The retailer, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, is becoming part of the Berkshire Hathaway Jewelry Group with Helzberg
Ben Bridge Jeweler CEO Lisa Bridge is stepping down from her position as the retailer moves in a new direction.
The Seattle-based jewelry store chain, which was sold to Berkshire Hathaway 25 years ago, will now be part of a newly created united Berkshire Hathaway Jewelry Group alongside Helzberg, also owned by the Buffet conglomerate.
Helzberg CEO Brad Hampton will lead both Helzberg and the new jewelry group as Group CEO, according to a Helzberg spokesperson.
During the transition, Lynnette Frank will lead all Ben Bridge operations as chief financial officer and interim brand president.
Notably, Helzberg President Julie Yoakum recently joined Signet Jewelers as the new president of Kay Jewelers and Peoples Jewellers, its Canadian jewelry store chain.
Ben Bridge and Helzberg will maintain their distinct identities.
“What is new is the opportunity for each organization to benefit from the shared knowledge and experience gained from more than two centuries combined,” said Helzberg.
“Our priority, as always, is to ensure both brands continue delivering the exceptional quality and care on which our respective customers have relied for generations.”
Bridge announced her departure in an emailed letter shared with National Jeweler and later via a LinkedIn post.
“For five generations, our family has built and created, invested and dreamed, and has been part of the lives of our associates and customers,” she said.
“There is now a different direction for the company, and it is time for me to step away.”
The 113-year-old business was “omnipresent” in Bridge’s life as she grew up, she said, and when she sold her first diamond at 16 years old, she felt connected to the heart of the business.
Even after selling the business, it still felt like it was family-owned, she said.
In 2019, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet appointed Bridge as CEO, which she called “the most extraordinary of opportunities.”
The following year, Bridge would have her first child in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, managing store closures from her hospital bed.
“We weathered each new curveball, and came out as a stronger, more nimble business on the other side,” she said.
The retailer sold its Pandora division to downsize its footprint and revamped the shopping experience in its Ben Bridge stores.
Bridge, a certified gemologist, also served as board president of the American Gem Society for the 2022-2023 period.
Under Bridge’s leadership, the retailer also recently acquired Olympic Manufacturing, a full-service jewelry repair and manufacturing company based in Bellevue, Washington, as a step toward greater vertical integration.
The jeweler has been around as long as it has by staying true to its values while continuing to evolve, said Bridge.
“I am not yet sure what the next chapter of my career will be, but our people and Ben Bridge will always be part of me,” she said.
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