Mishler triumphs

Cliff Mishler has made the leap from American Numismatic Association governor to president by defeating incumbent Vice President Patti Finner by 5,047 votes to 3,213 in the 2009 election.

The balloting was conducted by mail during the month of June. Results were revealed July 2.

Mishler said he felt “very good” about the result.

“It is not something I ever really aspired to, but I am pleased to have the opportunity to serve,” he told Numismatic News July 8.

“My main goal would have to be to consolidate the recovery that has been achieved over the past couple of years,” he said.

He added that he hoped to be able to build a bigger and stronger ANA and hobby community.

“My election will enable me to serve the ANA and the total hobby community in a way that will hopefully return in some measure the rewards that have come my way through nearly 60 years of active collecting,” Mishler said.

In ANA politics the usual thing is for sitting vice presidents to win the office of president even when challenged. That didn’t happen this time.

Perhaps the most famous example of the usual pattern was when Grover Criswell challenged Virginia Culver in the 1973 election and lost – but not before founding Bank Note Reporter as an election vehicle that has gone on to become the premier paper money periodical in the United States and sister publication to Numismatic News.

Finner’s defeat and the loss by Alan Herbert in his re-election bid combined with the retirement of President Barry Stuppler remove the last members of the ANA board of governors who served while Christopher Cipoletti was executive director.

The 2007 election had swept away every incumbent governor and Cipoletti was fired by the new board in October 2007. Final disposition of all legal matters relating to that dismissal has yet to occur.

There was no contest for the ANA vice presidency this year. Former governor Thomas G. Hallenbeck returns to service. He is also the son of former ANA president Kenneth Hallenbeck.

For the seven seats on the board, three were won by newcomers.

Scott T. Rottinghaus, a physician who lives in New London, Conn., and a former Young Numismatist, was the fourth highest vote getter at 4,339.

Former ANA employee and professional grader J.P. Martin of Englewood, Colo., won a seat with a vote total of 4,066. He currently is an ANACS grader.

The third newcomer is Jeff C. Garrett of Lexington, Ky. He is a former president of the Professional Numismatists Guild.

Re-elected to the board of governors was Chester L. Krause, the retired founder of Krause Publications from Iola, Wis. He claimed the most votes of any candidate at 5,845.

He was followed by Joseph E. Boling of Indianapolis, Ind., with 4,730 votes.

Walter A. Ostromecki, an educator from Panama City, Calif., returned to his seat with the third highest governor vote total of 4,453.

The fourth incumbent, who happened to rank fifth by vote total, is Wendell A. Wolka of Indianapolis. His total was 4,179.

Of the seven unsuccessful candidates, Herbert topped the list with 3,613 votes. This makes him the official bridesmaid who would fill any governor’s seat that becomes vacant in the next two years.

He returned to the board just this way in 2008 upon the death of Radford Stearns.

Michael L. Ellis of Virginia Beach, Va., received 3,111 votes.

Jeffrey Swindling of Jacksonville, Fla., obtained 2,703 votes.

Thomas A. Palmer Jr. of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., got 2,627 votes.

Paul Hollis of Mandeville, La., recorded 2,498 votes.

Brian E. Fanton of Hiawatha, Iowa, had 2,335 votes.

Michael S. Turrini of Vallejo, Calif., was given 1,961 votes.

The new officers and board members will be sworn in Aug. 8 in Los Angeles at the World’s Fair of Money.