Kendra Jane Berndt
Managing Editor of Content & Archives

I have been trying to find the words to put on paper, to describe the evening of the 20th annual Banquet. This night was 20 years in the making; 20 years of history, progression, growth, and love. So much love that I do not think I will ever be able to adequately put into words, but I ‘ll try.

For many adolescents in North America, prom is one of the highlights of high school. When I think back 20 years to my own high school prom it is definitely a strong memory, but not necessarily a happy one. My own awards ceremony saw me accepting an award. As I graciously turned around to walk down the stairs, my heel caught the stairs and with a fumbling tumbling crash I laid in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, skirt over my head in front of 900 people. So when I found out this year’s Banquet theme was prom it was like I was given a do-over.

In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Conference, it seemed fitting to have its own prom awards. Brett Perkins was the captain of the ship for an evening under the sea. He had the job of loosening the crowd up with his charm and good looks. He also had the pleasure of handing out our prom awards which were voted on by all our attendees. (During the online registration process all attendees were asked to complete a survey in which they nominated the person they felt best exemplified the category in question. These results were compiled and the top three in each category were put forth to all registered attendees at Conference for the final vote. The votes were submitted through the Conference app or paper ballots.)

Well, needless to say I was speechless that my peers voted for me, and even happier that I made it up and down the stairs with more grace than in 1996.

Although the prom awards were a new addition to this year’s Banquet dinner, tradition was maintained with the dedication of long-standing awards. This year’s recipient of the President’s Award was Jef Saunders. You can read his response to winning in this issue. We also took time

to say thank you to our volunteers and this year’s Josh Prentice Volunteer Award, given to Jezebel Voulé. She is a long time volunteer and we are lucky to have her as part of our volunteer family. Her response to winning can also be found in this issue.

This year, some very special awards—fitting of a 20th anniversary—were also handed out. Conference would not be what it is today without some very important and long term supporters. This year’s Banquet took the opportunity to recognize two of those very important people and their companies.

Barry Blanchard is someone that inspires me both personally and professionally. In fact, I have a tattoo as a memento of a life changing day spent with him. I also know he has had that impact on many people within our community. It is only natural that celebrating 20 years also meant celebrating Barry and the Anatometal team. This award was to thank them for their support and inspiration over the past two decades, helping make this Conference what it is. From their raffle donations year after year, to the small details like the lanyards our attendees received and the lounge in the Grand Salon this year, Anatometal finds every way possible to support the APP and its mission. Anatometal was the APP’s first Corporate Sponsor and proudly adheres to the specifications and standards set forth by the APP. They want the best for both their customers and our industry.

This year, Anatometal also received the Multiple Booth Award for their display within the Exposition.

JD Lorenz also received special recognition for the constant and consistent support of Conference provided by Industrial Strength Body Jewelry. JD started out as a body piercer in the early 1990’s. At that time he realized there was a calling for a special type of jewelry and that it was his calling to produce it. Through perseverance and hard-work, Lorenz has taken his small one-room machine shop and has grown it into one of the largest manufacturers of fine quality body jewelry in the world. Industrial Strength has been a Corporate Member since 2002 and our Conference would not be what it is without them. I am fortunate enough to say that he also had a hand in changing my life, as his generosity has allowed many Al D. Scholars to come to Conference. I was one of those scholars in 2011. Between his generosity through raffle donations and scholar sponsorship, he has changed the lives of many piercers and is truly deserving of this award.

We also had the opportunity to recognize two women that have made a lasting impact not only on this Conference, but on our industry as a whole.

The first is an amazing lady. She is a powerhouse that has always pushed the organization to grow and evolve, Bethrah Szumski. The Banquet was the perfect place to honor her with an extra special thank you for her hard work and dedication. Through her years as either a Board Member or an Officer, she brought about numerous changes that have shaped the APP as we know it today. She has recently stepped down from the majority of her formal responsibilities, but she is still organizing our Members Retreat. To show our appreciation, Bethrah was presented with more than a few baths full of LUSH, one of her personal favorites. To read about everything she has done for the APP, please see the article in Issue 71 dedicated to her years of service.

The second woman that was recognized is a lady I hold very dear to my heart. I felt absolutely honored to present a special award to Caitlin McDiarmid for her hard work and unwavering dedication to the APP. Instead of trying to think of more to say about her I will simply give you some familiar words about pie, a special adaptation to a piece by her favorite diner.

“…So why bother? Pie is never going to be as pretty as its more postured peers Cake or Tart. When roused from its nap on the cooling rack, a piece of pie will likely slump, undignified and oozing its filling while its once perfect crust slips out of alignment in rebellion at having been manhandled by a spatula. Pie is testy, it’s dough cantankerous (sometimes downright mean) in the hands of anyone who overlooks either the precise chemistry or the matronly patience to yield a pastry neither too flaky nor too firm. ‘Touch me,’ says the dough, ‘but not too much, and not there, now back away, don’t even look at me!’

… soon there would be the smell of warm butter and cinnamon… and then the most perfectly imperfect dessert would emerge from the oven, bubbling fruit through vented pastry, custard cooling and waiting to be topped with cream. It’s the tremendous effort involved in creating something so ordinary that makes pie my favorite dessert to make and to eat.

And so the answer to the question: Why Pie? is: Because Pie.”

Every Conference, every attendee, this lady knows it won’t be easy. She knows it will be temperamental. She knows there will be good days and bad, but it is worth the tremendous effort. She crafts the pie that is Conference. From everyone of us, volunteers, attendees, members: Mama Duck we love you. So why Caitlin? Because Caitlin.

I would like to extend a very special thanks to Prince Cyrus and Blessing To You, who were responsible for creating the weights and necklace that Caitlin was given.

Cyrus and Blessings To You also won the Single Booth Award for the second year running. Blessings To You, as Cyrus explained in his interview with Kimberly Zapata in Issue 68, is something that comes directly from his process of creating something for someone as a talisman, an object to carry and direct intention. This year the Amazonian collection was released—pythons, sloths, and, orchids oh my—all helping to raise awareness of the Amazon rainforest and the endangered species within it. This collection was so great I couldn’t help but get a pair of sloths for myself.

As we finished our dessert and got our dancing shoes ready, the Creative Innovator Award was handed out, seeing Jimmy Buddha and Diablo Organics winning for the sixth year in a row. You can read a full interview and photos of this year’s winning entry in this issue. This year, a first time exhibitor and entrant into the innovators competition, Dustin Allor of Phoenix Designs, won the Technical Innovator Award for her double daith spiral design. Learn a bit more about Dustin and how she has always been a trendsetter within our industry in this issue.

I am sure that many of us could have danced until the wee hours of Friday morning. This year’s Banquet and prom was a night filled with celebration, great memories, streakers, and a special feeling of community and family. In fact, the entire room even sang “happy birthday” to a little girl in Germany! To me all of this adds up to the perfect culmination of the events of the week. This year’s Banquet acted as the perfect night to capture the emotions that charged the week, celebrate the people that have contributed to our Conference and industry and without whom all of this would look very different.