Dear Fellow Persian Breed Council Member: I am coming before you to ask for your support in voting for me as your Breed Council Secretary for the term of January, 2015 - December, 2016. While there have been a number of disagreements within the BC over the years, I feel confident that I can look at all sides of any given issue and deal with them fairly and honestly. I especially will be fair in considering any ballot questions that might come before me. I have been breeding and exhibiting Persians in several divisions since 1992 under the Laureden cattery name. My first National Winner was a copper-eyed white male, GC, BW, NW Artemis Stardust Memory of Cinema, DM. Since then, I have bred and/or exhibited five Himalayan Persian National Winners. My first and true love is the Persian and my desire to protect them is as strong as anyone's. There has been the issue of LH Exotics from Europe "infiltrating" our pedigrees by having been granted "pure" Persian numbers at the 5th generation. My proposal would identify them with a 7000 number, just as the Himalayan descendants have always carried a 3000 number. I would ask for the 8 generation pedigree on imports to once again be established. The truth is simple - the majority of Himalayan Persian breeders do not breed CPC to CPC anymore than most Exotic breeders will breed LH to LH - while there are several reasons why this might happen, it is not the desired norm. Exotic breeders want to produce SHs just as the Himalayan breeders want to produce pointed cats. This does not mean that Exotic breeders might not want to show their outstanding LHs, just as the Himalayan breeders might want to show a stellar example of a non-pointed cat. As a serious breeder and exhibitor, I have attended every Persian Breed Council meeting for the past ten years. I travel the world as a CFA Allbreed judge and, as such, get to interact with breeders in many countries, listening to their concerns and ideas. I feel this would make me a great ambassador for the breed since I am in a position to reach out and educate a wide spectrum of people. If elected, I promise to be open and accessible to any issue that might come to light now or in the future. Communication is paramount to understanding. My best, Hope Gonano