Ruthann Brettel, ANA CFO, announces her retirement
After a long and distinguished career, Ruthann Brettell, the American Numismatic Association’s (ANA) chief financial officer, has announced her retirement.
“I have spent nearly 37 wonderful years at the ANA and have become friends with so many, many people, who I might not otherwise have come to know and love,” says Brettell, who has worked for the Association longer than any employee. “I will miss my involvement with them as a member of the staff, and I want to thank everyone for their support and friendship that has grown over these many years. I will remain involved with the hobby and in contact with the people who make the ANA the great organization it is. Having said that, this is the time for me to step aside from my daily activities as chief financial officer and retire. This is not goodbye but another door opening and a new chapter for me.”
“Ruthann has, without a doubt, had a tremendous impact on the ANA,” Executive Director Christopher Cipoletti says. “Her many positions on the staff, from club secretary to executive director, have made her work, advice and influence a significant part of this organization. We wish her the best in her retirement and her continued involvement with the hobby.”
“On behalf of the Board of Governors, I want to extend our gratitude to Ruthann for the many, many years of devoted service to the ANA,” President John W. Wilson says. “As a member of the Board for nearly eight years, I cannot say we always made her job easy, but she always was there to help guide and advise us. For all your long service and great friendship, I want to say thank you Ruthann, you are the greatest.”
When she received the ANA’s highest award in 1997 – the Farran Zerbe Memorial Award for Distinguished Service – Brettell was noted as a deal-maker, director, staffer, bookkeeper, auditor, banquet-planner, doer, joker, philosopher, counselor, ambassador, negotiator, compromiser, daughter, mother and friend. In August 1966, Brettell came to work at the temporary headquarters of the ANA in Colorado Springs, where the home and headquarters building was being constructed. She did anything and everything, including answering phones, operating the printing press and handling the mail, as well as doing accounting and serving as office manager. By 1977 she was made convention director and controller, and from 1985 to 1988, she served as ANA executive director. In the spring of that year, Brettell returned to serve as ANA’s convention director, holding that position for 10 years, before she was made chief financial officer.
Of her many accomplishments and honors – including the ANA Medal of Merit and Exemplary Service Award, and the Professional Numismatists Guild “Pretty Nifty Gal” Award –Brettell is most proud of having proposed and started the Young Numismatist (YN) Scholarship program for the ANA’s Annual Summer Conference. In 1999 she was named a Numismatic Ambassador by Numismatic News.
Cipoletti says he will begin the search for a new chief financial officer and hopes to have the position filled in the near future.
Originally Release Date: February 7, 2003
ANA Contacts: Phone: 719-482-9872
Email: pr@money.org