From Numismatics to Philately

Former U.S. Mint employee Kirk Gillis has been named executive director of the American Philatelic Society (APS). Gillis assumed the leadership role on July 14, taking over for outgoing Executive Director Scott English, who served for almost 10 years in the position. “We are excited to welcome Kirk to the APS and our philatelic community,” says outgoing President Cheryl Ganz. “He understands collecting and has a vision for leading our society and hobby into the future.”

Gillis has more than two decades of experience in strategic growth across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Most recently, he served as deputy associate director and chief sales and marketing officer for the U.S. Mint. He was responsible for brand management, sales and marketing strategy, product development, e-commerce operations, and customer service for the numismatic and bullion business lines. Under his guidance, the mint’s numismatic business increased by 50 percent over four years.

“Although I came to the U.S. Mint with a strong background in lifestyle brands and the hobbies sector, I had no experience in the unique and fascinating world of collectibles,” says Gillis. “My time at the mint helped me develop a deep appreciation and practical understanding for the many different motivations for collecting.”

Gillis believes coin and stamp collecting are intricately linked, especially when it comes to growth strategies. “Both philately and numismatics have a rapidly aging participant base, and they face similar challenges due to the declining relevance of coins and stamps in our daily lives,” he says. “Every year we transact less and less in cash, and we communicate less and less by mail resulting in new generations having little exposure to stamps and coins. Finding cost effective ways create exposure, establish relevance, and foster positive engagement with prospects will be key to the future growth of both philately and numismatics.”

A forward-thinking entrepreneur, Gillis predicts big things are on the horizon for coin collectors. “I believe numismatics is at a critical inflection point and is ripe innovation and rapid growth,” he says. “President Trump’s recent nomination of Paul Hollis, a well-known, experienced, and respected numismatist is particularly encouraging. If confirmed, I hope Mr. Hollis will be able elevate the numismatic mission within Treasury and be able to restructure Mint operations to enable innovation and growth of the numismatic business. If he can achieve that, then the future of U.S. numismatics will be very exciting.”

More About Kirk Gillis

Before joining the mint, Gillis successfully founded, scaled, and exited two digital businesses in East Africa. In 2008 he launched ZoomTanzania, an award-winning horizontal classifieds and e-commerce platform. In 2012 he established PinPoint Africa Media, a full-service marketing agency that provided creative services, digital strategy, website development, and media planning to multinational brands operating in East Africa, including Tigo, Toyota, Barclays Bank, Coca-Cola, Samsung, Diageo, and others.

Before entering the business world, Gillis served as a founding member of the leadership team that launched the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization funded through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. As the marketing and communications director, Gillis led the development and execution of a national marketing and outreach strategy to increase participation in recreational fishing and boating in the United States.

Gillis earned a master’s degree from Texas A&M University and an undergraduate degree from the University of Rhode Island. He is also a proud veteran of the United States Navy.