In the Loupe

I N T H E

LOUPE RJO LAUNCHES SHOUT-OUTS FEATURE

There are plenty of shoutouts to be given in RJO. SEE PAGE 2

A FACEBOOK EXCHANGE: CREDIT CARD PROCESSING

One member spent hours on the phone researching how credit card processing works.

SEE PAGE 5

RJO MEMBERS HELPING MEMBERS

Why the term “RJO Family” couldn’t be more appropriate.

SEE PAGE 7

FROM THE BOARD

There are three RJO Board seats open for re-election this spring. Ballots will be sent in April for those interested in running for the Board of Directors. Watch your e-mail for more information.

The Ultimate Jeweler Resource

E MOR S! L DEA

San Antonio Delivers!

THE HOST HOTEL’S ELEVATOR DOORS opened onto the famous San Antonio River Walk, and the Buying Show weekend saw wave after wave of RJO members flooding both sides of the river. Those on their way to the show site were excited by the seminars, keynote, and Idea Center, as well as meeting their retail colleagues. Those on their way back reviewed their purchases from the Buying Show floor, entered their contacts into their smartphones, and stopped for welldeserved guacamole and margaritas.

RJO Round-Up offered tours of the Segway, double decker bus and ghost varieties, while others enjoyed dinner cruising the River Walk. A good number attended their first NBA game, watching the home team Spurs score a 100-point win. Temperatures started in the 40s, rising 10 degrees a day, no doubt due to the RJO enthusiasm surrounding the city.

Says RJO CEO Mary Peterson, “We really nailed it this time. This show had something for everyone, and the number of members who told me so just confirms it.

Thanks to our great staff and support crew, we’ve reached the point where we make the Show look effortless. That’s been our goal all along and why it should be on every members’ ‘Must Do’ list.”

This issue features photos from the Show throughout, plus a special section—San Antonio Selfies—on page 10.

Now’s the time to mark your calendar for the next Buying Show: Jazzed, August 1-3, in St. Louis, MO.

MORE COWBELL!

FAMILY. DIVIDEND. SUPPORT. BUYING POWER.

In the Know with RJO

by RJO CEO Mary Peterson

RJO Shout-Outs

shout-out (n.) Slang. A public expression of thanks or gratitude.

There are plenty of shout-outs to be given in RJO. I’m amazed by the caring and touching stories shared and the loyal support our members and vendors provide for each other. Thus, I would like to start a new tradition in the RJO newsletter: RJO Shout-Outs. We will now have two columns of Shout-Outs in each edition.

Column One: MEMBER-TO-VENDOR SHOUT-OUTS: This could be about a great program or product you have found or currently use. You could also do a Shout-Out to your favorite sales rep or customer service individual who went above and beyond to meet your needs.

Column Two: SUPPORT SHOUT-OUTS: For members or vendors to recognize an individual who has done an act of kindness or been a special support to someone else.

I believe these columns will be enjoyable for all of us, so I encourage all to participate. All you need to do is e-mail your Shout-Out to: maryp@rjomembers.com. Don’t worry about a deadline; when you feel the need to give a special Shout-Out, just send it my way.

So let me be the first to start the new RJO Shout-Outs: • To Craig and Mary Clare Stephan of Kelly’s (Columbus, NE) for being such loving and supporting parents, which lead RJO to donate our show raffle money to the charity “Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.” (www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org) RJO Buying Show •

• To Paul Sanford of Sanford Jewelers (Somerville, NJ) for his courage and positive attitude as he deals with terminal cancer.

• To all of the RJO vendors who sponsored events at the Show!!!!! We couldn’t provide for the membership without your support! (See list of sponsors on page 10.)

• To all the sales representatives, aka road warriors! For those who leave their families and loved ones to work all the shows. (Especially those who say our shows are the most enjoyable and that they are treated with respect!)

• To Jay Flaming of Flaming Jewelers (Yuma, CO) who sends the RJO staff a handwritten thank-you note after every Show ... and he never misses a Show!

