by Lloyd A. de Vries, The Virtual Stamp Club

These notes are not meant to be comprehensive; for more detailed reporting, see Foster Miller’s live blogging from the meeting in The Stamp Collecting Forum. (This link takes you directly to those messages). Unless otherwise attributed, all views and observations are those of the author.

Some highlights — Shows:

StampShow 2022 will be held in Sacramento, Calif. Previously set are 2019 Omaha, 2020 Hartford, Conn., and 2021 in the Chicago area.

The American Topical Association, which is holding its National Topical Stamp Show in conjunction with APS StampShow this weekend in Columbus, Ohio, has asked to do the same next year, in Omaha. I believe the National Model Railroaders Association also will be meeting in conjunction with StampShow next year in Omaha. APS executive director Scott English said at this meeting that the Union Pacific Railroad is a sponsor of StampShow 2019.

2019 is the 150th anniversary of the “driving of the Golden Spike,” the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad, or the ability to take a train from one side of the U.S. to the other. The Central Pacific Railroad headed east from Sacramento; the Union Pacific headed west from Omaha, and UP still exists as a company today.

English is going to Omaha next month to explore other community involvement for the show.

AmeriStamp Expo in Birmingham in February lost $45,000, even more than the most-pessimistic predictions. English hopes StampShow 2018 will make up most of that, but it won’t make up all of it.

English calls this weekend’s joint APS/ATA show “historic.”

“I believe there is no wrong way to get into stamp collecting,” he said.

Finances:

Treasurer Bruce Marsden reports the APS is financially strong. However, it has $4.1 million in “designated funds,” and he recommends the Board take a look at how that money is allocated. For instance, the “insurance fund” (for circuit sales, I believe) has about 10 times as much in it as is ever used.

The APS and American Philatelic Research Library, which owns the American Philatelic Center (“Match Factory”), have an operating agreement dating back to 2005. However, Marsden says most of it has never been followed: There is no lease, no rents collected, no certainty of which organization promotes rentals to outside groups. The operating agreement also predates the completion of the Library facilities. He recommends re-examining this agreement, too.

English does not recommend a dues increase. The APS raised dues by $10 twice in a five-year period, 2003 ($25 to $35) and then again in 2008 ($35 to the present $45). The latter had a strong effect on membership.

The average cost per member is about $40. Dues account for only about 21% of APS revenue. Eliminating the never-financially-successful AmeriStamp Expo winter show will save about $2 per member! No dues pay for American Philatelist, the journal: It is supported by its advertising revenue.

The APS has reduced its debtload by almost $2 million in the three years since English became executive director.

Library:

Chief librarian Scott Tiffney, subject of our current audio feature, says reference request and usage of the APRL is up. Donations of materials to the Library are also up, but he is trying to be more selective so as to speed the inclusion of new materials into the Library. (He talked about this in our interview.) About 37% of the donated materials are added to the Library’s holdings.You can search online for duplicate materials that are for sale.

85% of all issues of American Philatelist, the journal of the APS, are now available online through the Library, and Tiffney expects that to be 100% by late September.

There are also more philatelic exhibits online.

Website:

English said he does not apologize for calling the current APS website, stamps.org, “garbage” in an article that appeared in Linn’s Stamp News. (You can read it here.) He says it was good once, given the state of the art then and what the APS could afford, but it no longer is adequate.

Martin Miller, editor of American Philatelist, is the project manager on revamping the website. You will see changes shortly.

Sales Taxes:

Society attorney Kathleen Yurchak is keeping an eye on South Dakota v. Wayfair, a recent Supreme Court ruling that said states have the right to collect sales taxes from Internet merchants, even if they do not have a physical presence in those states. (Read more in Forbes as well as other publications.) English says there are 5,000 taxing jurisdictions in the U.S.

From my own experience, customers in White Plains, NY, pay city, county and state sales taxes, while those in nearby towns may only pay county and state.

Membership Survey:

All APS members for which the society has e-mail addresses were invited to take the survey, which was written by a professional firm. About 15% did, which is much higher than the usual response to online surveys of 3-4%.

