Krause received ANA honor

Perhaps the American Numismatic Association board of governors was symbolically declaring all is forgiven and forgotten when its members voted April 6 to make Chet Krause the honorary chairman of the 2007 World?s Fair of Money in Milwaukee, Wis.

Krause?s partner in last year?s museum-naming dispute with the board, Cliff Mishler, already is general chairman.

The most important thing on the agenda of the open sessions of the board conducted April 5-6 was the 2006-2007 budget.

After about 10 minutes of discussion in open session April 5, the board adopted a budget that projects $5,925,166 in revenue and $5,832,348 in expenditures, leaving a surplus of almost $93,000.

A revenue line of $800,000 called executive donations and grants had no specifics attached to it, but after the meeting, when asked about it, Executive Director Chris Cipoletti said it was doable. He also noted that, unusual for an annual budget, which runs April 1, 2006, until March 31, 2007, there is revenue for three conventions in it because of how they fall on the calendar.

President Bill Horton had said on a number of occasions previously that the board would not even look at a proposed budget if it were not balanced.
An outline of a strategic plan was presented by Chief Operating Officer Sheryl von Blucher, who said she took a tough business approach in evaluating the core functions of the ANA.

She asked four questions:
Why the change?
What to change? And answered, a lot.
What to change to?
How do you cause change?

She asked the board to imagine an organization with no physical location, but with a fully accessible online library and online courses.

She said bylaws should be evaluated and modified. Ethical governance of the hobby and industry would be a key mission. Programs for educational outreach would be to members and nonmembers. The library would be made relevant and accessible online. The museum would become fully accredited by the American Association of Museums by the end of 2008. Accreditation would facilitate getting grants for ANA. There would be a strategic review of the donations policy to the collection and strategic alliances would be made with other museums.

Von Blucher said decision-making should be depoliticized and very transparent, the staff should be accountable and the needs and wants of members should be the guiding factors.

Gov. Michael Fey observed that he thought the strategic plan did not have sufficient benchmarks to enable the board to judge in the future whether it succeeded or failed. A discussion ensued.

Blucher said, ?I see it differently. I?ve written hundreds of business plans.?
Cipoletti said (of Fey?s request), ?You are asking to evaluate staff members. This is not the role of the board.?

Gov. Prue Morgan Fitts said, ?We are not there to micromanage it.?

Horton called it a bold move. ?It is a start. We can?t get into micromanaging.?

Two auction contracts were endorsed following a public announcement of the receipt of bids April 6. Heritage bid $135,000 for the rights to the National Money Show auction in Sacramento in the spring of 2007.

Two bids were received for the summer 2007 World?s Fair of Money in Milwaukee. Heritage offered a flat $405,000 and Bowers and Merena offered $300,000, plus 1 percent of the hammer price on all sales over $10 million. The board chose the Heritage flat fee.

An ANA coin was proposed by the Royal Canadian Mint and the board approved the idea. Mintage would be 50,000 maximum. It would feature the queen on one side and whatever ANA wants on the other.

There would be a possible cameo or hologram reverse design. Price would be $25, of which ANA would receive $5. It is possible for both 2007 and 2008. Composition and weight were not specified.

Vice President Barry Stuppler reported that the proposal for a professional membership class was a ?work in progress? and he was ?taking it slow? in order to get feedback from dealers.

Costs associated with this membership class would include $185 for a background check and a $249 per year annual dues.

- The board also approved a proposal allowing lapsed ANA members to get their old membership numbers back, though their longevity measurement would start over.
- Changes are in the works for the club representative program.
- Joel Anderson is chairing the 1891 Alliance. It has 25 members who have paid the $1,891 dues.
- A motion was passed to support a proposal for a 2010 Boy Scouts commemorative coin.
- Negotiations would begin relating to a contract ANA has with Numismatic Guaranty Corp. designating it as the ANA grading firm of choice. The contract expires Feb. 28, 2007.

The ANA?s membership ended 2005 at 32,142, up 64 from 2004.