AmeriStamp Expo 2010
 The APS will hold its winter show in Riverside, California, February 19–21, 2010. The Tiffany Dinner will be held on Friday evening, February 19, and the guest speaker will be Jamie Gough, who hails from Orange County, California. In 2010 Jamie will be celebrating his fiftieth anniversary as a stamp collector. As an exhibitor, he has won the APS Champion of Champions and the FIP Grand Prix d’Honneur. Jamie, who professionally is the founder and chairman of a California bank, will entertain us at the Tiffany dinner with “Perspectives, Anecdotes and Entertaining Cameos from the Life of Jamie Gough.” Knowing Jamie, his talk will be filled with humor and wit. Tickets are available on the APS website or by contacting Dana Guyer or Barb Johnson at APS headquarters.
AmeriStamp Expo will feature the Single-Frame Champion of Champions competition, with the twenty-six single-frame Grand Award winners from each World Series of Philately show. There also will be eight frames of “Most Popular Single Frame” exhibits. In total, there will be 246 of frames of material (or a total of 3,936 pages!) from 128 different exhibitors.
Harmer Schau is the official auctioneer for AmeriStamp Expo. Included in the auction is the John Pearson stock of San Antonio, Texas; “The Ohlsons” collections and stock of Butler, Tennessee; and an extensive India & States collection. The auctions will span three days as follows:
• Friday February 19, featuring British and Foreign singles
• Saturday February 20, featuring U.S. singles
• Sunday February 21, featuring U.S. & Worldwide collections and balances
We expect more than seventy-five dealers and more than ten societies to be attending the show. The U.S. Postal Service will be there to supply you with any new issues, and the popular “Stamps in Your Attic” service will help you put a price on stamps or a collection of whose value you are unsure. There will be a great youth area, and the APS will hold a General Meeting, that will include a Town Hall session where interactive discussion takes place between the membership and the APS/APRL leadership.
Dues Renewal & Associate Membership
Please be sure to return your dues renewal if you have not already done so. You can save your Society money and time by renewing promptly, thus avoiding the cost of reminders (paper and postage waste). Your attention to this would be appreciated.
Did you know that a spouse or dependent under age 18 of a current regular APS member living at the same address may apply for Associate membership that does not include a separate additional magazine subscription? This Associate membership entitles the person to all of the other benefits of the APS and gives them the self-confidence that they are a part of America’s Stamp Club. If someone in your household can benefit from any or all of the services that the APS provides its membership, it would be a great gift to them. They are eligible to receive Sales Circuits, to buy from Internet Sales, to use the library at reduced rates, and to exhibit at many APS stamp shows as well. A sense of belonging often encourages a person to become more involved, so please consider this membership option if it is practical for you.
Bill Bauer Remembered
 It is with great regret that I include a personal reflection on the sudden passing of William H. Bauer. Bill served the hobby in many ways, including four years as President of the APS. He was a very generous supporter of the Society and the Library, donating more than $50,000 during his lifetime. Bill named the APS/APRL in his will, and this legacy is expected to be one of the largest gifts ever made.
I last saw Bill during the U.S. Classics 2009 meeting at the American Philatelic Center at the end of October. He was involved in all the activities and seemed to be having a great time. Bill was a kind and gentle person and will be missed by all of those who knew him.
Staff Spotlight
Ilene Barner, APS Mailroom Manager
I started working at the American Philatelic Society as our receptionist in 1986. In 2002 I transferred to the insurance office for a brief period and thenbecame the mailroom manager in 2003 where I am responsible for processing the huge volume of mail that passes through the mailroom each day. This includes theSales Division circuit books and Internet Sales material, as well as all APS material. For example, in one week before Christmas the mailroom packed and shipped 500+  of the new Dick Winter’s book on transatlantic mail and more than 100 APS books. And this doesn’t count regular outgoing mail (20–25 trays and tubs per day) or incoming mail (about 20 trays and tubs per day). Not to mention making sure there are enough postage stamps to go round. I feel a great sense of accomplishment that the mailroom continues to handle such a high volume of mail promptly and efficiently.
Away from the job, my husband and I enjoy spending time with our children and grandchildren. In the summer, we enjoy sharing the overflow provided by our garden with fellow APS staff members. In my extra spare time, I am an enthusiastic member of the Red Hats Society, an activities group for women ages fifty and older — our next outing is to a Pennsylvania dude ranch for a day of horseback riding. |