54% of those responding collecting only stamps.
40% collecting stamps and covers.
The other 6% were dealers, advertisers and institutions.

The strongest responses were from the Southeast and Midwest.

77% read every issue.
More than 81% consider it a source of continuing philatelic education for them.
Less than 27% share it. Miller wants to change that: “The recruitment value of ‘AP’ is incalculable.”

Not surprisingly, the interest in online features increases as the age of the member (or, at least, the members’ length of time in the APS) decreases. Some members only do eBay and Facebook online.

85% of AP’s readers read the ads.
60% say they have discovered new dealers through reading American Philatelist.
63% are more likely to support an advertiser over a non-advertiser, that is, whom to patronize or give their business.

The survey respondents overall gave high marks to American Philatelist 3 the highest scores the analysis group had ever seen for an organization!

Miscellany:

There is an eBay seminar at StampShow at 3 p.m. on Friday; I believe someone from eBay HQ will present it. Based on the eBay seminars in the late 1990s at StampShow, this one may be mobbed!

Five dealers are participating in an eBay auction that will close during StampShow. It is a joint project of the APS and American Stamp Dealers Association. We hope to have a report on it after it closes.

Both English and APS president Bob Zeigler are left-handed.

This show marks English’ 3rd anniversary as executive director.

English called the “Stamp Soiree,” a high-donation reception this year being held in the Ohio State Capitol, the “Ziggy Experience.” At that, Zeigler put his head in his hands.

Zeigler will not be attending StampShow this year; his son is getting married this weekend in Seattle.

The American Philatelic Society is giving its highest award this year to John H. Barwis, Denise Stotts and Wayne L. Wayne Youngblood. Barwis is receiving the Luff Award for philatelic research. Stotts is being honored for her contributions to philately. Youngblood is cited for his service to the APS. L-R, Barwis, Stotts and Youngblood.

The Luff awards are considered the highest awards in U.S. philately.

The 2018 awards will be formally presented August 11 at the banquet of StampShow / National Topical Stamp Show in Columbus, Ohio.

The APS press release, with more details, is on the APS web blog.

Cheryl Ganz has been chosen to fill a vacancy on the American Philatelic Society’s Board of Directors. By a unanimous vote, the former Smithsonian National Postal Museum philatelic curator was elected as a Vice President, filling the vacancy when Bob Zeigler succeeded Mick Zais as president. Zais resigned when he became U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education.

Ganz called into the telephone conference-call meeting Monday, June 11th, from Iceland!

At the same time, the Board chose Steve Rod as Historian, replacing Gini Horn, who resigned because of ill health.

Zeigler opened the meeting by vowing to “do no harm,” expand the membership “or at least stop the attrition,” and to retire more debt.

In announcing his nomination of Ganz, Zeigler cited her record of service to the APS and philately, “her great temperament,” and her writing.

Ganz said she did not seek the job, but was asked by two people. She said she has always a big booster of the society, a donor, a life member, and serves on two committees, Ethics and New Initiatives. She has never been on the Board before. “I will do my best to do everything  I can to help the APS,” she said.

Ganz joins a three-member Board of Vice Presidents that also includes Trish Kaufmann and Jeff Shapiro.

Speaking at the meeting, Rod cited past historian Herb Trenchard, who severed for decades. “I am in awe” of Trenchard, he said. “I hope to serve in this position as dutifully as Herb and Gini have,” Rod said. “I love the APS with all my heart and soul.”

Rod’s appointment by the president did not need a vote, but was approved unanimously anyway.

The Board also approved unanimously a resolution honoring APS staffer Janet Houser.  Executive director Scott English noted that she began at the APS in 1990, and worked in the accounting department before moving to education. He said he was “extremely grateful” for her help as he became the organization’s CEO and made changes. “Janet has been extremely supportive of the education initiatives” and “an ambassador of good will,” he said. “I’ve been grateful for having her.”

English said he will also be submitting the resolution to the American Philatelic Research Library board.

The executive director recommended the Board skip its previously-scheduled meeting on June 19th, inasmuch as all the business has been covered. The Board will next convene the day before StampShow.

