Shevlin targets website

Upgrading the American Numismatic Association’s website is the first problem Jeff Shevlin thinks needs to be tackled when he takes charge June 18 at headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The new executive director talked about this and other issues facing the ANA in a May 31 telephone interview with Numismatic News.

“The most urgent task is the website. They’re having issues with that. The progress is not as good as it could be,” he said.

Websites are important as sources of information, social interaction and as an outreach tool in the 21st century and Shevlin says his goal is to have “a lot more outreach.”

Membership has shrunk to 28,000 after having spent some years at 32,000.

“The ANA has a huge opportunity to offer more value using technology. I think we can do a lot better,” he said. “I expect I should be able to grow membership considerably.”

The most complete and compact guide on the market!

Shevlin was a member of the ANA technology advisory committee before his appointment as executive director.

Shevlin knows there is more to setting a future course for the ANA than fixing the website.

“I do kind of have my own vision of the ANA,” he said.

After discussing conditions at ANA for a while, Shevlin formulated six goals:

1. Achieve a well-managed, issue-free ANA headquarters operation.
2. Make sure there is a strong board of governors with members who are looked upon as leaders.
3. Get the membership more engaged. He specifically cited the need for volunteers.
4. Increase membership considerably.
5. Expand the functionality of the website and recognize the growing social element to online activity.
6. Put a better focus on fund-raising.

He said the next five years should be spent “making an organization we all believe it should be.”

Summing up, he said, “I’m very excited about this opportunity.”