Members of the American First Day Cover Society, the largest not-for-profit organization for FDC collectors, have chosen four people to serve on the Board of Directors for the next three years. Only one is an incumbent, but two have been on the board previously.
The results of the election were:
- Lloyd de Vries 175
- Chris Calle 164
- Steven M. Ripley 124
- Bobby Liao 116
- Michael Moticha 108
- Walter Douglas George 94
- Shirley Ulling 93
- Jim Tatum Jr. 67.
De Vries, the sole incumbent who was re-elected, is currently president of the AFDCS. Calle served on the board from 2009 through 2011 and is a popular philatelic illustrator. Ripley was the long-time chair of the AFDCS' Americover exhibition and show, first serving on the board in the 1990s. Liao was the 2025 recipient of the Luff Award for Outstanding Service to the American Philatelic Society. These four will serve three-year terms, commencing January 1, 2026.
Moticha, currently on the board, will complete the year remaining in the term of Patrick Morgan, who resigned earlier this year.
Nearly 250 ballots were cast, 244 of them valid. AFDCS directors are not compensated for serving on the board nor reimbursed for their travel expenses.
"I’m very honored to have won a seat on the board," said Liao.
The Elections Committee was chaired by Otto Thamasett with committee members Neal Parr and Jack Ginsburg, all members of the Robert C. Graebner Chapter of the AFDCS. The Nominating Committee was chaired by Mark Gereb.
The American First Day Cover Society is a not-for-profit educational organization. It publishes its bimonthly award-winning journal First Days as well as handbooks and catalogues and maintains a YouTube channel. The AFDCS also 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.
