Eight members are running for the four open seats on the American First Day Cover Society’s 2025 election, only three of whom are incumbents. The ballots are now in the mail to members.

The winners of the election will serve three-year terms, beginning January 1, 2026. In addition, the fifth-place finisher will immediately join the Board to fill a vacancy caused by a resignation. Directors and officers receive no compensation for their service and are not reimbursed for expenses related to serving on the Board.

The election is only being conducted by mail; there is no online voting. Because of Pandemic-related problems, the first separate election mailing was distributed in 2020, and turnout was so much better than in previous elections that the AFDCS decided to continue the practice.

The candidates are Steven Ripley, an event and emergency coordinator from Florida; Shirley Ulling from California, a school transportation worker before retirement; Walter Douglas George, a retired supermarket executive from Massachusetts; Chris Calle, a professional artist who lives in Connecticut; Bobby Liao, retired software executive from California; Lloyd de Vries of New Jersey, a retired broadcast journalist; Jim Tatum, a former television and film professional; and Michael Moticha from California, a career Army officer. Tatum, de Vries and Moticha are incumbents.

After the results of the board election are known, the Directors will choose officers for the next calendar year — president, executive vice president, first vice president, treasurer and recording secretary — as well as a chair of the Board.

The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization. In addition to its journal First Days, the AFDCS also publishes handbooks and catalogues, and promotes the collecting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets, as well as exhibiting FDCs. It offers awards for outstanding first day cover exhibits and an annual contest for cachetmakers, and is a co-host of the annual Great American Stamp Show.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 57, Somerset, WI 54025-0057.

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Self-nominations are now open for the Board of Directors of the American First Day Cover Society, the largest not-for-profit FDC organization in the world. Each year, the membership of the AFDCS elects four people to serve on its board for three-year terms.

Those running for the board must be members in good standing and are expected to submit a statement of no more than 300 words and a photo. There is no other “qualifying process” for nominations: No 10-member petitions, minimum tenure in the AFDCS, nor the ability to recite cachet catalogue numbers from memory. Reasonable proficiency with email is expected.

Once elected, Directors are expected to attend the one in-person meeting a year (held at the convention) and ad hoc online meetings, participate in email discussions and vote electronically on matters that come before the board. The candidates are announced at Americover, the annual convention (held this year in conjunction with Great American Stamp Show) and the ballot and their statements are mailed to members in the fall. The terms begin on January 1.

Mark Gereb of New Jersey is chairing the AFDCS 2025 Nominating Committee, aided by Tris Fall of Pennsylvania and John Peterson of California. Those wish to run, or who would like more information, should contact Mark at rec.sec@afdcs.org.

The AFDCS Board of Directors consists of 12 elected members, plus three ex-officio members: the president, editor, and general counsel. (The Society’s complete bylaws are available at www.afdcs.net/bylaws). Directors are not compensated in any way for serving on the board, although they may receive reimbursement for expenses not related to serving on the board or attending meetings.

The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization, established in 1955. It publishes the award-winning bimonthly journal First Days, as well as handbooks and catalogues, maintains a YouTube channel, and promotes the collecting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets, as well as the exhibiting of FDCs.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 57, Somerset, WI 54025-0057.

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APS Names Executive Director
Kirk Gillis to be Eighth Executive Director of the Society

The American Philatelic Society announced today the hiring of Kirk Gillis to be the eighth Executive Director of the Society. A seasoned leader with over two decades of experience in strategic growth across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, Kirk brings a dynamic track record of innovation and impact. Most recently, he served as Deputy Associate Director and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the U.S. Mint, where he led brand strategy, product development, e-commerce, and customer service for the numismatic and bullion programs. Under his leadership, the Mint’s numismatic business grew by 50 percent over four years.

Gillis will assume the leadership role on July 14, 2025. He replaces outgoing Executive Director Scott English, who announced his departure in November 2024, completing almost ten years in the role. The APS Board of Directors established a Search Committee in November 2024, with outgoing President Cheryl Ganz serving as Chair.

“Kirk’s joining the APS as Executive Director will further our mission to serve the philatelic community,” added incoming APS President Mark Banchik. “He brings skills and insights which will allow the APS to remain at the forefront of our hobby.” Banchik, who also served on the Search Committee, will take over as APS President at the Great American Stamp Show in August.

Kirk’s background also includes launching and scaling successful digital ventures in East Africa, including ZoomTanzania and PinPoint Africa Media, which served major global brands. Earlier in his career, he helped establish the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, directing a national outreach campaign to grow outdoor participation in the U.S. A Navy veteran with degrees from Texas A&M University and the University of Rhode Island, Kirk brings a global perspective and entrepreneurial spirit to lead the APS into its next chapter.

On taking the lead at the APS, Gillis added, “I hope to draw from these experiences as I engage the philatelic community in a collaborative strategic planning process that will grow membership and ensure a vibrant future for the APS and philately overall.”