• To Chris Fondell of Goldsmith Gallery (Sitka, AK) recovering from a brain aneurism at the Tucson Show, and to a special jeweler friend who flew back to Tucson to be with Chris within an hour of being notified.

• To Barb Hays of Victor Settle Jewelry (Bloomington, IN) who joined RJO in 2008, for the thank-you note after the Show where she states “Joining RJO is one of the best things we’ve done in our 57-year history.”

There are many more Shout-Outs to be given, but I will stop here for now. Looking forward to hearing many more Shout-Outs from all of you!

RJO CEO

San Antonio

•

RJO Round-Up

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From the RJO Chat Channel SERVICES

Centralized Billing

Patronage Dividend

RJO Website (rjomembers.com) Buying Shows (Fall/Spring) RJO Chat Channel

In the Loupe – RJO’s newsletter

Free Print and Radio Ad Library (on the RJO website) Educational Seminars (at the Buying Shows)

Member-to-Member Incentive Program (Recruitment Program) Organized Buying Trips to Antwerp and Idar-Oberstein, and Israel RJO Directory

Travel Vouchers at Shows (offered at varying times)

Free Hotel Room Incentive (at the Buying Shows)

RJO Informational E-mail Blasts Purchase Vouchers (at the Buying Shows)

RJO Membership Certificate

Education on the Go Podcasts and Webinars Private Label Credit Card Service JewelConnect

THE CHAT CHANNEL ON THE RJO WEBSITE (www.rjomembers.com) hosts a variety of interesting discussions each month. Here’s an edited post—and responses to it—that can be found in the RJO Social—Open to RJO Jewelers Only area, under the heading “Layaway”

Post: Our layaway program is 20 percent down and 10 percent a month. Most people abide by the rules, but some take advantage of our good nature and spread payments out over longer periods of time. I’m looking to shorten the time to six months, as well as see if we can take credit card information and charge them on a certain day of the month. What are your parameters for time and initial deposit?

Response One: We ask for 25 percent down, with three months to pay the balance in three equal payments. If you don’t want people to abuse layaways, you need to have the rules and consequences in writing and have the customer sign it.

Response Two: We only do a three-month program with 20 percent down.

At least those are the guidelines ... if it’s a bigger sale—with more money down—we might bend the rules.

Response Three: We seek 10 percent down, and then 10 percent per month.

No fees, no interest, no statements AND no refunds. We explain this, and they sign. Most of our layaways are bridal, and we’ve found she ”starts in on him” to get it on her finger as soon as possible. We’ve rarely had a problem.

Response Four: We require 25 percent down, with 60 days at no interest; we offer an extra 30 days, but at 1.5 percent on the balance. The item must be picked up within that time unless other arrangements are made. We rarely ever have any one go over 60 days.

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RJO Round-Up

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PLAN NOW FOR OUR NEXT BUYING SHOW!

Jazzed

August 1-3, 2015 St. Louis, MO

Future Show Locations

January 2016: Phoenix, AZ

July 2016: Indianapolis, IN

February 2017: Tampa, FL

August 2017: Denver, CO

New JewelConnect System Attracts Internet Users In-Store JEWELCONNECT.COM, the RJOexclusive web marketing system, has released yet another new way to connect with the digital generation by use of their new “JewelConnect In-Store” system.

“It‘s basically a web page that works like a ‘swipe-able’ tablet catalog—especially for use in the stores‘ showcase or counter,” says Andrew Boundy, JewelConnect’s lead developer. “We've developed it to be fun to use, but have definitive strategic and sales value.” The idea was developed from their existing "Store Assistant” system released several years ago, which adapted the approximately 50,000 items of RJO-vendor products to tablets and iPads.

“There are several instances where a kiosk-type digital catalog in-store can be useful,” says Thomas Roethling, JewelConnect’s data manager. “From keeping waiting customers engaged, to identifying taste and style

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preferences, to simply connecting with a techsavvy client, having a tablet catalog can be of great instore use.” The system, designed specifically for an iPad, is available now to all JewelConnect PRO users to use, bringing the suite of JewelConnect PRO services to web-marketing, mobile, e-commerce, loose diamond, and now, in-store applications.

