Martin DeRoy, VP of Marketing

Martin began his career working with his father and family in the Pittsburgh area DeRoy Jewelers chain. Spending weekends and summers on the sales floor through his college years, Martin then graduated from Youngstown State University with a marketing and merchandising degree, He then spent three years in advertising production before reentering the retail jewelry industry with A.A. Friedman Co. in Augusta, GA as Marketing Manager. In the eleven years at Friedman’s, Martin created a full in-house ad department and directed the multi-media four million dollar budget for a growing chain store operation. The next six years were spent as partner and VP of Marketing for Applause Video chain in Omaha, NE. The company grew from three to 21 company owned and 40 franchise stores before selling to Blockbuster in 1990. Martin rejoined the jewelry industry at Friedman’s Jewelers in Savannah, GA on the public offering team and Marketing Director. With only 43 stores in 1990, the company expanded to 377 stores and a $13 million budget by 1997 when Martin was recruited by Charles & Colvard. The position was to expedite their public offering and direct their marketing efforts. The project was successfully completed within six months and Martin left to join Hoover & Strong as Sales & Marketing Director. After five years in manufacturing, Martin joined Samuels Jewelers 100 store chain of Austin, TX as Marketing Director till their sale in 2007.