David Bernier

David Enrique "Quique" Bernier Rivera (born January 21, 1977) is a Puerto Rican dentist and politician that has served in various roles in public service in Puerto Rico.

Bernier first served as executive director of the Office of Youth Affairs of Puerto Rico and was later confirmed as the youngest Secretary of Sports and Recreation of Puerto Rico in history.

Four years later, he was unanimously confirmed as Secretary of State of Puerto Rico for the administration of Alejandro García Padilla.

He also won a bronze medal in the 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games celebrated in Maracaibo, Venezuela.

His accomplishments as an athlete eventually led him to public service.

He also won the bronze medal in the 1998 Central American and Caribbean Games, celebrated in Maracaibo, Venezuela.

Bernier and his brother went to Carolina, where they trained under trainer Gilberto Peña.

As an accomplished youngster, governor Sila María Calderón decided to appoint Bernier to lead the Puerto Rico Office of Youth Affairs in 2003.

Two years later, governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá appointed him as Secretary of Sports of Puerto Rico.

But as a different political party took over the government, Bernier opted to leave his incumbency after four years of service.

A few months later he was elected president of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee.

In 2003, Governor Sila Calderón appointed Bernier as executive director of the Office of Youth Affairs.

On 2004, Bernier was inducted into the Puerto Rican Sports Hall of Fame.

In September 2008, Bernier resigned to his position as Secretary of Sports and Recreation to run for President of the Puerto Rico Olympic Committee.

The election for president of the Olympic Committee took place on October 1, 2008.

Bernier won the seat receiving 26 votes from the Federation delegates versus 13 votes in favor of incumbent Héctor Cardona.

In that capacity Bernier led the efforts to organize the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games celebrated in Mayaguez.

A few years later and as he was preparing for his re-election for president of the committee, governor Alejandro García Padilla appointed him as Secretary of State of Puerto Rico.

In that role, Bernier transformed the Department of State of Puerto Rico by creating the Morales Carrión Diplomatic and Foreign Relations School, by opening several Puerto Rican trade promotion offices in foreign countries, and by reducing the backlog of business charters filings and intellectual property filings.

As president of the Olympic Committee, Bernier dealt with the 2010 Central American and Caribbean Games in Mayagüez, the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, and the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Bernier campaigned to become the 12th Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

He was the 2016 candidate for Governor of Puerto Rico of the Popular Democratic Party.

Ideologically, Bernier is affiliated with two parties: one within Puerto Rico and another within the United States as a whole.

Within Puerto Rico, he used to preside the Popular Democratic Party (PPD in Spanish) and identifies as a sovereigntist—a member of a faction within the PPD that advocates for Puerto Rico to enter a compact of free association with the United States rather than continuing the status quo.

At the national level, however, Bernier is a member of the Democratic Party of the United States and a staunch supporter of President Barack Obama.

Outside politics, Bernier was an accomplished athlete.

He was a member of the Puerto Rican national fencing team, in which he represented the island in the Pan American Games and in the Central American and Caribbean Games.

As a Pan American athlete, he was a Pan American Youth Champion for three consecutive years.

Bernier, however, left his incumbency once again but this time to run for governor of Puerto Rico in the 2016 general election for the Popular Democratic Party.

He began his tour in February 2016 under the name "Tour Colorao" (Red-colored Tour) in reference to his redheadedness.

On November 8, 2016, Bernier lost the 2016 Governor's race, losing to main rival Ricky Rosselló of the New Progressive Party (PNP)

David Enrique Bernier Rivera was born in Patillas, the fifth of six children, to Luis David Bernier Rivera, a professor at the University of Puerto Rico at Ponce, and Celia Rivera Guzmán, a nurse.

He and his younger brother, Víctor, attended the María Dávila Semidey School in Patillas, where they received their primary education.

After this, they enrolled in the school of sports of the Albergue Olímpico located in Salinas.

Bernier then became a member of the National Fencing Selection of Puerto Rico, during his school years, and represented Puerto Rico in events worldwide.

He was also president of the first graduating class of the Albergue Olímpico school.

Bernier later studied at the University of Puerto Rico at Cayey where he received a bachelor's degree in natural sciences, graduating magna cum laude.

He then completed a doctorate in odontology at the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine.

He was also president of the student council and was also named president of the Association of Athletes of High Endurance.

As a member of the National Fencing Selection of Puerto Rico, Bernier was the Panamerican Youth Champion for three consecutive years.