You can check-out the sample store on your iPad here: http://www.jewelconnect.com/kiosk/ 9053295155 This works only on an iPad in portrait orientation.

More detail and PRO-System pricing is available from JewelConnect at 641-954-5051, www.JewelConnect.com; e-mail sales@JewelConnect.com.

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RJO Round-Up

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A Facebook Exchange: Credit Card Processing THE RJO FACEBOOK PAGE

(https://www.facebook.com/groups/rjoinc)

is a great place to stay in touch with what’s going on with RJO members.

In early February, the following edited exchange took place on our Facebook page, and we think it’s worth sharing.

Tricia Soule' LaBiche: Here is my report on credit card processing.

I spent a couple of days and tons of time on the phone researching credit card processing. I came across a website called www.cardfellow.com, and it had several good articles and a phone number you can call to get more educated on how credit card processing all works. They will get anonymous quotes for you and then you can review the quotes and select a new processor … if you want to make a change.

- They require all of the processors that bid to allow month-to-month contracts with no cancellation fee - They will periodically review your statement to make sure that you are still paying the rate that was quoted - They require the rate to be ”locked in“ for as long as you are with the processor.

payments now, but it is IMPORTANT to go thru cardfellow.com to get a quote. If I had just gone direct to LEAP, I would not have gotten as good a quote. Cardfellow makes it anonymous; they bid based on your volume and average ticket. I had 4-5 bids and chose one. They don't get your name or contact info until after you have selected their bid. That way nobody is hounding you. The cost of the card reader/PIN pad will be recouped in less than two months with the savings from the processor.

- They also require the processors who bid to give quotes based on ”interchange plus“ pricing, which means you pay whatever Visa/MC/ Discover/AmEx charges them, plus a markup and transaction fee.

I have had it for a month and have saved almost 50 percent. For example : With my previous processor, total fees of $321.53 were charged to process $10,264.31. This equals an effective rate of .0313% or 3.13%. With the new processor, total fees of $287.77 were charged to process $17,904.31 This equals an effective rate of .0161% or 1.61% .

This is a savings of 48.5%!!!

Amber Gustafson: Everyone needs to be what’s called a pass-through processing. No one can offer deals on what V/MC/D/AmEx charge, as Tricia stated, but each card has different levels within the scheme.

I have seen some MC charges at the same level as Amex. Being as a pass through, you pay only a percentage of what was charged, period.

Erika Kendle Godfrey: Do you use The Edge? And who are you using now, please? I thought Edge could only process through one place.

Tricia Soule' LaBiche: Yes.

Mark Robinette: Can you say who you were using as your former processor? Do you lease a new card reader or buy one? Does it read the new chip cards coming out?

Sydney Nusinov: My bank changed processors, and the new estimate they gave me would save us about $5,000 a year. But then I saw this and—at least based on the quote— CardFellow would save us $8,000 a year. I am investigating further.

Tricia Soule' LaBiche: I don't process thru the Edge; we use it, but not for credit cart processing. I use LEAP

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RJO Round-Up

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Register Today for RJO’s 2015 European Buying Trips

RJO AND PARTICIPATING RETAILERS have experienced ongoing success buying diamonds directly from the source, beginning in Antwerp more than a quarter-century ago. In 2006 RJO extended these trips to include Idar-Oberstein, Germany, the colored gemstone capital of the world. More and updated information on these buying trips can be found on dedicated web pages on the RJO website.

Joining the buying trips to Antwerp and Idar-Oberstein allows you to focus on your diamond business while RJO takes care of the rest.

Here are the hosts and dates of the Antwerp/Idar-Oberstein trips for next fall.

