Philatelist and retired U.S. Army general Dr. Mitchell “Mick” Zais has been appointed Government Relations Chair for the Boston 2026 World Expo, where he will work with federal agencies to ensure the smooth entry of philatelic material brought by international commissioners and dealers.
Zais brings both philatelic expertise and decades of leadership experience to the role. A collector for nearly 50 years, he is best known as a specialist and exhibitor of first-day covers from the U.S. Army-Navy Series of 1936–37. Within organized philately, he has served as vice-president and later president of the American Philatelic Society.
His professional career is equally notable. A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Zais spent 31 years in the U.S. Army, retiring with the rank of brigadier general. His assignments included commanding U.S. and allied forces in Kuwait and serving as the Pentagon’s chief of war plans. After his military service, he became president of Newbury College, was later elected South Carolina’s superintendent of education, and in 2018 was appointed U.S. deputy secretary of education. He went on to serve as acting secretary of education in 2021.
According to a press release from the Boston 2026 organizing committee, Zais will draw on this broad background to support the show’s international scope by building strong relationships with government officials and streamlining procedures for exhibitors and dealers.
Boston 2026 will take place May 23–30, 2026, at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. More information is available at Boston2026.org.