[press release]
PF to Award Neinken Medal to Dr. Peter McCann

On Saturday night, May 28, the opening weekend of NY2016, The Philatelic Foundation will award its Neinken Medal to Dr. Peter McCann for meritorious service to philately. The award will be made at a joint dinner reception with The Collectors Club which will present its Lichtenstein Award to Dr. Cheryl Ganz.

Dr. McCann is known as an ambassador to the philatelic community through his tireless commitment to advance the interests of organized philately. It is fitting that he was selected as Jury President for NY2016. He is a nationally accredited chief judge with the American Philatelic Society (APS) having judged over 150 exhibitions since 1986. In addition to NY2016, he has served as a judge in numerous international exhibitions. He was the APS delegate to the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie from 1997 to 2005, and is currently completing his final term as a Board Member of the F.I.P., a position he has held since 2004. As a collector, he has won national grand awards with three different exhibits from his British Caribbean collections.

In addition to his work as a judge and exhibitor, Dr. McCann has held numerous positions within the APS, including the positions of Vice President and ultimately, President for two terms until 2003 after which he continued to serve on its board. He also served as the Co-Chairman of the Council of Philatelists of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum. He is currently a Trustee of The Philatelic Foundation.

Over the years, Dr. McCann has been recognized by a number of organizations for his service to philately. These include being named a Fellow of the Royal Philatelic Society London and the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada, the APS Luff Award, the AAPE Bernard Hennig Award for Excellence in Philatelic Judging, and a recipient of The Collectors Club’s Lichtenstein Award. In 2007 he signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists, the penultimate honor in world philately.

[press release]
American Philatelic Society Adds New National Partner
Stamp Collecting Organizations Joins Forces With Federal Credit Union

BELLEFONTE, PA – The world’s largest stamp collector’s organization, the American Philatelic Society (APS), is pleased to announce a new partnership with the U.S. Postal Service Federal Credit Union (USPS FCU), a Clinton, Maryland-based federal credit union serving current and retired employees of the U.S. Postal Service nationwide. The arrangement includes making the APS a Select Group, allowing APS members to join the USPS FCU. In addition, the USPS FCU will become a presence at national APS stamp shows, providing financial educational opportunities to both groups’ memberships, supporting APS youth education programs, and becoming a partner in promoting stamp collecting.

“We are excited about the opportunity to partner with the U.S. Postal Service Federal Credit Union,” said Scott English, APS Executive Director. “Not only will we be adding a respected financial service provider for our members, we will also have a great partner in supporting the U.S. Postal Service and stamp collecting.”

The proposal was approved by the APS Board of Directors on January 28, 2016 at the AmeriStamp Expo in Atlanta, Georgia. Following that vote, USPS FCU applied to the National Credit Union Administration to receive Select Group status which was approved on March 16, 2016. The final approval came from the USPS FCU Board of Directors at its monthly meeting on March 23, 2016.

“We were very impressed with the active and loyal membership of the APS,” said Steve Cimino, Executive Vice President of the USPS FCU. “The organization is a perfect fit with our existing membership and we see great things happening for each organization by working together.”

Both the APS and the USPS FCU will immediately begin education efforts to their new audience to promote services and recruit new members. The USPS FCU will have a booth at the APS StampShow, the annual summer meeting, which will be held Aug. 4 to 7 in Portland, Oregon.

About the APS:
The American Philatelic Society is the world’s largest stamp collecting organization with more than 31,000 members around the world. The organization, founded in 1886, is dedicated to promoting the cultural and historical significance of U.S. and international stamps, creating a safe place to buy and sell stamps, and providing educational opportunities for both collectors and non-collectors of all ages. You can learn more about the APS or become a member at www.stamps.org.

About the USPS FCU
The U.S. Postal Service Federal Credit Union (USPS FCU) was established in 1934 by seven postal employees. They have a nationwide charter, which is a privilege only given to a few credit unions. In 2016, USPS FCU proudly serves more than 22,000 members across the country. While their primary membership includes employees and families of the U.S. Postal Service, they also have members from several Select Groups. They currently hold more than $200 million in assets and remain true to the cooperative philosophy “People Helping People.” They believe in empowering you through education and the delivery of high quality access for managing your money. Learn more about USPS FCU and the benefits of membership at www.uspsfcu.org.

