. Once we’ve found the perfect girl, we begin scouting locations for our model photo shoot. From fancy New York studios to a swanky Nashville hotel, each year we end up somewhere new. For two days, Susan and I dress our model in fancy clothes and beautiful jewelry and take more pictures than you could ever imagine. While the photographer is making sure our model looks perfect in every shot, Susan and I are focused on the true star of the shoot – the jewelry!


Then, the real work begins. We narrow down hundreds of model photographs to the perfect few that showcase the jewelry perfectly. At the same time, color-correcting the jewelry on every product page in order to show the true sparkle and life of each piece. After the pages are selected and the final digital files are complete…it hits the press. A few weeks later, more than 200,000 Fink’s Jewelers catalogs arrive in homes all over the country. Women swoon, men chose the perfect holiday gifts and we ladies in the marketing department let out a huge sigh of relief.

As we all know, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” And, our annual Holiday catalog has a beautiful story to tell!
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Lindsey is at the helm of Marc Advertising, Fink’s Jewelers in-house advertising agency. She has been with Fink’s for over six years, first as the Marketing Coordinator then as Marketing Director. She is a Roanoke native and Virginia Tech alum.

The Handbag Theory

It’s common knowledge that women notice other women. Women notice sooner when another woman changes her hairstyle, has on the latest trend or just looks great overall. Our Director of Sales Training, Charlene Hudson has been overheard saying that when a woman has on a fabulous pair of shoes or a cute sweater she’s going to tell them. And she does on almost a daily basis! Her reasoning? Women put effort into how they present themselves. If someone is going to spend hours getting her hair the perfect mix of chocolate and caramel brown and it looks good, let her know! Not enough people in general, women in particular are acknowledged for their style effort.

Realistically, most (but not all!) men shop for function and most (but not all!) women shop for function too, but also spend time making certain their purchases fit their style. Women also encounter purchases that are slightly more involved than those men face, like handbags, jewelry and shoes. Often, the jewelry industry is indicative of other high-end retail trends.

In the fall 2007 issue of Accent Magazine Marc Fink was asked what the biggest change in the jewelry industry was in the past 25 years, his answer:

“Self-purchasing women, the power of women in the workforce, two-income families. Women are empowered today and they don’t need permission to buy a piece of jewelry; they buy it for themselves. They treat themselves if they want to. When I first joined the business, it was much more of a gifting business. Society has changed.”

He goes on to explain how Fink’s employees are top-notch in their customer service and sincerity and quotes long-time employee Marie Compton as saying, “We like to out-nice the competition.”

JCKonline.com’s Caroline Stanley recently posted on her blog a post titled, The Handbag Theory – Do Women with Great Handbags Shop for More Jewelry? What a great concept?!?! The woman with the high-end, designer handbag is the type of woman coming into Fink’s, knowing what she wants and purchasing her own jewelry, then telling her friends about the experience.

Mr. Fink was spot on in his assessment of female self-purchase shoppers. Women know what they like, typically know what they’re in the market for and respond to a positive customer service experience. Check out the article and let us know what you think.

All or Nothing

When you buy jewelry, is it all part of a master plan, buying a whole suite or piece to complete a suite, or do you mix and match what you like and just “make it work”? Some people just have a flair for putting on anything, mixing and matching different brands, different metals, different stones . . . and making it look great! Meanwhile . . . everyone else is stuck working hard for an effortless look. What’s your style?

Many times on the red carpet, celebrities will wear one stand-out piece and maybe accent with a few smaller pieces. The Oscars are Sunday night, so we’ll see what the trend is this year. In the meantime, take a look back at Oscar red carpet fashions from the 1930’s all the way up to the past five years.

5 Days and Counting. . .

Less than one week and yet another holiday is upon us once again. For cup half empty guys Valentine’s Day can incite fear and dread, but for cup half full guys it’s seen as the perfect chance to redeem yourself after that Christmas gift bombed in front of her WHOLE, ENTIRE family. Who knew a deep fryer wasn’t on her list?!? Everyone loves chicken wings, right? And she may even use it to make you some chicken wings, meaning everybody wins! Right.

In a recent Jewelry.com survey, 50% of women expected to be disappointed this Valentine’s Day with the gift they received. In all fairness though, when asked what they really wanted, 50% also said diamond jewelry and we all know women don’t always ask for what they really want, so the guys aren’t completely to blame. In the survey, 90% of participants admitted that at some point they had bought themselves diamond jewelry for Valentine’s Day in the past. So maybe it just that expectations are high, but never verbalized, or that guys are just focused on practicality and function (and really, nothing will make your life better than getting her something she loves), or maybe it’s a combination.

