About Us

Our Team

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It would be impossible to tell my story without first telling you about my parents and their influence on every aspect of my life. My parents immigrated to the United States after World War II. My father, an academy graduate in the Philippines, fought with both the Filipino Army and the American Navy during the war. An intelligence officer, he remained active in the resistance during the Japanese occupation and then transferred to an American submarine as the Allies retook the Islands. This service facilitated his becoming an American citizen, bringing his schoolteacher bride to America, and continuing his Navy service until the launching of the Nautilus. After retirement, he opened a barbershop in Uncasville where he served his Navy clients literally until his death.

My parents remain the most patriotic Americans I have ever met, although they simultaneously honored their Filipino roots. My father was able to serve his entire career at Subbase New London and raise his children in Mystic. That is how I came to Mystic, grew up here, and built my life here. I consider myself well-traveled, but I cannot imagine a scenario where I would not live out my life here.

My commitment to our home is not simply about the coastal charm of Southeastern Connecticut but dictated more by the relationships I have with the people who also call it home. I am grateful to be able to live alongside people I went to grade school with as well as others that I have met along the way. There are countless examples of former schoolmates who became customers when I began my jewelry career in 1977 with Kays and may have had children who purchased their wedding rings at Simply Majestic. There are also young men and women who worked with me years ago, attended the national sales seminars I helped write, and still call on me today for advice on their blossoming careers and life’s journeys.

When Chuck and I left the corporate world and literally built Majestic Jewelers, I had no idea the wonderful journey that was in store for us. My parents set the example and I try to live up to the standard that serving my customers, my family, and my community are not separate aspirations; rather, they are parts of the same mindset.

What a return on the investment of time I have received. I get to serve as the vice-chair of the board of trustees for the Mystic Aquarium, and I experienced so much personal growth as the chair of Stonington’s Police Commission, the Connecticut Police Commissioner’s Association, and the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce, amongst so many others. In every case, I have gained more from the friendships and shared knowledge than I could ever have put in. No matter what happens, no matter where my journey takes me, those people and those experiences will be with me every day.

Those who know me know that not long ago I locked horns with breast cancer, and once again my life was changed for the better. What possible good can come from having breast cancer and the aggressive treatments that follow, you might ask? Believe me, I thought the same thing. But now, having put that beast into remission—hopefully forever—I can see the huge leap I took that I can’t imagine happening any other way. I learned that I can go farther, endure more, be more faithful, and, most importantly, I acquired a level of empathy for other’s struggles that I could not have otherwise learned.

Please, in your day today, try to remember that everyone has a story.

Charles is my birth name, but my father and I go by Chuck, it just seems to fit us both better. I was born in Salem, Ohio but consider another Ohio community, Norwalk, as my hometown because we moved there when I was still a youngster and I have lifelong friends and memories from Norwalk. Sports are big in small towns in Ohio, and I took full advantage of the “perks” associated with being a three-sport letterman. Norwalk is also where my middle-class Midwest work ethic and core values took root. Working on farms, auto repair shops, and lumber yards on weekends and summer vacations I learned much about the value of hard work and the idea that “if it’s going to be, it’s up to me.”

My jewelry career also began in Norwalk at a three-store chain called Holman Jewelers. There I learned basic bench skills, diamond and gemstone product knowledge, and sales. At Holman’s, I learned the value of providing personalized service that not only meets a customer’s expectations, but exceeds them. This principle caught the eye of The Westhall Company, a family-owned Ohio-based chain of 27 stores. They recruited me to be a store manager, and from there I advanced to multistore management and ultimately vice president of regional operations during the 1980s as they grew to become Sterling Inc., a public company with over 2,000 stores worldwide when I resigned in 1992.

When Sterling Inc. bought Kay Jewelers, I came to New England to facilitate the transition. I fell in love with small-town New England (Mystic in particular), coastal living, and the love of my life, Susette. So when the Kay acquisition was completed, I turned down an opportunity to transfer to California and facilitate another acquisition. Instead, Susette and I opened Simply Majestic Jewelers in Olde Mistick Village, got married, and devoted ourselves to exceeding the expectations of our customers and our neighbors.