First Europe Trip Hosted by Liz Schlauch & Jeff Horlacher Antwerp: October 3-8 (arriving October 4) Idar-Oberstein: October 8-12

Second Europe Trip Hosted by Connie & Steve Matsen Antwerp: October 10-15 (arriving October 11) Idar-Oberstein: October 15-19

RJO also takes you along some of the most exotic backdrops of Israel, while touring RJO vendors in one of the largest and most important diamond centers worldwide

Next Generation Experience planned for May in Chicago RJO LAUNCHED the first-ever Next Generation Experience last year, and it was such a success that a second is planned for this May 16-18, at the Hyatt Lodge in Chicago, IL. Entitled, “The Next Generation Experience: Creating Ultimate Jewelers of the Future,” the Experience is supported by Vendors Suller, RDI, Ostbye, and Pancis Gems.

Topics covered during the two-day event include: personal development skills, business development and design for the future, and the future of the industry. To ensure maximum participation, all lodging and meal expenses are covered by RJO, RDI, and Stuller. Participants only need to pay their way to the Experience and a $100 registration fee.

Contact Pauline Berger at pauline@rjomembers.com or call her at 800-247-1774 to register. Space is limited; it will be on a first-come, first-served basis.

This year’s RJO-sponsored trip to Israel is scheduled for October 23-31. More details will be coming soon.

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RJO Round-Up

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RJO Highlights for 2014*

NEW MEMBERS Bensons Jewelers Kenneth Stein Washington, DC Referred by Nick Failla, Collected Concepts, Richmond, MI

4.35

Bonaci Fine Jewelers, LTD Bob Bonaci Kent, WA

2014 Dividend Percentage

4.8 Millions of Dollars Paid Out in Dividend Checks

36 Number of New Members

Gramercy Park Alicia & Ken Heimann Rochester Hills, MI

K. Martin Jeweler Mark Jeffreys Dodge City, KS

Long Jewelers III Steve & Melissa Long Chesapeake, VA

R.M. Johnson & Sons Jewelers Jane Johnson Salem, VA

Referred by Jim Messier, Arthur’s Jewelry, Bedford, VA

Tidwell Jewelers Danny Tidwell Johnson, SC

William Jeffrey's Ltd Jeffrey & Stacye Samuels Mechanicsville, VA

Del Haven Jewelers Francis Pepeta Newark, DE

PK Bennett Jewelers LLC Richard & Peggy Bennett Mundelein, IL

Referred by Sue Parker, Nyman Jewelers, Escanaba, MI

Thank you to the jewelers referring new members to our group. These jewelers will receive a $1,000 finder’s fee for their referral, payable after a new member has been in good standing for at least six months.

Erickson Jewelers Randy & Sherri Erickson Iron Mountain, MI

Referred by Randy & Sherri Erickson, Erickson Jewelers, Iron Mountain, MI

Referred by Joey Westlake, Victoria’s Fine Jewelry, Rockport, TX

(as of 12/31/2014)

*numbers presented by RJO CEO Mary Peterson during the Spring Buying Show in San Antonio.

NEW VENDOR

Ascend Marketing, Inc. South Jordan, UT

MILESTONES

Dorothy Lee Thrift Burke, former owner of Burke’s Inc. in Kilmarnick, VA, passed away December 31.

She was 90.

Tommy Lee Rice, owner of Rice's Jewelry Store in Mebane, NC, died on February 13. He was 59.

Our thoughts go out to the families.

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RJO Round-Up

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RJO Members Helping Members:

Paul Sanford Jewelers, Vecere Jewelers ONE OF THE BENEFITS of being an RJO member is that your professional family is instantly extended 1000-fold. Stories are always emerging about how we help one another, but here is one that has stood out to us recently.

Linda Vecere, who runs Vecere Jewelers in Lambertville, NJ, sets up the Paul Sanford story:

“Paul worked for us in the 1990s as a trade jeweler, and we remained friends after he opened his own store—Paul Sanford Jewelers—a decade ago in neighboring Somerville, NJ. Paul called my husband Bob in the spring of last year to tell us he had cancer. He asked Bob at that time that, if something terrible happened to him suddenly, would he be willing to acquire the services of the [RJO Vendor] Marsden Brothers Promotions for a store-closing sale, giving the proceeds to his wife, who is not involved in the business.”

