‘American Philatelist’ Editor Barbara Boal to retire Dec. 31

Barbara Boal, the longtime editor of the American Philatelic Society’s monthly magazine, American Philatelist will retire Dec. 31.

The APS announced Boal’s decision in a Sept. 15 press release.

Boal has served the society for 33 years. She held the position of production manager and design manager during the 1980s, and was named managing editor in the August 1990 issue. Bill Welch was the magazine’s editor.

Following the departure of Welch’s successor Peter Martin, Boal served as acting editor for several months before becoming the magazine’s 16th editor with the October 2002 issue.

American Philatelist has been published monthly since January 1887. Boal’s tenure as editor is the fourth-longest in the magazine’s 127-year history.

“It has been an educational and enjoyable time for me,” Boal said. “I learned stamp collecting and printing from the ground up from the best — Bill Welch, Charlie Rupert, and Joe Criscuoli … During the reprinting of Fundamentals of Philately, [author] Norman Williams joked that I must be the only one to have ever read Fundamentals cover to cover!

“Over the past 33 years, I have been fortunate to work with collectors from around the world. In addition to the pleasure and pride that we receive in producing the AP for members, it has been recognized by its peers, winning three international golds and being presented with the Alvaro Bonilla Lara award.”

Boal is the society’s principal contact with the printer, has provided graphic support for shows and other departments, assisted with social media and marketing, and taught educational courses.

During her time as editor, she guided the magazine from mostly black and white to full color production, and has overseen numerous advances in digital production, including the development of a digital version of American Philatelist. She was also the impetus behind the development of a mobile application for the magazine, the society notes.

The society is now looking for a new American Philatelist editor. Applicants can send a resume and cover letter by Oct. 15 to Executive Director Ken Martin at the American Philatelic Society, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte, PA 16823; or by e-mail to kpmartin@stamps.org.

Additional details about the position can be found on the society’s website at www.stamps.org.