It also brought me back to the jeweler’s bench where my career began. I really enjoy using my own two hands to make treasures for people and repair and restore heirlooms of every price range. I think I most enjoy when someone comes in frustrated and desperate, having been told by other jewelers that something can’t be done, and we do it under budget and ahead of schedule.

Our new adventure is to try to expand our hometown values, service, and exceptional product lines—including Susette’s new Simply Majestic by Susette line of jewelry—to include online access to everything we do at Simply Majestic. I also have fully embraced the idea that belonging to a community in any capacity comes with a responsibly to invest your time and skills in the community’s areas of need. I have grown personally from my service as chair of Stonington’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Stonington’s Plan of Conservation and Development Committee, Stormwater Management Committee, Capital Improvement, as well as chair of the Olde Mistick Village Merchants Association and a few others.

My hobbies include wooden boat building restoration, gardening, and cooking. I’m also a dog lover, but that is more a way of life than a hobby. If you have ever been at Simply Majestic, you’ll know that my Doberman friend Micah and I are inseparable.

Well, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. For the really fun details, you will need to stop in at our small town jewelry store and share a few of your own stories.

Jen has worked in the jewelry industry for over 10 years. She loves working with clients during some of their happiest occasions and strives to make everyone who walks in the door feel comfortable and welcome. She is a firm believer in shopping locally and supporting a family-owned business, and is proud to be a member of the Simply Majestic team.

For the last few years, Jen has worked part-time for Simply Majestic while raising her young family; she and her husband, Joshua, have two small children, Evelyn and Emmett. In fact, Jen and Josh met at Simply Majestic in 2007 when she was working her first post-college job and he came into the store looking to have a watch battery replaced!

Outside of Simply Majestic, Jen runs her own wedding planning and coordination business, Jen Strunk Stationery & Events, which perfectly complements her work in the jewelry industry. She currently serves on the North Stonington Economic Development Commission, the North Stonington Republican Town Council, and volunteers for the North Stonington Agricultural Fair. In her very little spare time, she is a devoted gym junkie.

Jen holds a master’s degree from Sacred Heart University and is a proud graduate of Wheeler High School. She and her family reside in North Stonington.

Carla is passionate about connecting with people through her creative mind, sharing her heritage, and discovering new people, places, and things. Growing up in Guadalajara, Mexico’s second biggest city, she found herself eager to explore new places. In 2004, she had the opportunity to come to the United States as an au pair and go to school to perfect her English, a language she fell in love with growing up. From there, Carla had the ability to pursue a life in the U.S., living in Long Island, southwestern Connecticut, and Providence.

She was happily surprised by how welcoming and charming the little town of Mystic is, and decided to settle in nearby Westerly, Rhode Island, where she’s built a family with her husband Cory, their son Benjamin, and their dog Stana. In her free time, she likes to spend them with her family, writing poetry and short stories, and attending concerts.

Carla joined Simply Majestic in 2015 and has since become the business’s self-taught expert in jewelry design, including the use of a state of the art CAD program. In her words, the most satisfying feeling when you walk through the doors of Simply Majestic is knowing that you’re walking into your home, where the stories and experiences lived or told are the heart and soul of a tight and strong community…and THAT means a lot to many people.

Madeleine joined our team initially part time to run the social media after moving from New York. That quickly changed as she grew across all areas of the business. From design to personal curation, she is an expert at getting clients the right pieces. Her energy and genuine care for the clients goes above and beyond what is expected of your jeweler.

Outside of work Madeleine is passionate about volunteering. She is constantly looking for new ways and causes to help. Madeleine volunteers in her community, with Camp Horizons, and serves on the associate board for Project Morry.

Madeleine holds a Master’s from University of Cincinnati, a Bachelor’s from Saint Bonaventure, and is currently pursuing her Graduate Gemologist degree from the Gemological Institute of America.