Stearns jumps into ANA race
Forty-year ANA member Dr. Radford Stearns announced his candidacy for a seat on the board of governors of the American Numismatic Association. He says he is a ?pure collector? and successful, retired businessman. He feels he now has the time and abilities to represent the collectors who remain the backbone of the hobby.
Stearns platform in the 2007 election cites four main points:
Prudent business practices must be employed so ANA lives within its income and doesn?t impinge on endowments. Educational efforts need to be properly balanced to serve the needs of the members who eventually pay the bills and to attract new collectors to the hobby.
Openness and confidentiality must be hallmarks of a governor. Board members, he says, must be able to freely discuss any hobby issue with the members. A governor must be fully accountable to the members for his views and be able discuss issues and answer member questions.
Selling the ANA name is risky. Endorsing various grading companies just to raise revenues leaves the ANA open to legal action if any client of a grading company is unhappy.
Reduce employee turnover. I had employees who stayed with us for over 34 years, and half of them were there over 25 years. The turnover at ANA headquarters is indicative of an unhappy work environment.
Stearns has not been previously involved in ANA politics, but he has held every office in the Georgia Numismatic Association and been active in many numismatic positions: Glenn Smedley Award, two ANA Presidential awards, Goodfellow (chairman of the 1987 Atlanta convention), assistant chair of the 1977 Atlanta Convention, exhibits chair at many GNA, Blue Ridge and Atlanta conventions, including the 2005 ANA National Money Show in Atlanta.
President Gerald Ford appointed him to the 1975 Assay Commission. He is a Numismatic Ambassador. He won the Howland Wood (Best in Show at ANA in 1976). He prepared the display on behalf of the ANA for the 1996 Olympiad Celebration in Atlanta.
His collecting interests include Colonial Georgia paper money, State of Georgia paper money. Templeton Reid, Stone Mountain, Biblical coinage, Russian copper coins and, as a retired dentist, ?Teeth that have been used as money.?
