Download this report as an MP3 sound file. (runs 2:18)

Election Time

The Stamp Collecting Report, I'm Lloyd de Vries.

The American Philatelic Society — the biggest stamp collecting organization in the U-S — is
now holding elections for its board of directors. There is only one candidate for each office
this year, and all of them are incumbents. When we spoke to President Bob Zeigler (ZIGLER)
last year, he said they work well together.

"It is, I think, a very congenial group with which to operate. There are a lot of very
experienced and intelligent people on the board. Some of them have their very definite opinions
but, at the same time, they have been easy to get along with." RUNS :17

Zeigler — an Indianapolis attorney specializing in malpractice defense cases — became leader of
the A-P-S when the previous president left for the Department of Education. Becoming president
wasn't on Zeigler's agenda.

"Nope, hadn't really thought about it." RUNS :02

One of his goals is to stop the loss of members and stamp collectors in general.

"We need to emphasize that stamp collecting is not a hobby for the old or the weak of mind. It
is a hobby that leads you into so many good things." RUNS :11

Zeigler says stamp collecting helps with history,  armchair travel and more.

"All those things are good for people in terms of looking beyond their narrow perspective or their
local lives and seeing what other people are doing, what is happening to other people. That just
doesn't mean reading People magazine, it means going well beyond that to understand other cultures,
other languages." RUNS :21

Stamp collecting's recruitment focus is often on children, but a surprising number of new
A-P-S members now are retired or about to retire.

"Oftentimes these people might have been stamp collectors in their youth, but quit when they became
interested in other things." RUNS :07

….like careers and families. Despite the overall decline in A-P-S membership, Zeigler disputes the
idea that stamp collecting is dying, even in the U-S.

"I think there are more people than ever that are interested in adhesive stamps, because they're more
beautiful, they're more varied." RUNS :

And postal agencies are helping by issuing INTERESTING stamps. The problem for Zeigler and the rest
of the Board is converting those stamp collectors into American Philatelic Society members.

I’m Lloyd de Vries of The Virtual Stamp Club. For more on stamps and stamp collecting, visit
virtual-stamp-club-dot-com.



Here are the candidates in the 2019 American Philatelic Society election:

President: Robert Zeigler, Indianapolis, IN

Board of Vice Presidents(run as a team of 3)

Cheryl Ganz, Winfield, IL
Patricia (Trish) Kaufmann, Lincoln, DE
Jeff Shapiro, Fayville, MA

Secretary: Stephen Schumann, Hayward, CA

Treasurer: Bruce Marsden, New Hope, PA

Director-at-Large:
Michael Bloom, Portland, OR
Rich Drews, Palatine, IL
Peter McCann, University Park, FL
Mark Schwartz, Philadelphia, PA

American Philatelic Research Library Trustees (2019-2025)
Two to be elected by APS members:
Greg Galletti, Mount Airy, MD
Melanie Rogers, Chicago, IL

(Civil) discussion about the election and the candidates may be found in our message board.

----------------------------------------------------------
Go to Previous Report
Go to Next Report

Go to Report Index