First-term American Numismatic Association Governor Clifford Mishler will challenge Vice President Patti Finner for the presidency of the organization in next year’s election.
The race continues the electoral turmoil begun in the 2007 election when all incumbent board members lost.
A majority of five members of the nine-person board originally elected in 2007 will not return.
Mishler, the retired CEO of Krause Publications, parent firm of Numismatic News, said in his Nov. 11 announcement statement, “Given my qualifications to serve the organization as its president, I have determined to seek election in that capacity for the 2009-2011 term.”
Finner had previously announced her candidacy this past summer during the annual ANA World’s Fair of Money.
Mishler set a balanced budget as a goal.
“I would require that management meet and maintain balanced budget fiscal performance without pulling from invested endowment principal,” he said.
He also explained why he was running.
“While significant progress has been made over the past year and a half in re-establishing the image and acceptance of the organization, I believe the immediate future demands a guiding hand whose skills of leadership, patience and impartiality have been honed by a 40-year professional career spent managing and nurturing business activities immersed in the broad perspective of our hobby community,” Mishler said.
“My commitment is to continue the ANA’s recovery and growth from the ill-advised, costly and divisive goals and programs embarked upon over several years,” he explained.
Mishler has been a collector for 58 years and is a 50-year member of the ANA.
Current board members Ed Rochette and Chet Krause will not run again. Rochette because he is term-limited and Krause because he does not want to, though he can change his mind until the candidacy nomination deadline in March. Radford Stearns, who was first elected in 2007, died Aug. 31 and was replaced by Alan Herbert in October.
President Barry Stuppler leaves the board when his term expires, as will the loser in the Mishler-Finner match.
