Wade Saadi

(1949-2025)

Former APS President Wade Saadi passed away after a long illness on October 9, 2025. Saadi became APS president in 2008, succeeding Nicholas G. Carter, who passed away in office. He was re-elected as APS president in 2009 and 2011, and served on the board as past president from 2013 to 2016. Before becoming APS President, Saadi served on the APS board as a director-at-large, and as chairman of the Board of Vice Presidents, as well as chairing the Membership Committee.

“The APS family is saddened to learn of Past President Wade Saadi’s passing on October 9, 2025,” said APS President Mark E. Banchik. “Wade’s exuberant personality and positive attitude live on in all he touched. There is a little bit of Wade in all of us as we strive by example to make the world a better place. Please join me and the entire APS family in supporting Wade’s family, and celebrating his enrichment of our lives.”

A collector since childhood, Saadi was a writer, researcher, and exhibitor on U.S. Classics. He served 17 years as 1847 and 1851 section editor of the journal for the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society. His exhibit of the U.S. 1847 issues was considered one of the finest studies of the shades and cancellations of that issue. Another exhibit, Struck on Stamps, studied the evolution of early U.S. cancellations, winning multiple FIP gold medals.

Saadi was president of World Stamp Show - NY 2016 which generated $700,000 in profit for the support of other philatelic organizations. A past president of the U.S. Philatelic Classics Society and the Collectors Club of New York, he also served on the Smithsonian National Postal Museum’s Council of Philatelists, chairing their New Initiatives Committee and overseeing their Arago project.

Recognition of Saadi included the APS Luff Award for Outstanding Service to the Society in 2017 and the Collectors Club Lichtenstein Award in 2015. He signed the Association of British Philatelic Societies' Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 2010 and received the Classics Society Distinguished Philatelic Award in 2014.

Residing in Brooklyn, New York, Saadi was president of Pencom Systems for more than 50 years. The firm recruited high technology and scientific professionals with an emphasis on the financial services industry in the New York City area. His wife, Gail, frequently accompanied him to many stamp shows and events.

Contributed by Ken Martin, APS Director of Expertizing