Hawaii-born Edward Gerard has been named president and CEO of Maui Divers Jewelry.

Gerard, 53, will succeed Bob Taylor, 72, who will retire Friday after serving his second stint in the top position. Taylor initially retired in 2011 but returned to lead the company as CEO in January 2016.

Gerard has more than 26 years of experience, 22 of which were with luxury retail brand Tiffany & Co. At Tiffany, he was group vice president, U.S. retail sales for North America West, and led a team of eight regional VPs with oversight of 96 stores; guided merchandising, marketing, creative visual, events and promotions; and developed retail sales strategies and initiatives. He also oversaw the company’s business in the Pacific market, which included six stores on Oahu, Maui, Hawaii island and Guam.

“Edward’s strong jewelry background, proven leadership skills and knowledge of Hawaii makes him the ideal CEO to continue the growth and success of Maui Divers Jewelry,” Taylor said Monday. “His hands-on experience in retail environment management brings invaluable understanding to the position.”

Most recently, Gerard served as the Oahu-based district leader for Kate Spade New York, overseeing the retail business on Oahu and Maui.

“I’m truly honored to have been named president and CEO of an iconic Hawaii brand that I’ve admired for years,” Gerard said. “I look forward to further developing our leadership and sales teams and optimizing operations to enhance the quality customer experience for which Maui Divers is known and to ultimately drive business growth.”

Maui Divers, founded in 1959, is the largest jewelry manufacturer and retailer in Hawaii. The company owns and operates 40 locations throughout the state.