Zeigler recommended English draw up a resolution praising Zais, for a vote by the Board at the August meeting.

[This story will be updated.]

American Philatelic Society president Mitchell “Mick” Zais has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Deputy Secretary of Education. That means he will have to resign his APS post, as required by White House ethics rules.

The Deputy Secretary is the number-two official at DOE. The vote was 50-48, along party lines. Sens. John McCain (R-Arizona) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) were not in Washington and did not vote.

“On behalf of the APS members, I would like to thank Mick for his years of service on the APS Board,” said Scott English, Executive Director, who also worked with Zais in South Carolina, “Even with his new responsibilities, I hope he still has time to collect, visit a few stamp shows, and even recruit a few new members in the Nation’s Capital. Best of luck in the next chapter!”

According to a press release from the Department of Education, “Dr. Zais most recently served as South Carolina’s elected State Superintendent of Education from 2011-2015. Prior to that, he served 10 years as president of Newberry College in South Carolina. Dr. Zais served 31 years in the U.S. Army and retired as a Brigadier General. He holds a B.S. in engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, an M.A. degree in military history, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in organizational behavior and social psychology from the University of Washington. He served as South Carolina Commissioner of Higher Education and is a recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the states’ highest civilian award.”

He was elected to the APS presidency for a three-year term in the spring of 2016, and took office in August 2016. He previously served on the APS Board of Vice Presidents from 2013 to 2016.

Zais has been an APS member since 1976, joining after attending Interphil 1976, the seventh international show held in Philadelphia. He is also a member of the American First Day Cover Society, specializing in the Army half of the Army-Navy series of 1937, which he has begun exhibiting.

Zais’ nomination was first put forward last year by the White House. It was approved December 13th by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and sent to the full Senate for action. Then, because the Senate recessed for more than 30 days over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays without acting upon it, the nomination was “returned” to President Trump and had to be resubmitted in January.

According to the APS Bylaws, in the event of the resignation of the President, the Board of Directors will choose a replacement from among the current members of the Board. The Board must call a meeting within 10 days of the vacancy to fill the position. That meeting has been called for Wednesday, May 23, 2018 at 5 p.m. EDT. The telephone meeting is open to the public and APS members are welcome to join the call in to 888-537-7715 (toll free). The passcode is 13291358#

The current members of the Board, other than Zais, are:

• Trish Kaufmann, Vice President
• Jeff Shapiro, Vice President
• Robert Zeigler, Vice President
• Stephen Schumann, Secretary
• Bruce Marsden, Treasurer
• Michael Bloom, Director-at-Large
• Peter McCann, Director-at-Large
• Rich Drews, Director-at-Large
• Mark Schwartz, Director-at-Large
• Stephen Reinhard, Immediate Past President

McCann was president from 1999-2003, and Reinhard from 2013-2016. The newly elected president will complete Zais’ term through August 2019.

Zais participated in the unveiling of a flag stamp at the January 2017 first-day ceremony during Southeastern Stamp Expo. He is on the left:

The Virtual Stamp Club interviewed Zais about his first six months as president last January. The VSC radio feature is here (script and audio file).

[press release]
Wonderful collection of Cayman Islands

The members of The Royal Philatelic Society London were able to admire the wonderful collection of Cayman Islands built up by Captain James Podger FRPSL at the meeting held on 3 May.

The story begins in April 1889 when a branch of the Jamaica Post Office was opened in Georgetown on Grand Cayman, with Jamaican postage stamps being supplied to enable letters to be sent as if they had originated from Jamaica.

The islands’ own stamps were first issued in November 1900 (the earliest recorded date is 15 November) being of the ‘Key Plate’ design in values of ½d and 1d, these being the final ‘Key Plates’ to use the portrait of Queen Victoria. Following the release of these stamps, further values were required – 2½d, 6d and 1/- – and these were the first ‘Key Plates’ stamps to have the portrait of King Edward VII.

The display continued up to the present reign, including proofs and varieties, and fine examples of usage, with postage due markings, airmails and censorship, plus examples of the extremely rare ‘East End Grand Cayman’ rural post marking.

