Matthew A. Runci is President and CEO of Jewelers of America, Inc. (JA), the national trade association for retail jewelers. Since joining JA in October 1995, he has guided the association in the development of comprehensive professional standards for JA’s more than 11,000 member stores. Under Runci’s leadership, JA has established national skill standards for jewelry sales associates, store managers and bench jewelers; implemented a comprehensive and easily accessible training and education network; and created a standardized code of ethics to reinforce consumer confidence in the professional jeweler.

Runci and JA were also centrally involved through the World Diamond Council in the establishment of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, which functions to prevent the trade in conflict diamonds. In 2005, JA became a founding member of the Council for Responsible Jewellery Practices (CRJP), a mine-to-retail supply chain initiative working to institute a variety of ethical, social and environmental practices for its members. When in place, the CRJP system will include third-party monitoring to enhance its credibility. Runci played a key role in the development of CRJP and currently serves as Chairman of its board of directors. He also currently serves as Chairman of the Ethics Commission of CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, and is a member of the board of directors of Jewelers for Children, an industry-wide charitable foundation.

Runci has been an active member of the jewelry industry for the past 28 years. Prior to his arrival at JA, he served as President and CEO of the Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers of America (MJSA), where he held a series of management positions. While with MJSA, he was credited with initiating export-development initiatives for U.S. manufacturers, expanding the association’s national government affairs program, strengthening MJSA’s trade shows and publications, and restoring financial stability to the association. During his earlier career, Runci taught international relations at the university level.

Runci holds a PhD from the University of Virginia and a BA from Boston College. He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He served in the U.S. Army from 1968-1970. Runci and his wife, Laraine, live in Connecticut.