Queen of Diamonds Folds her Hand

Beryl Raff has resigned her position as chairwoman and ceo of Zale Corp. (Irving, Texas) to “devote more time to her family.” Robert DiNicola, who resigned the position in September 1999 after more than five years to make way for Raff, has reassumed those duties.

Zale has 2300 jewelry stores in the U.S. under the Zales Jewelers (moderately priced items), Gordon's Jewelers (more expensive contemporary and regional items), and Bailey Banks & Biddle Fine Jewelers (higher-priced items) nameplates, plus 175 Peoples Jewellers in Canada. The company also operates more than 40 jewelry outlet stores and owns about 95 percent of U.S. kiosk jeweler Piercing Pagoda.