Since 1940, the Luff Award has been the most prestigious award that the American Philatelic Society can bestow upon living philatelists. The Luff Award was established in memory of John N. Luff, APS president from 1907 to 1909, who was considered the most prominent American philatelist of his era.
The Luff Awards are presented annually during the American Philatelic Society's convention and exhibition, which in 2022 occured in Sacramento, California, on August 27. Recipients sign the Luff Award Scroll and are presented with engraved rings. The 2022 Luff Award winners joined a distinguished company of 151 prominent philatelists.
For Exceptional Contributions to Philately
Charles Berg introducing Jacquelyn, and Jacquelyn accepting the award
Jacquelyn S. Alton
Jacquelyn Alton has been involved with philately since 1968 when she joined her first stamp club – the North Shore Philatelic Society in Chicago. Through this club, she became involved with the Combined Philatelic Exhibition of Chicagoland (COMPEX). She became secretary for the 1969 exhibition and has been involved with COMPEX ever since as an officer and/or director in many positions, including president and vice president of publicity and exhibitions.
Alton has been a member of the American Philatelic Society since 1969 and received her 50-year medal in 2019 at StampShow in Omaha. Another 50-year society for her the Germany Philatelic Society, which she joined in 1971.
As a member of the Chicago Philatelic Society since 1976, when women were finally admitted, Alton was secretary for a few years, then became president and show chair from 1984 to 1989. As president, she was involved with the society’s first sponsorships of junior exhibits and arranged that the juniors would be the first exhibits in the first row of frames. She served several years as publicity chair for Chicagopex. Alton is an honorary life member of the society and was a director on the board for several years. She has been an officer and organized several functions in connection to several shows, including Chicagopex, Ameripex ’86 and World Columbian Stamp Exhibition ’92, for which she served as vice president.
As an exhibitor, her “Cologne, Germany 1591-1899” exhibit received a vermeil.
Alton has been a member of the Collectors Club of Chicago since 2009 and served as secretary from 2012 to 2019, as well as serving as a director and on committees This year, she suggested getting the Chicago club and The Collectors Club of New York together for a meet-and-greet during Chicagopex. “This was a great success, with our two groups finally getting to know each other,” Alton said.
For Outstanding Service to the APS
Bruce Marsden introducing Kenneth, and Kenneth accepting the award
Kenneth R. Nilsestuen
Ken Nilsestuen has been a member of the APS / APRL finance committee for about 10 years and served as APS or APRL treasurer for most of that time. He was on the search committee that hired Scott English as executive director, a decision that continues to benefit our organization. Behind the scenes, Nilsestuen worked in tandem with Bruce Marsden, Scott, and many others to improve board reporting and, more importantly, to retire the APRL debt, a goal we achieved in 2021.
In addition to his board roles, Nilsestuen has been an exhibitor since 1980, an accredited judge, and eventually chief judge, traveling to anywhere from four to six shows each year. He has encouraged many exhibitors with his suggestions and guidance and mentored at least a handful of apprentice judges as they learned the nuances of philatelic judging. His exhibits of Algeria, French Congo, and the Minnesota Territorial Centennial stamp have consistently won gold medals, including a grand award for his Algerian postal history.
He has also supported the hobby as an officer or director of many philatelic organizations. It started with his post as editor of the Twin Cities Philatelic Society newsletter in the late 1970s, then to secretary-treasurer of the Collectors Club of Akron, treasurer of the Garfield Perry Stamp Club, and co-chair of its March Party, secretary of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors, president of the France & Colonies Philatelic Society and Institute for Analytical Philately, and more. He has also been a chair of the CANEJ Education Committee for several years.
Nilsestuen has shared his knowledge with others by writing for The American Philatelist, The Congress Book, France & Colonies Philatelist, and several other publications. Late last century he co-authored a monograph on Algerian hand cancels with Laurence Lambert. He greatly improved the Garfield Perry website by adding content developed by its members. This contributed to the club’s successful application for tax-exempt status. Nilsestuen also oversaw the successful upgrade of the France & Colonies Philatelic Society website. Following the ideas of others, he also has hosted a monthly Zoom meeting for the France & Colonies group that has drawn attendees and speakers from two continents.
Hal Vogel was presented the Luff Award for Distinguished Philatelic Research at the Great American Stamp Show on August 27,2022. Click here for more information.
The Nicholas G. Carter Volunteer Recognition Awards
Cheryl Ganz presents the Carter Award to Kim Kellerman at Chicagopex
The Nicholas G. Carter Volunteer Recognition Awards recognize the outstanding efforts of APS volunteers at the national, regional and local level, and also recognize our younger members whose contributions and abundant talents are crucial to our future.
National Service
Kim E. Kellermann
Kim Kellermann recently retired after 42 years working in the family-owned business, Rasdale Stamp Company, located in Westmont, Illinois. During that time, he served in multiple board positions including the American Stamp Dealers Association, Midwest Dealers Association and the American Philatelic Society Dealers advisory committee. Kellermann is presently serving as the treasurer of the American Topical Association.
Today, in addition to working as a 20-hour part-time computer lab assistant for the Naperville Public Library, Kellermann volunteers 12 hours a week at the Wolfs Crossing Elementary School library, shelving books as the librarian’s teaching assistant. During the summer break, he is making thematic stamp bookmarks for the elementary school children for the 2022-23 school year. Kim will proudly teach stamp collecting as a resource for the school librarian’s elementary curriculum starting in the fall.
Kellermann introduces stamp collecting through displays in various Chicago suburban libraries during his free time and finds time to expand his personal topical collection on “space” and his Michigan postal history accumulation.