Duncan Pay to Lead GIA Education

Duncan Pay has been named vice president and chief academic officer of GIA (Gemological Institute of America). Previously senior director of gemology content strategy, Pay will now oversee GIA’s global education courses in gemology and jewelry design and manufacturing following the decision by Bev Hori, GIA senior vice president and chief learning officer, to retire in May 2018. Pay will remain editor-in-chief of Gems & Gemology (G&G) – GIA’s quarterly professional peer-reviewed journal – a position he has held since 2013. During the transition, Hori will have responsibility for galvanizing the digital transformation of the Richard T. Liddicoat Library and Information Center, and GIA’s engagement with the Institute’s global network of 120,000 active alumni.

 “I am immensely pleased that Duncan has taken on this very important role to carry on Bev’s incredible work to establish professional standards and strive for continuous improvement through education for the gem and jewelry industry,” said Susan Jacques, GIA president and CEO. “Throughout her career, Bev demonstrated a passion for bringing people together to find ways to collaborate, not only for their benefit but also for the benefit of the industry. Her many contributions serve as a model for others to emulate.” Jacques continued, “I have the utmost confidence that Duncan will further enhance GIA’s education offerings.”

 Pay will assume the role of vice president and chief academic officer immediately. During his 20-year career at GIA, Pay led conversion of coursework to eLearning and strengthened GIA’s gemology courses by enabling timely sharing of findings from the Institute’s research and lab teams. As editor-in-chief of G&G, he oversaw a renaissance of the 84-year-old journal, expanding the range of research-based articles and building print and online readership.

 “I look forward to the duties of my new role and to cultivating ways to expand our mission even further,” said Pay. “Bev has been a wonderful mentor; her sense of mission, clear communication of GIA’s core values and positive forward thinking are a model for us all.”

 Prior to joining GIA in 1998, Pay had more than 13 years’ experience in the jewelry industry including jewelry and gemological instrument retail sales, jewelry manufacturing, and colored stone buying and wholesaling. He was previously course development manager for the Asian Institute of Gemological Sciences in Bangkok, Thailand. Pay holds a Bachelor of Science degree in geology from the University of Wales, Great Britain and a Graduate Gemologist diploma (GG) from GIA. He is also a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain (FGA), and received the association’s Tully Medal – as the best student of 1987.

 Hori has made it her personal mission at GIA to make education more relevant and accessible. She provided the support and motivation for the complete revision of the Graduate Jeweler and Jewelry Design and Technology programs, along with the transformation of the Jewelry Arts classrooms to modern standards of technology, equipment and practices.

 “I am grateful for the privilege of serving GIA’s mission with such a special team of bright and passionate people,” said Hori. “I leave GIA with the confidence of knowing that the future of GIA education is in capable hands. Under Duncan’s leadership GIA education is poised for its best days and I know it will continue to flourish.”