APS wants to know what’s ‘important and relevant’ to its members

By Michael Baadke

The American Philatelic Society is looking into a proposal to assemble focus groups made up of current members, former members and nonmembers, and to conduct a member survey, for the purpose of gathering information about “what is important and relevant to members that the American Philatelic Society can provide.”

During an APS board meeting conducted by telephone on June 28, the board agreed unanimously to authorize APS Executive Director Scott English to move forward with negotiating a final written agreement that would then be considered for acceptance by the APS board.

The market research proposal comes from longtime APS member David Paddock on behalf of Avidix Research of Marietta, Ga.

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English described the proposal to the board members, noting that the initial proposal waives certain costs that might otherwise be expected.

“The discussions we’ve had in the past months about doing a member survey is approximately $15,000, give or take,” English said. “This would really be about half of that.”

The initial proposal estimates a $6,250 cost for the research.

“I have received commitments from members of the APS that would cover much of the cost of this,” English added, “without asking for additional cost from the APS.”

English said that if the final survey proposal is approved, the results would likely be available by the end of the year, or when the next APS Ameristamp Expo takes place, March 3-5, 2017, in Reno, Nev.

Earlier in the meeting, English reviewed the current state of society finances and membership figures, reporting that as of May 31, revenues exceeded projections by $129,472, and expenses exceeded projections by $80,997.

“Overall, we are $54,044 ahead of projections for the year — a substantial improvement for our March budget, which was to be expected,” English noted in his prepared report.

The number of APS members as of the end of May is 29,603, which is 727 less than the same time last year. English pointed out that May is the sixth consecutive month for increased applications over the same period last year.

All members of the APS board were present by telephone for the June 28 meeting: President Stephen Reinhard; Vice Presidents Alex Haimann, Yamil Kouri and Mick Zais, Treasurer Ken Nilsestuen, Secretary Ken Grant, Directors-at-Large Steve Zwillinger, Nicholas Lombardi, Kristin Patterson and Dan Walker; and immediate past president Wade Saadi.

The next public meeting of the APS board is scheduled for Aug. 3, during APS Stampshow in Portland, Ore.