Boston 2026 World Expo has named three regional U.S. commissioners to oversee the transport and care of exhibits before, during, and after the highly anticipated international philatelic exhibition.
“We are pleased to announce the appointment of three highly experienced individuals who will ensure a seamless experience for exhibitors from across the United States,” said Thomas M. Fortunato, Boston 2026 public relations chair. “Their expertise and dedication to philately make them invaluable members of our team.”
Representing the East is Chris Lazaroff, a prominent first day cover (FDC) creator and enthusiast since the 1980s. Lazaroff has played a pivotal role in promoting all aspects of FDC collecting on a global scale and has been a strong advocate for cachet makers nationwide. His previous appointments include serving as U.S. commissioner for IBRA 2022 in Germany, WSC Exhibition Thailand 2023, EFIRO 2023 in Romania, and the upcoming Uruguay 2025 and Liberec 2025 exhibitions. A past president of the American First Day Cover Society, Lazaroff also accomplished his goal of attending U.S. first day ceremonies in all 50 states between 1982 and 2016.
The Central commissioner, Gregory Shoults, is a distinguished exhibitor with award-winning single and multi-frame exhibits focused on Third Bureau Washington-Franklin coils. His exhibits have frequently been featured in the APS Champion of Champions competition over the past 15 years. Shoults served as the U.S. commissioner for CAPEX 2022 in Toronto and was previously appointed to Brasiliana 2013 in Rio de Janeiro. He has also chaired exhibits for the Garfield Perry March Party national stamp show in Cleveland, Ohio, for the past decade and is actively involved in numerous philatelic organizations.
Handling exhibitors from the West is Vesma Grinfelds of California. Grinfelds has an extensive history as a U.S. commissioner, having served in Korea 2014, New York 2016, Jerusalem 2016, Prague 2018, Indonesia 2022, IBRA 2023, Bangkok 2023, and Mare Balticum in Estonia 2024. She will continue her commissioner role for the upcoming PhilaKorea 2025. Grinfelds is an active member of the Collectors Club of San Francisco, the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors (AAPE), and Rossica. She also serves as the Director of the AAPE Youth Champions of Champions competition at the annual Great American Stamp Show (GASS) and was recently honored with the 2024 APS Kehr Award for her dedication to ensuring the future of the hobby.
Ingo Nessel is the Canadian commissioner for Boston 2026.
Canada’s commissioner for Boston 2026 is Ingo Nessel. A respected figure in Canadian philately, Nessel has extensive experience coordinating exhibits for international shows and has been a strong advocate for collectors and exhibitors from Canada.
Overseeing the commissioners will be Commissioner General Yamil Kouri and Deputy Commissioner General Dzintars Grinfelds.
Boston 2026 World Expo will take place from May 23-30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. For the latest show updates, visit Boston2026.org and follow on Twitter and Facebook. Sign up for the email list to receive timely event notifications.