James Avery’s Legacy Honored by Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau

Apr 29, 2022

KERRVILLE, TEXAS – James Avery Artisan Jewelry’s founder and legacy was honored today by the Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau (KCVB), as his family was presented with the Kerrville Travel & Tourism Sudie N. Burditt Wall of Fame Award. The Wall of Fame was created in 2016 and named after longtime KCVB Executive Director Sudie Burditt for her commitment to the Texas Travel Industry, Kerrville and the Texas Hill Country.

“Kerrville’s growth and community progression was very important to my grandfather,” said Lindsey Tognietti, James Avery’s granddaughter and director of customer service and marketing communications at James Avery Artisan Jewelry. “He loved the Texas Hill Country and wanted Kerrville to continue to flourish and offer people a unique Texas experience. This beautiful, picturesque area inspired many of his original designs.”

Kerrville continues to serve as the main operations headquarters for James Avery Artisan Jewelry, which is family owned and continues in the tradition of creating designs with beauty and meaning.

“The Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau board looks for someone in our community who has had a significant impact and contribution to the travel and tourism industry of Kerrville,” said Julie Davis, president and CEO of the Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Our board feels Mr. Avery's creation of James Avery Jewelry 68 years ago and its continued headquarter operations in Kerrville, has played a significant role in developing one of the tourism products of Kerrville. James Avery is synonymous with Kerrville and his legacy lives on in both all the beautiful and meaningful designs and the continued contributions to our community. People come from all over to visit the store where it all began in 1954”.

Each year the KCVB recognizes someone from the area who has played a vital role in the success of tourism in Kerr County by adding them to the “Sudie N. Burditt Wall of Fame”. Past recipients include Charles Schreiner III and Rod Kennedy, founder of the Kerrville Folk Festival. KCVB board members nominate individuals they feel should be considered for the wall of fame and then they vote on a final candidate based on the ideas and principles above.

About James Avery Artisan Jewelry^®– James Avery is a vertically integrated, family-owned company located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country. We offer finely crafted jewelry designs for men and women in sterling silver, 14K and 18K gold, bronze and gemstones. James Avery jewelry is designed and crafted by our own skilled artisans in Kerrville, Comfort and Hondo, Texas using the finest materials sourced worldwide. We are a multi-channel retailer with over 100 James Avery stores in four states. Our jewelry is also available at JamesAvery.com, over 220 Dillard's locations and Dillards.com. You can also find our designs at airport stores in Austin, Houston and Nashville, as well as select Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) locations.