“It’s pretty bad,” a source tells The Virtual Stamp Club. Some material was too damaged to be saved, and had to be thrown away. Penn State librarians are freeze-drying some material to save it.

The damage to a rubber membrane on the roof happened while the contractor was positioning the new HVAC equipment. There was then heavy rain in Bellefonte on Sunday evening, March 13th.

More is in the APS/APRL press release below, distributed March 18th:

[press release]
Leaky Roof Threatens Library Holdings

BELLEFONTE, PA – Construction of a new $2.6 million library caused a roof leak at the American Philatelic Center, headquarters of the American Philatelic Research Library (APRL) and the American Philatelic Society (APS). During a rainy weekend, water leaked into the recently-completed George Turner Rare Book Room threatening some of the hardest-to-find philatelic literature in world. Quick action by the library staff, with assistance from Penn State University Libraries, minimized the long-term damage to books and other material.

Once the leak was discovered on the morning of Monday, March 14, library staff immediately removed material from the affected area, put protective covering in place, and initiated repairs to roof damage caused by construction activity. Construction and renovation can be risky times for libraries.

APRL Librarian Tara Murray noted, “The bright side is this was a one-time incident related to construction and not an ongoing problem. Once the construction is complete, we expect the new library will be the safest home for our holdings ever.”

Along with putting the library materials out to dry, Murray contacted Sue Kellerman, head of the Penn State University Libraries Preservation Department. Kellerman and members of her staff were soon on site to assess the damage and provide expert advice. They even lent the APRL equipment, including fans to circulate air and hygrometers to measure humidity.

“The situation could have been much worse,” said Murray, “The quick action of the construction crew, staff, and volunteers, along with the response from Penn State University Libraries helped to minimize damage.”

As long as the emergency conservation measures are effective, the monetary impact for the APRL will be small and related to treatment of rare books. The library will attempt to replace unsalvageable auction catalogs through donations. For a list of the catalogs lost and information about donating replacement copies, see http://blog.stamplibrary.org/?p=3106.

All of the rare books and archival material were saved. Drying items quickly is important to eliminate the risk of growing mold, which can infect the rest of the collection. Five books were taken to Penn State to be vacuum freeze-dried, and the rest of the material was dried by the library staff.

The new 19,000-square-foot library should be open for visitors by early summer and a grand opening is scheduled for October 29. World Stamp Show-NY 2016 attendees can get an early look at the new library by attending a virtual tour at 11 a.m. on June 2.

The American Philatelic Research Library has one of the world’s largest and most accessible collections of philatelic literature. It also holds several unique archives, including the Daniel Hines Air Mail Collection.

The APRL is a public nonprofit that relies heavily on volunteers and in-kind and monetary donations. Members of the APRL and the American Philatelic Society may borrow materials directly through the mail and others may access the collections through interlibrary loan. The APRL is open to the public and scholars are always welcome to do research on site. For more information, visit the APRL on the web at www.stamplibrary.org or call 814-933-3803 and select option 3 for the library.

Dr. Edwin J. Andrews – APS Treasurer Candidate Statement

As someone who has collected stamps since age 8, I value the leadership that APS provides to the hobby. I would be honored to serve as APS Treasurer providing my many years of experience in a wide variety of financial business disciplines to the organization. When consulting for not-for-profit organizations I always emphasize that board members should chart the future course and provide the necessary resources, so the organization can achieve its strategic goals. Boards should not micromanage organizations, rather, provide executive oversight and direction. I ask for your vote so I can bring to APS my many skills, to help them in achieving future success.

