Renee Hodkinson
Founder & CEO of Gemlets
A Graduate of the University of Michigan, Renee began her career in 1974 in Public Accounting serving clients as a Certified Public Accountant for 10 years.
In 1985, she moved into the private sector as Chief Financial Officer of a domestic commercial real estate developer in Michigan, followed by a CFO role in an international automotive supplier. Frequent business trips to Europe & Asia and vacation visits to Hawaii & the Caribbean exposed her to the intrigue and romance of these new worlds, stimulating and cultivating her creative tendencies and her love for unique and stunning jewelry designs.
In 2002, Renee retired from the corporate world to found Gemlets, a recognized leader in innovative designs and assembly of one-of-a-kind jewelry creations.

Renee has been a frequent attendee at the Annual Tucson Jewelry & Gem Show, the largest such event in the United States, where she has capitalized on her position in the industry and utilize the opportunity to network with some of the largest and most prestigious suppliers of pearls, stones, sterling & crystals from Asia, South America and the United States. The quality and uniqueness of the pieces obtained by Renee and included in Gemlets creations represents one of the core differentiating attributes of Gemlets’ jewelry offerings.
These core attributes include:
1. Utilization of the world’s finest suppliers of pearls, crystals, findings & other supplies.
2. Creative designs and color integration inspired by Renee’s frequent travels and native intuition ranging from the :
a. Cool Great Lakes Summers
b. Warm Sunny Winter Valley of the Sun Days
c. Intoxicating Tropical Caribbean Evenings
d. Relaxing Hawaiian Rainbows arching across the green glistening mountains
3. Themed Jewelry Lines personally designed and manufactured by Renee with an eye for the integration of the sea, the sky and the mountains from her memories and her dreams.
The history and highlights of Gemlets development include:
1. Initial sales to personal contacts and at shows in Michigan and Arizona
2. Sales at fine boutique shops in Northern Michigan Resorts
3. Offered to and worn by Sarah Palin during presidential campaign of 2008