Giving the vote of thanks, Simon Richards FRPSL paid tribute to the fact that James and other specialists work together to share the results of their research.

Those wishing to visit The Royal Philatelic Society London at 41 Devonshire Place, London W1G 6JY, or be a guest at one of its meetings, are asked to contact the Administrative Office (020 7486 1044).

[press release]
Cletus Delvaux Named Distinguished Topical Philatelist

The American Topical Association’s highest award, Distinguished Topical Philatelist, is being awarded this year to Cletus Delvaux. A 39-year ATA member, Delvaux is a prolific philatelic writer and editor.

A retired English teacher from Green Bay, Wis., Clete has written more than 100 articles for Topical Time, Linn’s Stamp News and other philatelic publications. His primary topics are journalists, authors and poets on stamps.

Delvaux has been president of the Journalists, Authors, and Poets on Stamps (JAPOS) Study Unit of ATA since 1993. In 2000, he also assumed the position as editor of the JAPOS Bulletin, and he also writes extensively for that publication. He is a past president of the Green Bay Philatelic Society and edited its newsletter for 25 years.

The Distinguished Topical Philatelist award will be presented at the Celebration Banquet of APS StampShow/National Topical Stamp Show on Aug. 11 in Columbus, Ohio. Click here for further information about the award. Click here for more information about the ATA.

[press release]
Royal provides exciting programme for young philatelists

The Royal Philatelic Society London is to organise a philatelic visit to London for young philatelists aged between 18 and 35. This follows a successful initiative arranged by the Club de Monte Carlo last year.

London is still regarded as the philatelic capital of the world and the programme aims at proving this claim. The visit will include the following philatelic highlights:

• September 12: Guided Tour of Autumn Stampex and in the evening attending the RPSL President’s Dinner
• September 13: Guided Tour of the Royal Philatelic Society London where a part of The Royal Philatelic Collection will be exhibited by gracious permission of Her Majesty The Queen.
• September 14: Guided Tour of the British Library Philatelic Collection and The Postal Museum London

The costs of travel, accommodation and attendance at the dinner will be sponsored in full. Other expenses (meals, etc) will have to be paid for by the delegates.

Unfortunately, the number of participants is limited to maximum 20. The selection of the participants will be based on their philatelic CV.

All participants must be members of the RPSL or should apply for membership. For those still full time students, there is ‘associate membership’ with an annual fee of only £10. All others should apply for full membership.

More information is available from John Davies FRPSL, Council Member of the RPSL, who has arranged the programme (davies1890@btinternet.com).

[press release from the Royal Philatelic Society of London]
NEW RDPs TO SIGN THE ROLL OF DISTINGUISHED PHILATELISTS IN NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists was established in 1921 by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain with the approval of His Majesty King George V, who was the first Signatory. An invitation to sign the Roll is regarded as the world’s pre-eminent philatelic honour.

Not including the newly elected RDPs, 380 philatelists from 40 countries have achieved this distinction. There are at present 78 Signatories from 26 countries including sixteen from the United Kingdom, fourteen from the USA, seven from Germany, four each from France, and Belgium, and three each from Australia and Italy. Denmark, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, and Thailand each have two, with other countries including Austria, Canada, Colombia, Finland, Greece, Israel, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, The Russian Federation, and Switzerland, having one.

At a recent meeting of the Board of Election, comprising Jane Moubray (Chairman), Tomas Bjäringer, Christopher Harman, Alan Huggins, Rolf-Dieter Jaretzky, Robert Odenweller, Christopher King, and Raymond Todd, the members unanimously decided to ask Robert Abensur (France), Gustaf Douglas FRPSL (Sweden), Cheryl R. Ganz FRPSL (United States of America), and Geoffrey Lewis FRPSL (Australia) to sign the Roll.

The Signing Ceremony will take place on Friday 27th July at The Assembly Rooms in Newcastle upon Tyne, during the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain.