I am a seasoned executive with leadership experience in Fortune 500 companies such as Johnson & Johnson (VP R&D, and Director of Global Marketing) and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals (Senior VP [Global] for Science & Technology). My academic career included Director of a diagnostic laboratory at Cornell University and Professor and Dean at the University of Pennsylvania. Most recently I was global Director of Academic and Educational Programs & Services for the Project Management Institute, the largest membership organization representing project managers worldwide. In all of these leadership positions I had responsibility for large numbers of staff, and budgets often exceeding 50 million dollars. I am grounded in financial management, budgeting and the management of complex organizations.

Since retiring in 2011, I have been the Principle of Andrews Consulting Enterprises LLC, specializing in support of academic and not-for-profit organizations, providing financial planning, budgeting, strategic planning, marketing, international relations, project management and general management consulting. My clients have ranged from Tongji University in Shanghai China to the University of West Indies in Trinidad, where I created a long range (five-year) strategic plan and accompanying financial plan for a medical education program. I have been a board member of many national and international not-for-profit organizations over the years and am very familiar with board responsibilities and oversight.

Presently I am a member of APS CANEJ, an accredited Chief Philatelic Judge, Editor of the forthcoming 7th Edition of the APS Manual for Philatelic Judging and Exhibiting, and a former member of the APS Membership Committee. Also, I am Treasurer of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, and am a Board member of the POLONUS Philatelic Society. Formerly, I was a Director of the Greater Philadelphia Stamp and Collectors Club and a Director of the Philadelphia National Stamp Exhibition. I am currently a member of the APS, AAPE, ARA, ATA, USPCS, MPHS, The Collectors Club (NY), GPS and the POLONUS Philatelic Society.

Your vote would be appreciated. For direct contact please email me at afacinc@yahoo.com

Statement by Bob Zeigler, Trish Kaufmann and Jeff Shapiro (left to right below):

Team Candidates for APS Board of Vice PresidentsYour 3-member Board of Vice Presidents not only serves as part of the larger APS Board, but as the disciplinary body which considers cases of alleged misconduct by members, weighing the evidence pursuant to the APS Bylaws. The three of us have a wide and deep background in leading philatelic organizations, as well as a combined 122 years involved in the American Philatelic Society.

Bob Zeigler is a trial attorney who has vast experience with evidence and due process. Jeff Shapiro is recently retired from a career in non-profit management. Jeff represents the collector viewpoint with alacrity. Trish Kaufmann is a full-time dealer who brings that background to the table, as well as a female point of view. We bring a diverse perspective to the job, as well as enthusiasm and a desire to give back to the hobby we love.

We are unified in the belief that the primary role of the APS Board is to govern, not to manage. Day to day management is the responsibility of the Executive Director and staff. We want to work with staff to set overall strategy and objectives.

Bob speaks for this slate of candidates when he says, “I believe that APS, and philately in a larger sense, now faces great challenges. We are often considered a solitary and scholarly hobby, lacking in the immediate feedback that draws our youth to TV and video games. To preserve our hobby, we need to market it, not only to youth, but to the vast number of baby boomers who are at or approaching retirement age. Our hobby is at its best when we make connections and lifelong friendships with others through organized philately. I support policies for APS that will build the Tiffany Fund (its endowment); ‘Finish the Job’ of building out the Library and paying off the debt incurred by the Match Factory project; do a better job of fundraising in general; retain our talented staff, and if at all possible, avoid the use of donations to fund operating expenses.”

Get to know us a bit better from the candidate statements that follow. We invite questions and feedback and ask for your vote and support in the May 2016 election. We encourage you to visit our campaign website at WWW.APSVP.COM

I began collecting stamps at the age of 11, and now focus on the philately of the small islands of the Caribbean and South Atlantic. The hobby has been a major part of my life, and I have been active in the APS for the last 20 years, including service as a vice president, and then president from 1999-2003.

Within the hobby, I have served in leadership positions in specialty societies, serve as a Board member of the International Federation of Philately (FIP), and am a long time exhibitor and philatelic judge at both the national and international levels. I was also a Co-Chairman of the Council of Philatelists of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum.

Service on the APS Board from 1995-2007, I was first elected in 1995 to the Board of Vice Presidents which is the judicial and disciplinary arm of the APS and in my second term became its Chairman. I also have been on the APS Committee on Accreditation of National Exhibitions and Judges since 1993 to the present, and was Chairman from 1997-1999 until I was elected APS President.

