The creativity of Penney Kols was clear and evident the moment your St Louis Stamp Expo (EXPO) Show Program showed up in the mailbox or you picked up at the registration desk. Penney was responsible for the program from 1993 through 2016 at which time Thomas Minor took over the creation of the show program. I think that it is safe to say that the impression of EXPO being a “premier” show was in the hands of Penney Kols and she made sure that the EXPO achieved that goal.

Penney Kols, is a St Louis native, started her professional career in the theatre as an actress.  After marrying David Kols, she became his partner in all his endeavors.  While most of the establishment and vision of the STL Stamp Expo goes to David, without Penney the execution and image of the show would not have been what it is.  Penney put the first-class stamp on this show.  She was the conductor of the orchestra to David’s compositions.  She brought the vision to life and the creativity that attracted attendees to the show. 

In 2010, after USPS stopped designing the show buttons, the button creation came back to Penney until her retirement from the show in 2018.  She also created the 1994 show cachet (right) of Union Station, which this author thinks is highly creative, while she was humble to even admit she had created it.  You can look at any of the show programs from 1993-2017 and see the creativity and attention to detail that Penney brought to Expo.  She still lives in the area and remembers very fondly all the folks who worked with her and David on the shows, saying that “stamp collectors are all so friendly.”  I think it’s safe to say that Penney Kols was the backbone of the establishment of the STL Stamp Expo.

Penney was presented the Elizabeth C. Pope Award in 2017.