Industry Council for Tangible Assets dealer-members Phil Darby (J&P Coins and Currency, Helena, Alabama) and Steve Caiola (Alabama Gold Refiner, Homewood, Alabama) were honored during the ICTA dinner and update at FishBones, Orlando, Florida, on January 9 as the recipients of the 2018 Diane Piret Memorial Outstanding Service Award.
In the fall of 2016, Darby and Caiola began collaborating with ICTA on a campaign to obtain a state coin, currency, and precious-metals bullion sales-tax exemption. Both hired Graham Champion (Public Strategies, Montgomery, Alabama) as the campaign’s lobbyist. They also paid 100% of ICTA’s expenses in aiding the campaign.
Darby, Caiola, Champion, ICTA treasurer Pat Heller, ICTA chief operating officer David Crenshaw, and others worked tirelessly to get the legislation enacted. Last February, the bill unanimously passed in both the House and Senate, and the governor signed the bill the following month. On June 1, 2018, the law became effective.
“The ICTA partnership, along with lobbyist Graham Champion, was invaluable to the success of our efforts,” said Darby. “The team effort everyone displayed is an example of how ICTA members working together can accomplish the passage of such legislation.”
About ICTA
ICTA is a 501(c)(6) non-profit association that represents the rare-coin, currency, and precious-metals communities. ICTA is supported solely by dues and donations. The Diane Piret Memorial Outstanding Service Award commemorates the 25-year ICTA career of the organization’s industry affairs director, who died in 2015. To join and/or learn more about ICTA, please visit our website, ictaonline.org.
Picture caption: Industry Council for Tangible Assets chief operating officer David Crenshaw (left) and ICTA treasurer Patrick Heller (right) present Phil Darby (center) with the organization’s Diane Piret Memorial Outstanding Service Award at the organization’s dinner and update.