As a first-term governor for the American Numismatic Association, I have been involved with making a number of decisions that were complicated, necessary and sometimes not without controversy. The guiding principle that the entire board follows has always been that we will do what is right for the association and its members.

Choosing a new executive director was one such decision that we made during the recent National Money Show in Phoenix. The Search Committee had done its job by narrowing 37 applicants down to six persons who were interviewed in Chicago and then to two finalists who were interviewed by the entire board in Phoenix.

From my perspective, two attributes were critical. Did the individual have a good background in numismatics, ideally from both a collector and dealer viewpoint, and did the individual have a strong background in business (particularly finance and personnel aspects)? Frankly, I wasn’t sure we would be able to find an individual that filled both of my wishes.

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