Ann Hand
{{Short description|American jewelry designer}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Ann Hand
|birth_name =
|image = JG7 9261 (49469993406).jpg
|image_size = 250px
|caption = Hand (left) with her husband and Lynn Novick in 2020.
|birth_date =
|birth_place =
|death_date =
|death_place =
|signature =
|spouse = Lloyd Nelson Hand
|children = 5
|education = University of Texas at Austin
|occupation = jewelry designer
businesswoman
|relatives =
|website = [https://annhand.com/ annhand.com]
}}
Ann Hand is an American jewelry designer and businesswoman. In 1988, she founded the jewelry company Ann Hand LLC. She is married to Lloyd Nelson Hand, who served as the Chief of Protocol of the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Early life and education
Hand grew up in Houston and attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she studied opera.{{cite web |author= |date= January 5, 2010|title= Meet Ann Hand|url= https://www.faboverfifty.com/women/blog/ann-hand/|website= FabOverFifty.com|location= |publisher= Brinsights|access-date= January 8, 2025}}
Career
Hand is the founder of Ann Hand LLC, a jewelry design company that she founded in 1988.{{cite web |last= Watters|first= Susan|date= January 18, 2005|title= Ann Hand's Capital Jewels|url= https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/ann-hand-s-capital-jewels-587420/|website= Women's Wear Daily|location= New York City|publisher= |access-date= January 8, 2025}} The company is based in the Georgetown, Washington, D.C.{{cite web |author= Adams, Tamara|date= April 3, 2008|title= Rock the vote|url= https://nationaljeweler.com/articles/316-rock-the-vote|website= National Jeweler|location= |publisher= |access-date= January 8, 2025}} Her designs gained notoriety in 1993 after Hand designed a custom pin for Colleen O'Brien Nunn, the wife of Democratic Senator Sam Nunn, to commemorate the unveiling of a restored Statue of Freedom at the U.S. Capitol Building. Hand's jewelry became popular with high-ranking U.S. politicians and diplomats,{{cite web |author= |date= |title= Ann Hand: Sew much comfort|url= https://washingtonlife.com/issues/february_2006/ann_hand/|website= Washington Life Magazine|location= Washington, D.C.|publisher= |access-date= January 8, 2025}} and their spouses, including Madeleine Albright and Hillary Clinton.{{cite web |last= McElwaine|first= Sandra|date= January 18, 2017|title= DC Jeweler Surprised by Vitriol That Greeted Her Trump Inauguration Collection|url= https://www.washingtonian.com/2017/01/18/ann-hand-trump-jewelry-blowback/|website= Washingtonian|location= Washington, D.C.|publisher= |access-date= January 8, 2025}} She designed custom jewelry and gifts for the White House, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Central Intelligence Agency, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the United Space Alliance, the Boy Scouts of America, the American Red Cross, the United Service Organizations, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, The Smithsonian, The Heritage Foundation, ExxonMobil, the Lockheed Corporation and QVC.{{cite web |author= |date= |title= Ann Hand Exclusive Design RWFF|url= https://www.rwfforum.org/products/ann-hand-pin|website= Republican Women's Federal Forum |location= Washington, D.C.|publisher= |access-date= January 8, 2025}}{{cite web |last= Dufour|first= Jeff|date= August 11, 2009|title= Ann Hand to close Georgetown shop|url= https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/797587/ann-hand-to-close-georgetown-shop/#google_vignette|website= Washington Examiner |location= Washington, D.C.|publisher= |access-date= January 8, 2025}} She also designed pieces for the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum, the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum, the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, and the Clinton Presidential Center.
File:5D4A2409 (48996340263).jpg in 2019]]
In 2007, Hand designed a line of jewelry for Miss America.{{cite web |author= |date= November 26, 2007|title= Ann Hand designs Miss America jewelry|url= https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/sports/1820025/ann-hand-designs-miss-america-jewelry/|website= Washington Examiner|location= Washington, D.C.|publisher= |access-date= January 8, 2025}} In 2017, she created jewelry for the inauguration of Donald Trump.{{cite web |author= |date= January 10, 2017|title= Longtime Georgetown Jeweler Ann Hand Ready for the Next Inauguration|url= https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/longtime-georgetown-jeweler-ann-hand-ready-for-the-next-inauguration_washington-dc/8851/|website= NBC News|location= Washington, D.C.|publisher= |access-date= January 8, 2025}} Her company faced a boycott following the launch of her Trump jewelry. She previously designed jewelry for the inauguration of Barack Obama.{{cite web |author= |date= |title= Political Jeweler Creates Patriotism, Politics in Designs|url= https://hunewsservice.com/news/political-jeweler-creates-patriotism-politics-in-designs/|website= Howard University News Service|location= Washington, D.C.|publisher= Howard University|access-date= January 8, 2025}}
Personal life
She is married to Lloyd Nelson Hand, an attorney who served as Chief of Protocol of the United States under President Lyndon B. Johnson. They have five children. One of her sons died in a car accident.
She moved to Washington, D.C. in 1965 for her husband's appointment in the Johnson administration.
References
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Category:20th-century American businesswomen
Category:21st-century American businesswomen
Category:American jewelry designers
Category:American women company founders
Category:American women jewellers
Category:Businesspeople from Houston
Category:Spouses of American politicians
Category:University of Texas at Austin alumni