JCK India magazine’s debut jewelry conference, JCK AIM, is centered on the theme of jewelry retailing. The event will host key sessions on luxury marketing and best practices in selling, which will be conducted by two very special speakers, Rick Bannerot and Brad Huisken, respectively.

Rick Bannerot is a luxury goods and jewelry marketing consultant in Stamford, Conn. He writes a monthly marketing column for JCK entitled "The Retail Advantage".   From 2000-2004, he was VP, U.S. advertising and marketing for the World Gold Council. 

In 1999, he worked as VP, marketing & advertising director at Mayors Jewelers in Florida. He was managing director in the marketing practice of Hill & Knowlton Public Relations in 1998 and prior to that he was at Rolex Watch USA, rising to AVP, advertising & event marketing, over a 12-year period. 

A frequent keynote speaker and seminar provider at international jewelry shows, Rick helps host industry roundtable discussions and facilitates jewelry marketing panel discussions, as well as counsels prospective jewelry industry applicants at the GIA Job Fair in New York.  Educated at Yale University, Rick lives with his wife Lisa and their two children in Stamford, CT.

Touted as the “Mike Ditka of the selling game”, Brad Huisken has been in sales since 1971. Since that time he has been directly involved in all aspects of Sales and Sales Management. His experience and knowledge have enabled him to author the book, 'I’m a Salesman! Not a Ph.D'.

In addition he has developed his PMSA Relationship Selling Program, The Professional Sales Management Course, The Mystery Shoppers Kit, The Weekly Sales Training Meeting Series, Sales and Sales Management Aptitude Tests for New Hires, and Sales and Sales Management Proficiency Tests for Existing Staff.

His company IAS Training, delivers public and private seminars and in-house consulting on both sales and sales management. He works with both large and small retail companies installing sales management systems and training salespeople on sales, customer service and communication.

The strategies and techniques that he has developed are realistic and easy to apply and based upon the premise of providing outstanding customer service.