Industry veteran and trailblazer Susan Jacques is retiring as president and CEO of the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) at the end of 2025. The institute is now in search of a successor.

Jacques became GIA’s president and CEO on January 1, 2014, after serving as interim CEO for six months. Before that, she was a member of the GIA Board of Governors since 1996 and chair of the board from 2008 to 2014. As CEO, she continued as a member of the board. 

“Susan Jacques is an incredible leader for GIA and the global gem and jewellery industry,” said Lisa Locklear, chair of the GIA Board of Governors. “Under her expert, compassionate and visionary leadership, GIA has achieved new heights of success in often challenging times.”

Locklear added that GIA is well-positioned to keep advancing its mission of ensuring public trust in the gem and jewellery trade, thanks to Jacques’ “dedicated service as president and CEO.”

Jacques, for her part, remarked, “At GIA, I have been fortunate to lead one of the industry’s most trusted organisations and our passionate teams around the world as we ensured the truth about gems through innovation, service and knowledge.” 

As for a successor, Jacques said she will assist with the transition of GIA’s next leader through the end of 2025. Meanwhile, GIA noted that a dedicated search committee of GIA Governors will consider internal and external candidates.