“Bob assured Paul that he would,” Linda continues, “assuming, of course, it would never happen. Unfortunately, this past November Paul called Bob to say he had taken a turn for the worse; he asked Bob about contacting Marsden Brothers after Christmas.”

“Knowing a Going-Out-ofBusiness sale would be much more effective if done before Christmas,” says Linda, “Bob urged Paul to move forward right away. The Marsden Brothers were able to pull together a sale in time, but could not provide a director.”

“The Marsden Bros contacted me and asked if I’d be able to run the sale for Paul as a director,” says Bob. I agreed to take time away from our business, even though we still had a business to run, and it was the Christmas season. The sale turned out very successful with the help of the Marsen Brothers, and Paul was even able to sell his store.”

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“We talk to him often,” says Linda, “and he is doing well. He is now able to take the time to spend with his family without the stress of his business.”

“I believe that this is a great example of RJO members helping one another as a family,” says Linda, “and I am proud to belong to an organization with great core values.”

This photo of Paul Sanford is included in a feature story on Paul, which may be found here: http://tinyurl.com/PaulSanford

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RJO Round-Up

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Planning for Success in 2015

Marketing Matters

WITH TWO MONTHS OF THE YEAR under your belts and strong sales for Valentine’s Day, I hope this finds you happy. This is a perfect time to take a quick breath and assess how your 2014 finished. A good time to do this, on several levels.

One, the 2014 year is still pretty clear in your memory banks. This allows you to remember things that might be long forgotten in a few more weeks. Two, you are hopefully done with any financial reports that you should have generated by now, as you close the books. Three, you are probably well into, or perhaps beginning, your 2015 marketing plan!

Let’s start on what I hope is a happy note: How was your holiday business? What worked well for you? What didn’t? What ideas did you discover for next year’s holiday sales? Write them down now so you don’t forget. This is such a critical time of year for jewelers. You need to do as much as you can to help cut through the clutter of Christmas messages and make sure you are on the short lists of places to shop.

The jewelry business is made up of spontaneous and planned spending.

There are specific dates and holidays that almost automatically drive people to spending money on items like jewelry. And there are unplanned opportunities throughout the year that also lend themselves to a jewelry-like purchase. Notice that I say “like jewelry” and “jewelry-like” purchases. There are plenty of other ways to tell mom that you love her, to celebrate a special anniversary or birthday. Your job is to plant the seed that jewelry is the BEST way!

For example, Mother’s Day is in May (as are graduations!) so it makes a lot of sense to start to market yourself 30-45 days prior to that, when people are starting to decide what to buy. Plant your message in their heads early, and make it easier for them to choose jewelry.

And finally, that marketing plan. You can certainly get by without one, but you will be so much more organized and effective if you DO have one. It can be a simple one-page document that deals with the five to six major

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events that drive your business, coupled with your plans to make them more than they have been in the past. Maybe some television advertising, radio, or print? Direct mail is an option, as is a promotion with local media.

Better to do something than just hope people remember you.

Remind them of who you are, where you are, and what you do. Sounds amazingly simple doesn’t it? It is!

The nice thing about marketing plans is that they get easier (and more effective) every year.

You have a product that people love —even crave—and you have a rough idea of when customers will be in the market for your services. It is simply a matter of putting your message into their minds at the right time to make it easy for them. Try it, and I’m guessing you will be very happy with the results!

Michael C. Woody is President and Chief Idea Officer of Capital Ideas. He has nearly 30 years of experience in television advertising and loyalty marketing. Phone: 515-556-5373.

