Our People

Cheryl B. Stark

1946-2017

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In the 50 years since she arrived on Martha’s Vineyard at age nineteen to teach jewelry making, Cheryl evolved from a young art student to an Island icon. After studying at The School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, she divided her time between her small shop in Vineyard Haven and 47th Street in New York City’s diamond district, one of the first women to have a booth on the famous block of jewelers. When she moved to the Island full-time in 1969, she set up shop here for good. From her Water Street garage to today’s sophisticated presence on Vineyard Haven’s Main Street and in Edgartown village, not to mention a few years in Oak Bluffs and a winter in Aspen, CB Stark Jewelers earned deep customer loyalty. A perennial winner of Martha’s Vineyard Magazine’s “Best Jeweler” award, Cheryl thrived on her work as a designer, the daily challenges and rewards of running a business whose customers come from all over the world. She inspired many with her generous spirit and creative energy, and though her death brought a sense of great loss to the Martha’s Vineyard community, her light continues to shine.

“Making jewelry and talking to people – that’s been a huge part of my identity since I was a teenager. I trained as a silversmith and started selling jewelry here in the summer of 1966. I just totally fell in love with the Vineyard. I didn’t really have a plan, but I tapped into something – some might call it grace – that’s kept working for me. When I think about all the years, the hugs, the smiles, the letters, the tears, it’s amazing. With our phenomenal staff, we’ve been successful living by the golden rule, doing good work, sharing a love of Martha’s Vineyard and being part of people’s lives. We’ve had lots of famous customers, we’ve been part of many memorable occasions, but it’s the everyday person who’s the most important to us.”

 

Margery Meltzer

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Margie arrived on Martha’s Vineyard from Pennsylvania with a background in philosophy, but she’d had a fascination with rocks and minerals since childhood. Though she had no formal training in jewelry-making, she loved working with her hands and experimenting with different materials. In 1972 she joined CB Stark, first as an apprentice and then as a full-time business partner, meanwhile earning a master’s degree in Jungian psychology. For more than thirty years, Margie worked primarily at “the bench” doing repair work and overseeing the constantly evolving jewelry production. She especially loves creating new designs, inspired by the natural beauty and familiar landmarks of Martha’s Vineyard. Her discerning eye, natural skills as a jeweler, strong business instincts, and steady presence have been integral to CB Stark’s growth and success over the years. Margie thrives on challenge, combining her practical science and technical know-how with an artistic, open-minded approach to creative problem-solving. Though the loss of her spouse and founding partner Cheryl Stark is profound, today Margie cultivates the couple’s vision that CB Stark Jewelers as a business has a life beyond their own, with people – staff, customers, and colleagues – at the heart of it.

“Our philosophy is we treat everyone with kindness and respect. It’s more than just what we make – it’s how we do it. The person is always more important than the jewelry. I love the longevity of our relationships with customers, especially from the early days, the old Vineyard. They’re a reminder of where we’ve come professionally, maturing and feeling good about our ethics and our relationships with our staff and the quality of our work. It’s hard to be humble when I have so much pride in what we’ve accomplished over the years! I'm proud of Cheryl and my work at the bench and the business end of things, but our employees are just incredible. As a team, we’re always trying to do better. We love coming up with new ideas, creating new designs. I’m semi-retired but my life is still evolving.”

 

Sarah York

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Sarah York, the general manager, entered the jewelry industry at nineteen, when she took a summer job at a large national jewelry chain on Cape Cod. Within a few months she was promoted to store manager, but soon realized that though she loved the jewelry business, she didn’t want to work for a large corporation. She went to Guertin Brothers Jewelers, a well-known independent jewelry retailer on Cape Cod. In 2002, she moved her career across the water to Martha’s Vineyard when she joined CB Stark Jewelers. There, she found the perfect fit. For seven years, she lived in Falmouth and commuted to the Vineyard by ferry. In 2009 she succumbed to the lure of the Island and moved here year-round when she was due to have her first child. She continues to further her education with the Gemological Institute of America, where she has many certifications, including her Graduate Diamonds Diploma. She especially enjoys her work with customers designing one-of-a-kind pieces and creating new jewelry out of old.

“The thing I love most about working here is the people. It’s so great to be a part of people’s lives and their special occasions: engagements, marriages, births, birthdays, special events. I have met so many people through CB Stark who are now my friends, and some have become best friends. It’s amazing to be living here on the Island full time, and I love the idea of raising my children – born and bred Islanders – where there is such a strong year-round community. And I have a list of customers to whom I send updated photos of my kids on a regular basis! I especially love hanging out with my family during the off-season when we can really enjoy the beauty of the Island.”