Robert Abensur b. 1957 France
Robert Abensur lives in Pont-à-Mousson in North East France. He has researched widely and fulfilled all the requirements needed for a signatory to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. His main collecting and researching areas are the postal rates and regulations of France and Alsace-Lorraine. His latest book published in 2017 is The Franco-Sardinian route in international relations (1818-1851) and his articles on various subjects number well over a hundred, in France and elsewhere.

He has been President of the Académie de philatélie since 2002 and was awarded the chevalier dans l’ordre des Art et des Lettres in 2009, gained a Large Gold medal at FEPA 2015 for Maritime Mail between France and foreign countries. Routes and Rates 1828-1849 and has organised many philatelic meetings and exhibitions in France.

Robert Abensur vit à Pont-à-Mousson dans le nord-est de la France. Il a fait de nombreuses recherches et remplit toutes les conditions requises pour devenir signataire du Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. Ses principaux domaines de collection et de recherche sont la réglementation et les tarifs postaux de France et d’Alsace-Lorraine. Son dernier ouvrage publié en 2017 traite de la voie franco-sarde dans les relations internationales (1818-1851) et il a publié plus de cent articles sur des sujets variés en France et ailleurs.

Il est président de l’Académie de philatélie depuis 2002, a été nommé chevalier de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres en 2009, a obtenu une médaille de grand or en 2015 en exposition FEPA pour Correspondance maritime entre la France et les pays étrangers. Tarifs et voies d’acheminement 1828-1849 et a organisé de nombreuses rencontres et expositions philatéliques en France.

Gustaf Douglas b. 1938 Sweden
Gustaf Douglas is of Swedish nationality and has formed what are considered to be the most complete collections of both Sweden and Finland in existence.

His monographs are always of the highest standard and he has attained Gold and Large Gold medals in international exhibitions since 1971. He co-authored Sweden Number One, in 2005. He was awarded the Tilleard Medal of the Royal Philatelic Society London as well as the Strandell Medal, the highest philatelic recognition in Sweden, in 2014 and is presently working hard as Head Patron for Stockholmia 2019.

Always modest, charming and helpful to fellow collectors, he is a most worthy candidate to sign the Roll.

Dr. Cheryl R. Ganz b. 1950 United States of America
Cheryl Ganz of the United States of America is best known for her lifelong philatelic outreach at local, national, and international levels, engaging a vast spectrum of collectors from specialists to new audiences. Her collections, exhibits, research, and writing, and speaking focus primarily on her specialty of zeppelin posts.

Philatelic recognitions include the Smithsonian Philatelic Achievement Award, Luff Award for Exceptional Contributions to Philately, Alfred F. Lichtenstein Memorial Award for Distinguished Service to Philately, American Air Mail Society Research Award, and Single Frame Champion of Champions. She has written and edited books, articles, and online content, putting philately in a wider context to reach larger audiences without sacrificing philatelic scholarship. Her service to organized philately is multi-faceted in a variety of positions of influence and accomplishment.

Altogether hers is a very fine achievement, and she rightly deserves to be a signatory of the Roll.

Geoffrey Lewis b. 1948 Australia
Geoffrey is an Australian resident of Randwick, a suburb of eastern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia where he has lived for the whole of his life. His collections have included the postal history of Spanish Philippines, that of Cuba, of New Orleans and Stampless Mail entering Spain. He has won FIP Large Gold medals in Postal History with exhibits on the subject matter of each of the three continental areas: Asia, Europe and the Americas.
In 2013 he attained a Large Gold Medal for his well-written study entitled The 1836 Anglo-French Postal Convention – a difficult subject to cover in a readable form.

He was President of the Philatelic Society of New South Wales between 1998 and 2013, was Chairman of the Jury at Sydney 2015, and President of the Organising Committee of the National Philatelic Exhibitions held in Sydney in 2007 and 2011.

He has been appointed a Member of the Australian Philatelic Order and has received the Australian Philatelic Research Award.

Steve Zwillinger resigned March 2nd as president of the American Philatelic Research Library, according to Linn’s Stamp News. The APRL’s board of trustees will hold a telephone conference meeting on March 12th to elect a new president. The bylaws require that a replacement be chosen from among the current board members.

