Running the Gauntlet-An Intimate History of the Modern Body Piercing Industry tells the story of how the author fathered the modern body piercing industry and in so doing gave birth to the larger body piercing movement. Jim Ward, with backing from Doug Malloy, started Gauntlet back in 1975 in Los Angeles. At the time, it was the first body piercing studio not only in the U.S., but in the world. With Gauntlet, Jim went from a small, one-man jewelry manufacturer out of the back of a small retail space to a significant industry wholesaler. (My first jewelry and supplies were purchased from Gauntlet, in 1989.) Gauntlet’s retail operations expanded from one shop in Los Angeles to studios in San Francisco, New York, Seattle, and a even a franchise in Paris. In 1977, with the input of Doug and Fakir Musafar, Jim started Piercing Fans International Quarterly (PFIQ), the first (and highly influential) publication dedicated to body piercing. Jim is also personally responsible for developing many of the tools, techniques, and jewelry designs that are still in use today.