College Jewelry Maker's Two-Year "Made in USA" Odyssey Keeps American Jobs from Moving Overseas

ROYAL OAK, Mich., Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- A Detroit area jewelry maker's unwavering refusal to move production to China led him on a two-year cross-country odyssey. The journey ultimately brought him home to Michigan and to a partnership with Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Terryberry that is enabling Royal Oak, Mich.-based Collegiate Bead Company to keep the company's college beads, sorority bracelets and charms as truly "Made in USA" products and could create up to 50 jobs in Michigan.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20111101/DE95837 )

Collegiate Bead Co. is the only manufacturer of entirely American-made beads designed to fit the popular Pandora and Chamilia style charm bracelets.  The hand-finished sterling silver beads and other products are available for purchase at http://www.schoolbeads.com or by calling (248) 514-9243.

Dave Schowalter, owner of Collegiate Bead Co., knew he had a desirable product and knew that meant his company could create jobs. The son of an Alaskan gold miner, he wanted those to be American jobs, but needed a manufacturing partner who could make a large volume of the high quality beads for an affordable price within the United States. Two years and thousands of miles later, Collegiate Bead Co. is poised for rapid growth. It already has added two positions in the Detroit area, and is eyeing as many as 50 Michigan jobs as demand continues to increase. According to Schowalter, Collegiate Bead Co. could double its sales volume to a rate of 200,000 units annually in just the next six months.

Collegiate Bead Co. today announced it has found the American partner it required in jewelry manufacturer Terryberry. Terryberry will produce metal molds for Collegiate Bead Company's beads, charms and bracelets featuring the licensed logos of more than 120 colleges and more than 20 sororities.

"I never stopped believing I'd find a way to make high quality college jewelry affordably right here in the United States," Schowalter said. "I could have saved a lot of time and made a lot of money by moving production to China last year. I didn't want to sacrifice quality or allow jobs that could improve lives here in America to move overseas."

Utilizing Terryberry's production capabilities, Collegiate Bead Co. is adding items featuring enameled school colors to its product lines and will expand its offerings to include college charms, sorority bracelets and other accessories featuring the marks of leading American universities and Greek organizations. Production will happen both in Grand Rapids and in the Detroit area.

"I have a lot of admiration for David Schowalter and his commitment to find an American manufacturer who could produce the quality Collegiate Bead Company's brand required and also be globally price competitive," said Mike Byam, managing partner of Terryberry. "We are well positioned to assist Collegiate Bead Company as they continue to grow."

According to Schowalter, growth opportunities for Collegiate Bead Co. could include sports licensing agreements with organizations like the National Football League (NFL) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Collegiate Bead also customizes beads for high schools and community organizations and offers items featuring the names of popular travel destinations.

Top-selling beads to date include those of the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, Penn State University, West Virginia University, University of Alabama, Virginia Tech University and Washington State University, as well as sororities Delta Zeta and Kappa Delta.

About Collegiate Bead Company

Schowalter developed the idea for Collegiate Bead Company while re-teaching himself to read following brain surgery. Up late one evening determined to read e-mailed well wishes from customers of the jewelry store his family has owned for generations, Schowalter came across an inquiry about sorority beads fitting Pandora or Chamilia charm bracelets. He scoured the Internet and found no such product, a market niche that needed to be filled. From there, Collegiate Bead Co. was born.

Today, Collegiate Bead Co. sells more than 100,000 college beads, sorority bracelets, charms and other college jewelry annually through outlets including QVC.com, university bookstores and gift shops around the country. The high quality, hand-finished beads are made in the United States. Retailers interested in distributing Collegiate Bead Company products will find information at http://www.collegebeadco.com or by calling (248) 515-2718.

About Terryberry

Terryberry has helped organizations develop employee recognition programs to motivate and retain employees for more than 90 years. Terryberry has built an international reputation for its customized recognition and award programs which feature the highest quality employee recognition awards. Based in Grand Rapids, Mich., Terryberry develops and manages employee recognition programs for organizations worldwide.

SOURCE Collegiate Bead Company