- Completed the raising of $10.7 million for a new Centennial Olympic Games Museum wing, which includes a changing exhibition gallery for hosting “blockbuster” exhibitions.
- Organized the initial public display of the papers of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., at the Atlanta History Center following the purchase of the collection of over 10,000 items by a group of businesses and individuals from Atlanta for $32 million.
- Increased the number of the Historical Society’s properties by acquiring the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum with endowment.
- Completely restored all of the Society’s historic properties: restorated the Swan House, a 1920s Atlanta mansion; the Margaret Mitchell House and the Tullie Smith Farm.
Significantly expanded the Society’s Civil War-related holdings: purchased the George Wray Civil War Collection, giving Atlanta the largest and most comprehensive Civil War collection in the country; also purchased 52 Special Field Orders issued by General William T. Sherman during the 1864 Atlanta Campaign, 50 of which are in Sherman’s handwriting.
- Significantly expanded the Society’s archives and library, acquiring the Cherokee Garden Library Collection, the Callaway Garden Library Collection, and the Southern Architecture Foundation Archives.
- Negotiated the long-term deposit of several significant African-American archives, including the Butler Street YMCA, one of the seven surviving historically Black YMCAs in the United States, founded in 1894, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference archives.
- Developed a series of forward-looking strategic documents to guide all key aspects of the Society’s mission: Fund for the Future describes an endowment campaign plan to raise $31.8 million in capital-related and deferred gifts over the next ten years.
Smithsonian Institute
Director of Development (2002-2003)
Director of Operations, Under Secretary for
American Museums and National Programs (2000-2002)
Served as the deputy to the Under Secretary for American Museums and National Programs with principal advisory responsibility for policy, planning, programs and operational matters of nine museums, four national programs and three cultural initiatives with combined annual budgets in excess of $150 million.
Founder, Winton M. Blount Center for Postal Studies, Smithsonian Institution (1999)
Created the Winton M. Blount Center for Postal Studies, a think-tank devoted to the future of postal systems, services and technologies, as well as paper-based and electronic communications. The Center, which operates within the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, was created with a gift of $10 million from former Postmaster General Winton M. Blount.
Founding Director, National Postal Museum, Smithsonian Institution (1991-2000)
Established, created and managed a national museum with an annual operating budget of $3 million and a monthly attendance of 50,000 visitors, making it the Smithsonian’s most popular “off the National Mall” museum.
Deputy Executive Director, National Philatelic Collection (1987-1991)
Served as the principal operational and financial officer for the Smithsonian’s second largest national collection, then housed at the National Museum of American History. The National Philatelic Collection was merged with the National Postal Museum in 1991.
Curator, National Philatelic Collection (1983-2000)
Served as the principal curator for the United States’ philatelic collection. Published over 150 articles devoted to postal history and philately. Syndicated columnist for six national newspapers. Curated over 20 exhibitions.
United States Postal Service
Senior Program Specialist (1982-1983)
Wrote speeches and performed advance work for senior Postal Service officials, including the Postmaster General.
Prince George’s County (Md.) Public School System
Teacher, Vice Principal, Instructional Coordinator (1970-1982)
All positions in secondary education programs. Served as Instructional Coordinator for the Science and Technology Center at Eleanor Roosevelt High School.
PUBLICATIONS
Authored:
The Catalog of United States Souvenir Cards, Washington Press, 1980
The Philatelic Truck, Bureau Issues Association, 1982
The First Highway Post Office, Mobile Post Office Society, 1985
Collection and Distribution Wagon Service, Mobile Post Office Society, 1986
Mail on the Move, Transportation Trails, 1992
Horse-drawn Mail, Transportation Trails, 1996
Great American Post Offices, Historic Preservation Press/John Wiley, 1997
Reaching Rural America, National Postal Museum, 1997
Motorized Mail, Kruse Publications, 1997
Turk Bird, National Postal Museum, 1998
Edited:
Specimens of Stamped Envelopes and Wrappers of the United States, John Weimer, M.D., James Bruns and William Maisel, editors, United Postal Stationery Society, 1991
Index of Postal Stationery (Volumes 1-33), John Weimer, M.D., and James H. Bruns, editors, United Postal Stationery Society, 1992
EDUCATION
Undergraduate, Bachelors of Science degree with Honors, College of Education, University of Maryland, 1970
Graduate, Administration and Supervision, College of Education, University of Maryland, 1970-1975
PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITION AND AWARDS
Selected as Editor of The United States Specialist, the journal of the Bureau Issues Association in 1981, 1982 and 1983
Received 1985 Literature Award from the Mobile Post Office Society for The First Highway Post Office
Received 1986 Literature Award from the Mobile Post Office Society for Collection and Distribution Wagon Service
Received 1987 Walter W. Hopkins Memorial Award from the Bureau Issues Association
Received 1988 Erani P. Drossos Award from the American Philatelic Congress
Selected as Contributing Editor for The Heliograph, the journal of the Postal History Foundation in 1989
Awarded the 1990 Phoenix Award from the Arizona Federation of Stamp Clubs
Received the Smithsonian’s Superior Individual Achievement Award (1994)
Received the Smithsonian’s Excellence in Facilities Safety Award (1997)
Appointed by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior as a judge for the 1997-1998 Federal Duck Stamp design competition
Recognized as a Distinguished Topical Philatelist in 1999 by the American Topical Association
Received 2000 John N. Luff Award for Exceptional Contributions to Philately, the highest recognition given by the American Philatelic Society
Served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Spellman Philatelic Museum (1985-2000)
Served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Postal History Foundation (1986-1999)
Served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Envelope Manufacturers Association Foundation (2000-2003)
Appointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau for a three year term (2003-2006)
Reappointed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau for a three-year term (2006-Present)
Selected as a member of the Buckhead Coalition (2004-Present)
Designated by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as one of Atlanta’s “hottest leaders in the hospitality industry” in the Arts and Entertainment category (2005)
Selected as a member of the Class of 2005 of Leadership Atlanta
Served as consultant for the possible creation of The Museum of Naval Shipbuilding at Gulf Coast, Mississippi (2004)
Appointed to the Board of Directors of the Marietta Aeronautical Museum and Education Center (2004)
Elected to the Executive Committee of the Buckhead Coalition (2005)
Appointed to the City of Atlanta’s Bureau of Cultural Affairs Community Cultural Plan Steering Committee (2005)
Nominated to the Board of Directors of the Butler Street YMCA
Received the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Purpose Award as part of the organization’s Annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Grounds Crew Awards Breakfast (2007)