b'SPECIAL FEATUREtive from Nassau County who couldnt quit remarking on how amazing JSA is; the data and information the organi-zation provides to help police crack cases is incredible. Law enforcement departments are just blown away that the jewelry industry has a network like this, and a leader like this, Udell says. And John has been the leader for many, many years. Were going to be sad to see him leave but hes put in his time. Kennedy concurs about the importance of JSAs relation-ship with law enforcement as key to keeping the industry safe, but it wasnt that way when he took the job in 1992. And, as he would discover, things would have to get a lot worse before they got better.From left, JSAs lawyer David Weisenfeld, Kennedy, Harder, and Ben Bridge Jeweler co-CEO Bob Bridge on a lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., in 2000In 1999 and 2000, less than decade into his tenure, the industry experienced a huge spike in attacks on traveling sales-people and, subsequently, a massive increase in dollar losses. It was a really hot issue, Kennedy says, and to this day constitutes theKennedy credits Bob Bridge (father of Ed Bridge and grandfather most stressful period in his 32-year tenure at JSA. of current Ben Bridge Jeweler CEO Lisa Bridge) with helping to The increase in attacks on travelingrelieve that pressure. jewelry salespeople was significant enoughI THOUGHT IT WAS BEYONDBridge spearheaded efforts to raise that it attracted the attention of main- US, OUR TINY LITTLEmoney to hire a lobbying firm for JSA to get stream media. Newsweek, which was a bigthe attention of members of Congress and magazine at the time, Kennedy notes, cov- ORGANIZATION, THAT WEaccompanied Kennedy on trips to Washing-ered the attacks in its Sept. 6, 1999 issue.WERE GOING TO GO LOBBYton, D.C., to meet with lawmakers.Titled The Gang That Loves Glitter,CONGRESSBUT [BOBI thought it was beyond us, our tiny the story detailed the havoc South Ameri- BRIDGE] SAID, NO, WELL DOlittle organization, that we were going to can gangs were wreaking, terrorizing trav- go lobby Congress, Kennedy says. I said eling salespeople all over the country usingIT, WELL GO DOWN. AND IT[to myself], we cant lobby Congress. But increasingly violent tactics and making offWAS VERY SUCCESSFUL, IT WAS[Bob] said, No, well do it, well go down.with tens of millions of dollars in jewels. SUPER SUCCESSFUL. And it was very successful, it was super One of my neighbors said, I read JOHN KENNEDY, JEWELERSsuccessful.about you in Newsweek magazine, heSECURITY ALLIANCE Both the U.S. House and Senate recom-recalls. It was huge. mended in their reports for appropriations Its a period Heyman remembers well.that the FBI commit additional resources He was working as a traveling salesperson for his familys jewelryto investigating and dismantling the South American gangs attack-company when he was held up at gunpoint at the airport in Colum- ing the jewelry industry. bia, South Carolina, in July 2001.Continued on page 60As Heyman tells it, he was getting out of his rental car when two hooded individuals approached him, guns drawn, and demanded the bag of jewelry he wasU.S. JEWELRY CRIME LOSSEScarrying. Heyman says he did was he was supposedDollar losses due to jewelry crime have fallen fairly steadily since the late 90s/early to, and what JSA always recommendsstay calm andaughts, when attacks on traveling salespeople reached new highs. Even with the jump cooperate. recorded in 2022 ($134.7 million) and 2023, losses remain well below where they were After they ran away, Heyman knew exactly who to call.two decades ago.John was my very first phone call . because I then was on the board of Jewelers Security Alliance and so much of1999 $248.4 Mwhat we talk about on the board are situations like that.2002 $213.1 MI wanted to hear from John what I should do first.While Heyman called Kennedy for advice, not every- 2005 $173.1 Mone phoning JSA headquarters around this time was look- 2008 $145.7 Ming for guidance. Some were calling out the organization2011 $115 Mfor what they viewed as its lack of action. We had people calling us all the time, complain- 2014 $100.1 Ming, and giving us grief[they felt we] werent doing2017 $89.6 Menough, Kennedy recalls.2020 $98 MJSA was under pressure to fix the problem and 2023 $133.2 M58 RETAILER HALL OF FAME 2024 0 50 M 100 M 150 M 200 M 250 MSource: Jewelers Security Alliance. All losses stated in 2023 inflation-adjusted dollars.'