Dr. Venn has enjoyed multiple facets of the gemstone and jewelry industry for over 20 years. Dr. Venn continues to pursue education on gemstones, jewelry, and appraisals to this day; as part of this pursuit, she successfully wrote and defended both her master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation about how giving gemstones and jewelry affects relationships in William Shakespeare’s plays. Andrea is a self-proclaimed enthusiastic “gem nerd” with a fascination for gemstone lore and historic jewelry design.

Carissa heads up the administrative side of Kirk & Company Jewelers, handling internal and external communications as well as marketing, accounting, and assisting clients. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications as well as the Applied Jewelry Professional certification from GIA and Certified Sales Associate title from AGS. If you call or text our store, it is likely that you’ll get the opportunity to chat with her about your questions or updates.

Josh has 11 years of bench jewelry experience apprenticing under his grandfather, Dan, and his father, Joe Kirk. He earned an associate’s degree in graphic design, so he has an artist’s eye. Josh has also attended diamond setting classes taught by industry-leading and nationally renowned diamond setters. Josh is a major jewelry fabricator for the business and he’s eager to help clients attain unique textures and finishes on their jewelry.

Bryon had a background as a machinist before he made the acquaintance of a store’s lead jeweler. He was viewing engagement rings, but after their conversation, he soon went on to earn his graduate jeweler certification from GIA. Bryon has now been in the jewelry industry for over 14 years. He has always liked working with his hands and doing finely detailed work. Bryon thoroughly enjoys restoring damaged or aged pieces of jewelry to their original beauty.

Wendy has 11 years of experience in the jewelry industry, and she continues the legacy of her father, Robert Wooding, an instrumental author of jewelry repair and setting technique books. She has a bachelor’s degree in geology with a minor in environmental studies, an associate’s degree in environmental engineering, and her Graduate Diamonds and Graduate Colored Stones certificates from GIA. Wendy sets gemstones of all types, repairs jewelry, and does engraving, but her specialty is the invisible setting technique. Few jewelers understand or practice this technique, so she has recently written and published an illustrated manual on the subject titled Invisible Setting: Repair and Setting. The manual is the first of its kind in the industry and is sold internationally.