Chairman of the APS International Relations Committee from 1993-1997 which oversees all contacts with all other philatelic federations worldwide as well as interactions with all international stamp exhibitions in which APS Members participated.

On the APS Luff Award Committee from 2009 to the present, and finally was Chairman of the Greater APS Fund Committee from 1994-1997, successfully coordinating APS funding raising efforts in that period.

Some other philatelic activities included President of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors (AAPE), President of the American Philatelic Congress, and President of the British Caribbean Philatelic Study Group.

Summary of My Professional Background:
Currently Vice President of Govic Capital of New York- Palm Beach-Sarasota.
President/ CEO of biotech companies (1993-2003) – British Biotech USA, Oncostasis Inc, and Mymetics Corporation.
Research director and executive for world pharmaceutical company now Sanofi-Aventis (1979-1993)
President of the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute (1998-1999)
Professor of Cell Biology at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (1984-2013).
A.B. Degree from Columbia University, New York, and Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Syracuse University.

My prior service on the Board, my extensive contacts in the hobby, knowledge from my professional life in both business management and academia, and my knowledge of the recent history of the APS combine as a set of unique experiences that can help the APS to move in a positive direction into the future.

While it is unusual for a past president to return to a Board position, it is clear that APS is at a crossroads, and with new staff leadership, I believe it is poised for a new era of growth. I want to help to make that happen, and would appreciate your vote.

Dr. Peter P. McCann
Ppm103226706@aol.com

[press release]
National Postal Museum To Unveil Art Exhibition
“New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art” on View Dec. 10–Mar. 13, 2017

The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum is unveiling an exhibition of original artwork Dec. 10 titled, “New York City: A Portrait Through Stamp Art.” On display through Mar. 13, 2017, 30 pieces of original artwork will be publically displayed for the first time, celebrating the influence of New York City on American society.

The artwork is part of the Postmaster General’s Collection, which includes more than 5,000 original pieces of art commissioned by the U.S. Postmasters General for stamps issued during a 70-year period. The collection includes not only the final approved art that can be seen on many U.S. postage stamps, but also concept drawings that were submitted for consideration but never used.  The collection is owned by the U.S. Postal Service and is on long-term loan to the National Postal Museum. The exhibition provides the museum an opportunity to raise awareness of the collection.

The original works will be displayed in six thematic categories relevant to New York City’s heritage. These categories—Baseball, Broadway, City Life, Icons, Politics and Music—will showcase a variety of art styles, mediums and colors used to create some of America’s most beautiful stamps. The artwork honors important citizens, events and iconic buildings that have defined New York City as one of the greatest cities in the world. The museum has designed a special pictorial postmark that will be available to visitors at the philatelic center inside the museum.

“Visitors will have the chance to see original artwork revealing the energy, history and impact of one of the world’s most beloved cities,” said Allen Kane, museum director. “By seeing New York City through some of its most recognizable facets—including its famous icons—visitors will reflect on their own connections to the city and appreciate the way postage stamps help share and celebrate our nation’s history, heritage and heroes.”

Six pieces of the artwork—one from each category—will be on display at the World Stamp Show–NY 2016. The special showing will take place May 28–June 4, 2016, at the Javits Center in New York City. The World Stamp Show carries on the tradition of the once-a-decade international exhibitions from the past 100 years. Held in the United States, the shows typically occur on a year ending with “6” or “7,” honoring the anniversary of America’s first postage stamps issued in 1847. Admission is free throughout all eight days of the show.

This exhibition captures the diversity of New York City and its significant contributions to America’s cultural heritage,” said Calvin Mitchell, exhibition curator. “New York City serves as a beacon of the American way.”

The National Postal Museum is devoted to presenting the colorful and engaging history of the nation’s mail service and showcasing one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of stamps and philatelic material in the world. It is located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue N.E., Washington, D.C., across from Union Station. The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). For more information about the Smithsonian, call (202) 633-1000 or visit the museum website at www.postalmuseum.si.edu.

