Canadian philatelist Ed Kroft has been appointed the International Liaison Officer for the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada (RPSC). The announcement was made this week by RPSC President Gregg Redner, who noted that Kroft will be succeeding David McLaughlin, who held the position for six years.
Kroft is a well-known contributor in both Canadian and global philatelic communities. He is an active exhibitor, author, and an accredited international-level FIP philatelic judge specializing in postal history. Additionally, Kroft serves as a national-level judge. He is a past president of the RPSC and currently serves as its honorary legal counsel. Furthermore, Kroft has been involved with the Society of Israel Philatelists (SIP) for more than 20 years, serving two terms as its president and now participating as a board member and a member of its research committee.
Throughout his distinguished volunteer service in philately, Kroft has received numerous accolades. In 2012, he was honored with the SIP’s Reggel Award for outstanding contributions to Holy Land philately. In 2013, he received the RPSC’s Geldert Medal, and in 2017, he was awarded the Jennings Award from the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors. More recently, in 2020, the SIP awarded him the Dickstein Award for outstanding philatelic writing and research.
As the new International Liaison Officer, Kroft will chair the RPSC’s International Liaison Committee.
According to Redner, Kroft’s responsibilities will include engaging with various international exhibiting foundations, such as the Fédération Internationale de Philatélie (FIP), the Federacion Interamericana de Filatelia (FIAF), the Federation of European Philatelic Associations (FEPA), and the Federation of Inter-Asian Philately (FIAP). He will also liaise with other international organizations interested in philately, including the Union Postale Universelle (UPU), the Association Internationale d’Experts Philatéliques (AIEP), and the Association Internationale des Journalistes Philatéliques (AIJP), as well as with other national federations.