 

Jeff Regan

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Jeff Regan began working in metal in high school, and fell in love with the prospect of turning rough, raw materials into something beautiful and functional. He was hooked, and helped pay for his senior prom by making a pair of wedding rings. After high school, he apprenticed for a local goldsmith, picking up skills in jewelry repair and manufacturing. While he has attended many workshops over the years, he is primarily self-taught, and has spent some forty years honing his techniques and experimenting with new ones. Prior to opening his own studio in 1991, he worked for several local upscale jewelers, specializing in repair, restorations, and custom jewelry. In the summer of 2002, Jeff joined CB Stark as its full-time, year-round jeweler. From simple chain solders to complex antique restorations and custom creations, his broad experience has made him a valuable asset and integral part of CB Stark. Jeff lives on Cape Cod in Marstons Mills, and commutes to work on the ferry.

“I love my work at CB Stark for many reasons, but it starts with the people I work with. Cheryl and Margie have created an Island classic that has stood the test of time, and it's wonderful to be a part of that history. We all made jewelry our careers at very young ages, and are all working toward the common goal of providing the very best customer service, and the finest workmanship. We have a can-do mentality, and are the shop to come to when others say something cannot be done. I love that we are like a family, and have been through thick and thin together. The trust and support we have for one another is unparalleled. We work hard and have fun – both with our clients and each other.”

 

Elysha Roberts

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Jewelry designer Elysha Roberts was born and raised on Martha’s Vineyard. She has always had a passion for art and design, and began crafting jewelry from an early age. She received a BFA in metalsmithing and jewelry from Massachusetts College of Art and Design. While attending MassArt, Elysha began working at CB Stark Jewelers, which complemented her formal education with hands-on experience and business insights. She continued studying jewelry making at the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Crafts, where she was an artist-in-residence and teaching assistant. She’s influenced by nature in her own work, including the natural materials she finds along the beaches, meadows, and woodlands of Martha’s Vineyard, as well as the intricate details of cells and microorganisms. She returned to the island to work full-time at CB Stark Jewelers in 2013. Elysha values the company’s warm and personal work environment, where employees learn from and inspire one another every day.

“When I was little, my mother brought me into CB Stark’s jewelry store. Cheryl took me aside and let me pick out my very own gemstone for being patient while the adults were shopping. I still have the little rock she gave me, and that memory has always stuck with me. I grew up admiring Cheryl’s journey in the jewelry field. Her story is one an aspiring jewelry artist can really appreciate. And CB Stark is such an amazing company; we aren’t just a jewelry store – we’re a small community built around creating wonderful memories. I really love being a part of a company that’s dedicated to making jewelry that reminds people of a special time or place or person in their lives.”

 

Chris Bergeron

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Chris Bergeron, the Edgartown store manager, is a 25-year veteran of retail jewelry sales. He began his career in 1990 as an apprentice jeweler on Cape Cod, polishing and doing basic repair work. The youngest of nine children, Chris has great people skills, and his enthusiasm for helping customers led him into the retail end of the business. He became the store manager for a well-known Hyannis jeweler, then took a summer off to work for CB Stark in its Edgartown store in 2005, then returned to the Cape, where he spent the next eight years specializing in estate jewelry. He returned to Martha’s Vineyard in 2015, when CB Stark expanded its Edgartown presence. Now Chris is a regular commuter to the island from Bourne on Cape Cod, where he lives with his high school sweetheart. The couple has three children, two in college and one in high school. An avid cook, Chris also takes time to relax on the golf course in his spare time.

“The thing that’s most amazing to me about CB Stark is how they’ve created their own truly distinct brand, more so than any other jewelry store I know. They all strive for it, but these folks have done it. Over the years, Cheryl and Margie have adapted to changing markets and not just survived as a small business, but thrived. They’re sincerely interested in finding out what their customers want and creative ways to keep people engaged and connected to the island, whether it’s through social media or new Martha’s Vineyard designs each year. I met a customer this summer who’s been building her island bracelet with her mom, one charm at a time, for the past thirteen years. It’s part of their journey, telling their own Martha’s Vineyard story.”

 

Cheyanne Vandall

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Cheyanne brings a lifelong appreciation of fine art and 20+ years of experience in a small, family-owned business to her work as a floor manager at CB Stark Jewelers. Her fine arts degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her experience with painting, printmaking, ceramics, and sculpture informs her approach to working with jewelry customers. The store’s high-quality product lines and creative opportunities appeal to Cheyanne’s longtime dedication to providing the highest level of knowledgeable, friendly service. She enjoys working one-on-one with customers, building a rapport and helping people celebrate the special moments in life. A resident of Martha’s Vineyard since 2000, she has fully embraced the year-round island experience with her young daughter, who attends the Oak Bluffs School.

“CB Stark has an amazing family of customers and friends, people from near and far. Whether it’s a first-time visit, or their families have been coming to Martha’s Vineyard for generations, or they’re fortunate enough to live here, it’s exciting for me to help people find the perfect piece of jewelry to commemorate their love of the island. From year to year, I love meeting all the different people who come into the store, getting to know each new generation, and welcoming them to the CB Stark family of customers.“


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