Miro Hernandez
I’d like to thank the outgoing Board members, as well as those continuing on in service, for their hard work and dedication. I’d also like to congratulate the incoming Board members on being elected and choosing to embark on this path. A very big thank you goes out to the membership who voted and saw something or believed enough in me to allow me the chance to serve as one of your representatives, and your voices.
When I first started piercing, I had little knowledge about the APP. Like many at that time, I was just focusing on getting a piercing straight. I had no interest in joining an organization that I had been told was “nothing but a political group for a bunch of elitist snobs.” But eventually I became determined to become a member, and I did. Years later, and here we are, and I am in a position I thought I would never be in, when I first received my membership certificate.
You are supposed to have a laundry list of goals you’d like to achieve, and something you’d like to see changed when elected. The reality of the situation is as the industry changes, so does my list. As the APP continues to grow by leaps and bounds, the demands of the Board will evolve and grow with our fast-changing industry. I am fully aware that I have big shoes to fill, but I am confident in the memberships decision to have me as a representative for their future.
I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a “what were you thinking and getting yourself into” moment after the first board meeting I attended. I’d also be lying if I said I wasn’t excited about what’s to come. I am excited to have the opportunity to serve as a Board member at a time when the industry seems to be on an upswing, as evidenced by the amount of customers we are dealing with and the sheer volume of jewelry our vendors are now creating. I am beyond elated to have the opportunity to serve alongside a Board who share a lot of the same ideas and passions for the industry and the future of the organization. I cannot wait to see what comes next.