English will remain at the APS through a transition period ending at the Great American Stamp Show in Schaumburg, Illinois.

About Kirk
Kirk Gillis is an entrepreneurial leader with over 20 years of experience in planning, executing, and optimizing highly integrated growth strategies for organizations across the private, nonprofit, and government sectors.

Most recently, Kirk served as Deputy Associate Director and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer for the United States Mint, where he was responsible for brand management, sales and marketing strategy, product development, e-commerce operations, and customer service for the numismatic and bullion business lines. With a focus on customer acquisition and revenue growth, he oversaw a $80 million budget. He led a team of 60 employees, achieving an overall 50% growth in the Mint’s numismatic business over four years.

Before joining the Mint, Kirk successfully founded, scaled, and exited two digital businesses in East Africa. In 2008, he launched ZoomTanzania, an award-winning horizontal classifieds and e-commerce platform. In 2012, he opened the doors to PinPoint Africa Media, a full-service marketing agency that provided creative services, digital strategy, website development, and media planning to multinational brands operating in East Africa, including Tigo, Toyota, Barclays Bank, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Diageo, and others.

Before entering the business world, Kirk served as a founding member of the leadership team that launched the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), a 501(c)(3) organization funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As the Marketing and Communications Director, Kirk led the development and execution of a national marketing and outreach strategy to increase participation in recreational fishing and boating in the United States.

Kirk earned his master’s degree from Texas A&M University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Rhode Island. He is also a proud veteran of the United States Navy.

Gillis’ LinkedIn profile is here.

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AFDCS Signs Up Member Number 30,000 At Show

Edward Pieper of the St. Louis area is the 30,000th person to join the American First Day Cover Society. He was signed up at St. Louis Stamp Expo on Saturday, March 22, by Foster Miller at the AFDCS table at the show. (Photo: Pieper, left, Miller, right)

Pieper now has a credit with the AFDCS of 30,000 pennies — $300. He can spend it on
the AFDCS.org website, buying FDCs, catalogues and handbooks; renewing or upgrading his membership; paying for successful AFDCS auction bids; and more. Miller, as the person who recruited member #30,000, also was awarded a $300 credit, which he will be donating to the AFDCS Endowment Fund.

The AFDCS today does not have 30,000 members: It is closer to 1,000. Some numbers may have been skipped; some people may have received more than one number over the years; and, of course, some former members have passed away or no longer collect.

The AFDCS, founded in 1955, is the largest not-for-profit first day cover society in the world, with members in more than a dozen countries. It publishes an award-winning journal, First Days, six times a year, as well as handbooks, catalogues and You-Tube videos; holds fundraising auctions; is a co-sponsor of the annual Great American Stamp Show, conducts an annual cachetmaking contest; and encourages philatelic exhibiting and writing about FDCs.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 57, Somerset, WI 54025-0057.

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AFDCS Adds Assistant Editors for First Days, Other Media

The American First Day Cover Society, the world’s largest not-for-profit organization dedicated to first day cover collecting, has retained Jason Youngblood and Kristopher Wile (L-R in the photo) as assistant editors. Their primary responsibilities will be editing and laying out articles and producing graphics for First Days, the official journal of the AFDCS. However, they will also be involved in producing material for the society’s website, its YouTube Channel, and overseeing the publication of new handbooks and catalogues.

In addition, they will work on maintaining the AFDCS’ new data management system, which is tightly tied in with the website.

“Here in the third decade of the 21st century, we have the tools to do so much more than we have up to this point,” said AFDCS president Lloyd A. de Vries. “I think hiring these two young men will not only benefit the members of the AFDCS, but philately in general.”

Both men are familiar with philately and first day covers, thanks to their fathers, but were hired on their own merits.

“These were the second- and third-best applications we received,” said de Vries. “New First Days editor Anthony Bard’s was the best.”

Wile has more than 15 years of experience in the entertainment industry with a focus on film production and post-production. While at the University of North Carolina, he was an editor for the prestigious student literary magazine Cellar Door. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter. His father Eric is on the AFDCS Board of Directors.

Youngblood runs his own video production company in Austin, Texas, where he lives with his wife and son. He also directs, edits and composes music and has worked with hundreds of music artists and for festivals such as Austin City Limits, SXSW (“South By Southwest”) and Boilerroom. He handles layout and design for several philatelic publications, often working with his father Wayne.

The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization, established in 1955. In addition to First Days, the AFDCS also publishes handbooks and catalogues, and promotes the collecting of both modern and “classic” issues and cachets, as well as the exhibiting of FDCs.

For more information about the AFDCS, visit www.afdcs.org, e-mail afdcs@afdcs.org or write the AFDCS at Post Office Box 57, Somerset, WI 54025-0057.