[press release]
The Philatelic Foundation, the leading authority in the United States for the expertizing and certification of stamps and covers, is pleased to announce that it is the recipient of a substantial grant from the David T. Beals III Charitable Trust. Mr. Beals, who passed away in 1987, was a prominent philatelist and collector of Western covers, his family having been early settlers in Kansas City, Missouri.

Previous generous grants from the Trust provided for the PF’s acquisition of the VSC6000 and Bruckner Spectrometer, two pieces of high-tech equipment that have brought added assurance and confidence to its expertizing process and the development of its widely acclaimed PF Search data base that permits on-line review of the PF’s library of certificates.

The new grant will further advance the application of digital age technology to the PF’s remarkable collection of research material. This grant will permit the digital conversion of the PF’s collection of Stanley Ashbrook’s 16 notebooks of correspondence, 38 file drawers of index cards, and over 1000 color slides into a word-searchable database that will be posted on the PF’s website. Additional enhancements to the PF Search program, including certificates dating back to the PF’s beginnings in 1945, will be digitized and posted on its website, as well as studies of interesting current submissions made to the PF for certification. In all, nine different projects are to be funded and the cumulative result will be to convert the accumulation of PF research and information into a visual and searchable database.

Special thanks to the David T, Beals, III, Charitable Trust for making this all possible.

The Philatelic Foundation is a Section 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization chartered by the State of New York.

Dear Fellow APS Members,

My name is Mark Butterline and I am announcing my candidacy for the position of Secretary on the APS Board of Directors.

My main goal in running is to bring more people into our great hobby, and more collectors into the American Philatelic Society. In other words, maximum philatelic fun to the greatest number of people! There are many people out there for whom philately would bring them much joy. But they just don’t know it, yet.

This is the biggest challenge facing the philatelic community and the APS is the organization best equipped to do something about it. This task squarely falls upon the shoulders of the new Executive Director and the APS Board. They need to carefully analyze the current philatelic environment, identify our objectives and associated strategies, and then develop and execute plans to achieve those objectives. And they need to work with the whole APS community, collectors and dealers, while they do this. Our main challenges are about long-term strategy and communication (internal and external).

So who am I, and why should I be on the APS Board? Over the past 12 years, I have helped guide various philatelic organizations, large and small, while holding different leadership roles. I am the current President of the Northeastern Federation of Stamp Clubs. The Federation provides support services to 35 New England stamp clubs and their stamp shows, in addition to staging Philatelic Show, the annual WSP show in Boxborough, MA. I am a past President and Treasurer of the Pitcairn Islands Study Group and past Treasurer of the Waltham Stamp Club. Currently I am the Executive Director of the Boston 2026 World Stamp Show (the next international philatelic exhibition in the United States after New York 2016 – yes, there will be another big international show in America after New York). Much of my work in organized philately has been about analyzing organizational health and effectiveness, and developing and executing plans to improve that health and effectiveness.

As for my philatelic background, I discovered stamps at the age of four. My first acquisition was a large used multiple of the 1963 Sciences commemorative (Scott 1237). After soaking and drying, I affixed it to a piece of orange construction paper with thick white paste and exhibited it on my family’s refrigerator door. Since then my collecting techniques have improved. My current interests include stamps and covers of the Falklands, Pitcairn, United Nations, Germany, Bhutan and Expo67 postcards. I’ve been a proud member of the APS since 2003 and work on my collections almost everyday.

Professionally, I am a consultant that addresses both technical (IT) and business issues for companies ranging in size from 100 employees to multinationals. I am also an author of various articles, both professional and philatelic, as well as a book on software engineering. I am a graduate of Rutgers (1981 – B.S. Computer Science) and Cornell (1995 – M.B.A.). I am married, with a son, and live near Boston. If you have a questions or comments, please feel free to email me at mbutterli@gmail.com or call me at 1-978-407-9644.

Thank you for considering my candidacy for APS Secretary. I respectfully ask for your vote in next year’s Society election.

Mark Butterline