This time around it might be best to stick to the list, and if she doesn’t have one, all Fink’s Jewelers are stocked with wish lists cards to make life a little easier.

Seeing Stars. . .

Sometimes we see stars. Real, live stars hanging around Fink's events and employees. We hadn’t mentioned it? That’s cause we know how to play it cool, or at least hide our excitement until the photo is taken.

Short Pump’s Vicki Robinson with John Travolta:


MacArthur Center Manager Dan Schaffer with John Travolta:


SouthPark’s Anna Gordon with Rusty Wallace:


Watch Buyer Mitch Skaggs with Tiger Woods:

Technology, wonderful technology. . .

Since mentioning our change over to a new operating system in the last post, now is the perfect time to introduce an integral part of the switch as well as the Fink’s family.

Rhonda Ellis is celebrating her first anniversary with Fink’s this month! She is our internal auditor and deals with not only the stores, but every one in corporate if there is a question about the new system. . .

I've heard many folks say that “nothing stays constant except for change”. The statement seems to hold very true for our company after reflecting over the past year. With a new store opening, two established stores moving and one of the stores closing the doors, our company was also introduced to a new computer operating system this year.

Craftsman for Windows, known as C4W, is a program with a Microsoft® Windows® operating base. This provides Fink’s employees with the more common Windows® appearance and functionality that many are already used to seeing on their home computers.

Fink’s customers will also reap the benefits from the recent computer changes. Faster processing time, more receipt detail and on-hand, immediate customer history information are just a few of the benefits our customers will see. We all appreciate your patience as we are still learning and adapting to our new system.

Hats off to Todd Stafford, Vice President of Information Systems, and to Todd Peters, Senior Auditor and Systems Analyst, who spent many long nights and weekends working on this system, ensuring that everything was ready to go. Lots of caffeine and chocolate were essential to keep them going during this long and trying implementation!

As for now, I will prepare to put my “auditing” hat back on and step back from the IT world. Good bye for now and happy shopping!

~Rhonda Ellis
Corporate Offices, Roanoke

Good-bye 2007. . .

On this 31st day of December, many people take a look back at the past year. Some may make resolutions for the New Year; getting organized, losing weight and exercising more top many people’s resolution lists. The beauty of these resolutions is that we stay the same (same person, same place), but get to change. What better excuse to take the person you are and turn into the person you want to be? The advantage is that there are 365 in which to do so!

As a company Fink’s took on many new projects in 2007. All our stores were converted to a new operating system, we closed and opened and relocated some locations, and we launched a new website and blog but ultimately stayed the same company at our core through the value Fink’s customer’s have come to expect.

So what are your resolutions? Are you going dramatic or taking baby steps? Throughout 2008 you get to see ours unfold right here!

Feel the Rush

Being right in the middle of the holiday season it’s not uncommon to hear the question, “Have you finished your shopping?” With the Super Tuesday of gifting only four days away it’s a good time to look at the holiday shopping personalities of consumers.

Do you meticulously make a list months in advance, double-checking names to make sure all are accounted; then think of every conversation you’ve had with those people in the past year as to hints on not only their psyche, but what gift would suit them best? Or, do you just give gift cards to one and all? Is Black Friday the equivalent of your Super Bowl, or is December 24th? Are you just lucky in finding those perfect gifts in your everyday shopping? Or, will we be seeing you 3 days from now with a look of panic of your face looking for something to light up her face, perfectly wrapped and placed in a little black bag?

419 Holiday Designers' Showcase

The title of this post is just simply the title of the event. Nothing else seemed to do it enough justice to warrant that coveted title position and the excitement surrounding this special night. Some of the vendor representatives that attended were from Mikimoto, David Yurman, John Hardy, Breitling, Roberto Coin, DiModolo, Marco Bicego, Lady Heart, Ritani, and SUWA.

It was a night of great concentration. . . after all, with so much to choose from you want to make sure you get the right one, or maybe more than one. . .

After much thought and concentration, it was time to loosen up and celebrate!

Official greeter, Executive Assistant Connie Light.

This year it was decided by the powers that be that a fashion show was in order. . .so our Director of Sales Training, Charlene Hudson, took the reigns and made it happen!

Charlene in the background emceeing and VP Mark Bair being a gentleman, as always.

Immediately following that, there was a drawing for a custom designed ring or pendant from Ritani. . .

High fives all around!

Winner Shawn Best holding the diamond, with 419 @ Colonial manager Debbie Cochran.

With Harout Ritani choosing the perfect design.

And our love of delicious food has been mentioned hasn't it? This spread did not disappoint.

It was such a wonderful night for Fink's employees and our customers alike. We can't wait for next year!!!