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John Pollard (North Richland Hills, TX) is Senior Director of Education for the International Gemological Institute, the world’s largest gemological organization, overseeing the institute’s courses and diploma programs in 18 schools around the world and designing training for institute clients, including the world’s leading luxury brands. He is an announcer for Bands Of America’s fall championships, the Texas UIL State Marching Championships, and the Music for All National Percussion Festival. He is a continuing Yamaha consultant and serves on the Board Of Directors for Music for All. From 1997 to 2005 John was a band director at L.D. Bell High School in Texas. A two-time winner of the district’s Education Foundation Award of Excellence, he instructed two-time Texas UIL State Marching Champions, PAS National Drumline Champions, Sudler Shield of Honor recipients, and 25-time medalists at BOA Regional, Super Regional and Grand Nationals. John’s percussion ensembles performed at PASIC, the Midwest Clinic, and Texas state conventions. He has served as an instructor at the Music for All Summer Symposium, National Festival, Honor Band of America, and the inaugural Tournament of Roses Honor Band in 2005. He chaired the UIL Percussion Music Committee, was a Texas Music Educators Association All-State Music Selector, a PASIC 2000 organizer, and assisted with MTV’s Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show. In 2005 John began his career as a professional gemologist. He has held management roles in several sectors, presenting seminars at the American Gem Society Conclave in Washington D.C., JCK Las Vegas, the Women’s Jewelry Association, Gemological Institute of America Alumni Association, and international conferences in Antwerp, Beijing, Shanghai, Mumbai, and Dubai. He is published in Gem-A, the Journal of Gemmology.