Cosmo Michael Lopresti of Altoona received the prestigious Jeweler Of The Year award from the Pennsylvania Jewelers Association during the association’s annual banquet in Harrisburg on September 11. Lopresti received the award for his long and distinguished career in jewelry sales. He has been employed by Kranich’s Jewelers in Altoona for fifty-eight years and has sold jewelry alongside three generations of Kranichs.
Mr. Lopresti joined Kranich’s in 1946 after serving the United States Army in the South Pacific. When he was five years old, he and his family left their native Italy and immigrated to the United States, where they settled in Altoona.
Michael Kranich Sr., who has worked with Lopresti since he joined his family’s jewelry business in the late 1950’s, says, “I believe that Cos has sold more diamond rings than anyone in Pennsylvania, maybe even the country! Back in the days when we were a ‘mom and pop’ operation, Cos was the person who made the sales. In fact, he has always been the sales leader. He taught the simple elements of what he calls ‘good common sense’ to many who have worked at Kranich’s over the years.” Kranich added, “I have never met a better jewelry salesperson period!”
He says he is grateful that his sons Charles and Mike, have learned under Lopresti’s tutelage.
Lopresti will celebrate his eighty-eighth birthday in October and still works full-time at Kranich’s Logan Valley Mall store.
