GIA announces changes

In a statement published GIA�s laboratory and research senior vice president Thomas Moses announced the appointment of a new laboratory compliance officer as well as several initiatives to tighten GIA standards on November 17, 2005. GIA announced organizational changes following a four-month investigation that led to the departure of four employees from its New York gemological laboratory.

Linda Scholl has been appointed as vice president of human resources and compliance, while Eva Carlson will become manager of laboratory compliance. �Both will work closely with GIA�s legal team,� said Moses. The statement said that employees are now �required� to report code of conduct violations that they may witness or of which they become aware, and failure to do so will result in dismissal.

All employees will now attend an annual ethics training seminar starting in November. This years training will be led by Thomas O�Neil, a partner at the law firm of DLA Piper Rudnick, who conducted the recent investigation at GIA.