“I resigned due to pressing family issues that require my attention,” Zwillinger told The Virtual Stamp Club in e-mail. “The Library needs a President who can devote the time and attention that the position requires.”

Zwillinger, who works for the U.S. Department of Education, was elected to the board of trustees last spring, and then chosen as president by a unanimous vote of the board in August, just seven months ago. He previously served as secretary and director-at-large on the American Philatelic Society board of directors.

Update:

In a March 12th phone conference, the APRL board chose Ken Grant, a trustee and former APRL president, to replace Zwillinger, as reported by Foster Miller below. This photo of Grant, a retired college English professor, was taken in 2005.

Updated March 27th:

The April 2018 issue of American Philatelist reports that Zwillinger has been suspended because he has been “charged with a crime, pending outcome of a criminal trial.”

Updated May 29th:

The five felony charges against Zwillinger from February — one count of sexual abuse of a minor; two counts of rape in the second degree; and two counts of sexual offense in the third degree — have been dropped, but two more felony charges were filed on April 20th: assault in the second degree, and sexual assault in the fourth degree.

A local attorney talks about “fourth degree sexual offense” here. (Keep in mind this is unlikely to be an attorney involved in this case and with direct knowledge of the Zwillinger case.)

Updated August 12th:

Following his guilty plea to a reduced charge, a source tells The Virtual Stamp Club that Zwillinger was expelled from the American Philatelic Society.

According to Foster E. Miller III in The Stamp Collecting Forum on July 20, “as the result of [a] plea bargain, on July 18, defendant Zwillinger pled guilty to one count of ‘a sexual offense in the third degree.’ Sentencing is scheduled for October 9.” Click here for an explanation of what that is, as defined on USLegal.com, which says that someone convicted of a sexual offense in the third degree faces up to 10 years in prison.

The APS Bylaws, Section 3.11.5, give the Board of Vice Presidents the discretion to put on probation, suspend or expel any member convicted of a felony. Zwillinger has the right to appeal to the Appeals Tribunal, which consists of all members of the Board other than the three vice presidents, plus the executive director.

Zwillinger, 63, is married with 7 or 8 children. He works or worked for the U.S. Department of Education in Washington, and lives in Silver Spring, Md.

Updated October 21st:
According to reports in The Stamp Collecting FOrum, Zwillinger was sentenced to an 18-month suspended sentence, except for two days. Since he has already served two days in jail at the time of his arrest, there is no additional jail time.

[ATA press release]
Jerome D. Husak, visionary founder of the American Topical Association (ATA), the second largest philatelic organization in the U.S., died on February 22. He was 86.

He is shown at right at the World Columbian Stamp Expo in 1992.

Jerry was a teenager in Milwaukee in 1949 when he envisioned a society for topical collectors. He later wrote, “There must be others like myself. Why don’t we get together and share our information through a united body of topical collectors?” Thus, the ATA was born. “Who knows,” Jerry thought, “perhaps as many as 200 topical collectors might come together.” Within five months of its founding, the ATA had 408 members. In its 68 years, it has had close to 60,000 members from more than 100 countries. It is the largest topical/thematic association in the world.

In his history of the ATA, Jerry wrote “The early days were not easy. Many people had to be convinced that topicals deserve a place in philately.” When the ATA affiliated with the American Philatelic Society in 1987, it became its largest affiliate. The Thematic Award at APS StampShow is named for Jerry.

Jerry was ATA member #1 and the first recipient of the ATA’s Distinguished Topical Philatelist award.

He worked full time for the ATA, as editor of its journal, Topical Time, until 1977, and as executive secretary until 1984. When Jerry retired from the association’s Board of Directors in 2008, he was awarded the honorary title of director emeritus. In 2012 the ATA Board designated May 25 as an “annual National Topical Stamp Collecting Day, promoting topical stamp collecting as a vital dimension of the future of philately and honoring topical philately visionary and ATA founder Jerry Husak on his birthday.”

Jerry died in Sun City West, Arizona, where he lived since moving there from Milwaukee in 1984. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Sally, who was a tremendous support in his ATA endeavors.

Contributions in memory of Jerry Husak may be made to the ATA [link to donations page].