The Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum recently established an advisory council to provide guidance, advice and support for advancing its mission to improve the learning and teaching of postal history and philately around the world.
National Postal Museum Director Elliot Gruber named Michael Critelli, former CEO of Pitney Bowes and John Nolan, former deputy postmaster general of the U.S. Postal Service as co-chairs of the council.
The council will provide guidance on issues related to the strategic direction of the museum, including recommendations relating to collections, exhibitions, and public education. It will support the museum and its programs by developing relationships with and communicating to constituents on behalf of the museum and assist the director’s efforts to enhance the profile and the public’s understanding of the museum’s activities locally, nationally and internationally.
The council will also aid the museum in strengthening its financial resources by providing leadership, guidance and assistance in the museum’s efforts to raise funds to support the museum’s activities and core operations.
In addition to Critelli and Nolan, members of the museum advisory council include:
- Bert Berkley, board chairman of Tension;
- Sylvia Cyrus, executive director of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History;
- Patrick Donahoe, former postmaster general with the U.S. Postal Service;
- Hamilton Davison, president and executive director of the American Catalog Mailers Association;
- Joel Quadracci, chairman and CEO of Quad Graphics;
- David Sable, global chief executive officer of Young and Rubicon;
- Hamid Salemizadeh, vice-president of postal automation with Seimens; and
- Jason Dies, executive vice-president and president of SMB Solutions, Pitney Bowes.