Registration & Titling Spotlight
April Hughes, Arizona Game and Fish Department
In each issue, the VIRT Committee will spotlight a Registration and Titling (R&T) Specialist that has had an impact on their division, state, or on a national level when it comes to influencing change and consistency within each state’s registration and titling departments. If you have someone you would like to nominate, please reach out to Rick Barrera.
This month’s feature focuses on April Hughes with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.
April Hughes started her career in 1999 for the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) as a part-time Data Entry Clerk in the fishing and hunting license section. She was soon promoted to the full-time front counter Customer Service Representative at Headquarters. Serving in this position for two years, April was then promoted to the Watercraft Section processing abandoned boats.
In 2010, April was again promoted to the Watercraft Unit Supervisor. While in this position she assisted in Arizona’s upgrade of their registration system to accommodate the Standard Numbering System (SNS) changes that were required by the U.S. Coast Guard and were required to be completed by 1/1/2017. In 2017, April was promoted to her current position as the Watercraft Section Administrator.
In addition to this, April has been a vital member of the NASBLA Vessel, Identification, Registration & Titling (VIRT) Committee since 2012 and is now the longest serving state member on the VIRT Committee. As a contributing member to VIRT, April has assisted in many projects and charges over the years (HIN Validation PowerPoint, Numerous Best Practice Documents for Program Uniformity, VIRT Dashboards, Vessel Identification System and the Uniform Certificate of Title Act for Vessels) for the VIRT Committee.
What is your position?
I am currently the Watercraft Administrator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department at the Headquarters Office in Phoenix.
How long have you worked for the state?
I have worked for the AZGFD for 23 years, I started in the License Department doing data entry part-time, I transferred to our Front Counter as a CSRII (Customer Service Rep) where I issued fishing and hunting licenses, watercraft registrations, hunt tags, and answered customer service calls for the Agency. I transferred to the Watercraft Section as a CSRII and was promoted to a Watercraft Unit Supervisor and my current position as Administrator.
What are some of your hobbies outside of work?
Outside of work I enjoy gardening, cooking, crafting.
What is the best restaurant near your office?
Due to the location of our office, eating out is a rare occasion but when we do its usually Chili’s.
What is the best thing about your division?
The best thing about my division is the team I work with, they're practically my second family.
What area do you think you could help other state R&T divisions out with the most?
In my 23 years registering watercraft, I have worked abandoned boats, stolen/investigations, public records, litigation and inspections. I have also been on our Article 5 rule making team for the last 8 years. In addition to this, I have also gained great knowledge from the VIRT committee on how other states operate with R&T.
Besides the knowledge listed, I am currently on a rewrite team developing a new Watercraft System that will move us out of our old software program to a new web-based program. I hope to have some positive insight to this transition for other states that are struggling with old software issues.
What is your favorite VIRT resource?
My favorite VIRT resource cannot be limited to one. I think the committee has put out a lot of great resources for other states to use (it's just trying to get them to use them!), but seriously, the two I use most in my training are the Titling and Registration Dashboard and HIN Validation.
Where are you from originally?
I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona. A true Arizonian.