E-mail: MichaelC@ideas2burn.com Website: www.ideas2burn.com •

RJO Round-Up

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San Antonio SelямБes

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RJO Round-Up • San Antonio 2015

Award & Prize Winners

PRIZE DRAWING WINNERS

CASH GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Self-designed diamond (Donated by Ofer Mizrahi) Won by L. Tod Ross, Petersen Jewelers

$200 Rich & Jean McIntosh, McIntosh Jewelry Chip Stone, Stonecraft Jewelers Garrick Jewelers Roberts Jewelers

20 carat total weight rough diamond necklace (Donated by Paul Reiser & Associates) Won by Glen and Giselle Hoover, Hoover Jewelers

Melody in Motion clock (Donated by Seiko) Won by Maneke Jewelers

$1,000 Paolo Giveaway (Donated by Charles Garnier) Won by: - Rochelle Levine, Ruby and Sons Jewelers - Karen Fitzpatrick and Mark Guerin, Harris Jewelers & Gemologists

$200 Visa Gift Card (Donated by Connoisseurs Products Corporation) Won by Selman’s JewelersGemologists, Inc. CHARITY DONATION

RJO was proud to donate $730 to the charity, Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep.

NILMDTS trains, educates, and mobilizes professional quality photographers to provide beautiful heirloom portraits to families facing the untimely death of an infant.

We believe these images serve as an important step in the family’s healing process by honoring the child’s legacy.

(Jewelers) $100 Gary Granger, Anderson Jewelry Sharon Foughty, Windmill Park Jewelers

$500 (Grand Prize) Randy & Rozan Pedersen, Diamond Center

$50 CASH GIVEAWAY WINNERS

(Vendors) Renee Singer, Start-to-Finish Splendid Music Box Company Sandy Marsden, Marsden Brothers Rick Kupfer, Camelot

MEET-A-VENDOR CHALLENGE

Members were “challenged” to meet ten vendors they have never purchased from before. If they collected the business cards of these vendors they were entered in a cash drawing. Winners were: $250 – Enhancery Jewelers $500 – Caratti Jewelers $750 (Grand Prize) – William Howard’s

WINDOW DISPLAY & SHOWCASE DESIGN CONTEST WINNER $100 Prize – Herteen & Stocker Jewelers

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Sponsors

RJO thanks the vendors below for their generous sponsorships of the RJO Round-Up Buying Show.

A & D GEM CORP. ALLISON - KAUFMAN BENY SOFER BIJOU CHARLES FREY COLOR MERCHANTS CONCEPT MARKETING DARLING IMPORTS DEBBIE BROOKS DIAMOND EXPRESSIONS DIZEO DORA INTERNATIONAL FEDERATED FRANK REUBEL DESIGNS GEMS ONE IMPERIAL PEARL JEWELERHUB/GROT IMAGING STUDIO JEWELERS MUTUAL INSURANCE JEWELEX K. GIRDLHARLAL KAMELEON / JEWELPOP LUSTOUR METAL MARKETPLACE MICHOU NORTH AMERICAN JEWELERS, INC. OFER MIZRAHI DIAMONDS INC. OSTBYE PARLÉ / IDAHO OPAL & GEM RDI SCHURHAMMER MFG. SOL SAVRANSKY STAR GEMS STAR SOLITAIRE STERLING REPUTATION STULLER SUNCREST DIAMONDS THE EDGE BY ABBOTT & SHAPIRO, INC. YCH, INC. ANTWERP/ IDAR-OBERSTEIN TRIP SPONSORS HANS-DIETER HAAG INTERJEWEL U.S.A. INC ROSY BLUE TRADING, INC. SCHURHAMMER MFG. INC. ISRAEL TRIP SPONSORS CHERIE DORI OFER MIZRAHI DIAMONDS INC. ROSY BLUE TRADING CO.

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BRAINERD MN PERMIT NO 472

The Ultimate Jeweler Resource

SAVE THE DATE!

CALENDAR APRIL 2015

MARCH 2015

8 Daylight Saving Time begins

1 April Fool’s Day

17 St. Patrick’s Day

10 All payments must be received in RJO Office

10 All payments must be received in RJO Office

20 Spring begins

23 All invoices must be received in RJO Office

5 Easter

23 - All invoices must be received in RJO Office

- Administrative Professionals Day

CLASSIFIEDS

FOR SALE: Tired of the cold? Buy a profitable, well-established, turnkey jewelry store in SW Ocala, Florida. $119,000 w/$20K of inventory. Contact Connie Pendleton – Ocala Business Brokers, Inc., at 352-502-3811 or e-mail: connie@ocalabb.com

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