Elected to the Hall of Fame (HoF) are people who have made significant, influential, or outstanding contributions to one or more major areas of the fluorescent mineral hobby. Examples include (i) research to increase understanding of luminescence and luminescent minerals or to increase understanding of the causes of fluorescence; (ii) education, focused on the dissemination of information about luminescence and fluorescent minerals; (iii) outreach, such as displaying and exhibiting fluorescent minerals, and general promotion of the hobby; (iv) technological contributions, such as development of improved lights and lighting techniques; (v) service to the FMS. This award is intended to recognize significant, influential, or outstanding accomplishments that accrue over some extended period of time. The award is generally not intended to recognize short-term accomplishments unless they are unanimously recognized as superior.
Section B4.2.3.4 (Selection Criteria) of the by-law that establishes The Fluorescent Mineral Society Hall of Fame defines the selection guidelines and criteria. Once a nomination has been received, the Selection Committee will assist the person making the nomination to develop a strong case for electing the nominee to the FMS Hall of Fame. It is especially desirable to highlight contributions that span several criteria.
The selection committee is currently composed by:
- Jan Wittenberg
- Doug Bank
- Chris Clemens
For consideration in the current year, submissions to the Hall of Fame Selection Committee are due by September 30. If you want to nominate someone, please complete the HoF nomination form and submit it to halloffame@uvminerals.org
Donald E. Newsome
Inducted 2022
Fifty years ago Don Newsome brought together a like-minded group of fluorescent mineral collectors and created the Fluorescent Mineral Society. Over the half century that followed he has guided and supported the society with his suggestions and generous donations. He developed a line of ultraviolet lamps that many collectors rely on. For the Society’s 25th Anniversary Don organized the largest exhibit of fluorescent minerals ever shown. The fluorescent mineral collecting hobby would not be so vibrant were it not for Don’s efforts.
Robert W. Jones Jr.
Inducted 2022
Robert (Bob) Jones is an educator and author with a lifelong interest in fluorescent minerals. He has shared his passion and knowledge through his books and the long running Rocks and Minerals column “Collecting Fluorescent Minerals.” Bob educated and inspired a generation of collectors at a time when fluorescent mineral collecting was in its infancy, helping to create the hobby as we know it today. Bob passed away May 31st, 2024.
Ralph Thomas
Inducted 2020
Ralph was one of a small group of members of the Rock and Mineral Club of Lower Buck County, Pennsylvania, who had an unbounded enthusiasm for all fluorescent minerals. In 1990, Ralph led a Show Committee of three to organize the first annual fluorescent minerals only show. A novel aspect of this one-day show was the emphasis on the swapping and sale of fluorescent minerals. The show was a success, it was renamed “Ultraviolation” in its second year, and the show has continued for 30 years. Ralph was the show chairman for many years and Ultraviolation is now a widely recognized event on the fluorescent mineral community calendar. Ralph is a long-time member of the Fluorescent Mineral Society. He is widely recognized for his promotion of interest in fluorescent minerals, particularly through numerous talks at area schools.
Richard C. Bostwick
Inducted 2020
Richard (Dick) Bostwick has collected fluorescent minerals of the Franklin and Sterling Hill mines of Sussex County, New Jersey since 1960. During the seven decades since, Dick has built the world’s largest reference collection of fluorescent minerals from those locations. Since 1980 he has maintained and updated a check-list of those minerals that is published annually in the program of the Franklin-Sterling Hill Gem & Mineral Show. In 1974, Dick worked for Tom Warren of Ultra-Violet Produces, Inc. in San Gabriel, California, then for three years as a miner at the Sterling Hill mine in Ogdensburg, New Jersey. Dick is a trustee of the Franklin Mineral Museum and past president and trustee of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society. Dick is a long time member of the Fluorescent Mineral Society. He has written many articles for the UV Waves and the “Journal of the Fluorescent Mineral Society”, and his numerous talks on fluorescent minerals are always humorous and informative.
Richard Hauck
Inducted 2019
Richard “Dick” along with his brother purchased and saved the Sterling Hill Mine and turned it into the Sterling Hill Mining Museum, a premiere museum. It is an educational, mineral collecting, and historical site. He was the first president of the Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society. Dick is one of the most knowledgeable collectors of Franklin and Sterling Hill minerals and is always approachable and willing to share his knowledge. He created the Thomas S. Warren Museum of Fluorescence (the “Warren Museum”) as part of the Sterling Hill Mining Museum. The Warren Museum is the largest museum in the world that is dedicated to fluorescent minerals and related items.
Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society
Inducted 2019
The Franklin-Ogdensburg Mineralogical Society (FOMS) started out as the Franklin Mineralogical Association in October 1957, and was renamed in 1960. FOMS keeps records of the all of specimens that have been found in the Franklin and Sterling Hill Mines. Its twice-a-year publication “The Picking Table,” is undoubtedly the most through publication concerning both fluorescent and non-fluorescent minerals from these mines.
Ed Anderson
Inducted 2019
Ed designed the original FMS website in 1998, and he has maintained and updated the website since its inception. Ed has kept the membership, the archives, and the galleries active and accessible through his website design. The website has many advanced features that help the FMS members, and it includes a copy of every UV Waves newsletter that was ever published.
Manuel Robbins
Inducted 2018
Manual “Manny” has been a fluorescent mineral collector for over 40 years, ever since his daughter asked for a ride to Franklin, New Jersey, to see the fluorescent minerals. He was drawn to the beauty of fluorescent minerals and became particularly interested in the science of fluorescent in minerals. He has written two books on fluorescent minerals that are now regarded as classics: Collectors Book of Fluorescent Minerals and Fluorescence-Gems and Minerals Under Ultraviolet Light. He also wrote a column on fluorescent minerals for “Rocks and Minerals” Magazine. Manny was responsible, along with professor Charles Sclar of Lehigh University, for organizing and running a major symposium dealing with the geological origins of the ores at the Franklin and Sterling Hill Mines in New Jersey. He has been a longtime member of the Fluorescent Mineral Society and has collected fluorescent minerals all over the country, by day and by night. Manny worked for GE as an engineering manager and later at RCA. At RCA, he received the coveted Sarnoff Award and a gold medal for “Outstanding Technical Achievement”.
Sterling Gleason
Inducted 2018
Sterling Gleason was a prolific writer. From 1931 through 1955, he wrote more than 35 articles for Popular Science. He also wrote for other magazines such as Outdoor Life and Readers Digest. However, he is most noted for writing Ultraviolet Guide to Minerals. Written at the urging of Tom Warren, the Guide was the first hard cover book devoted to fluorescent minerals that was ever written when it appeared in 1960. It would be another 23 years before a second hard cover book on fluorescent minerals appeared. Even today, Ultraviolet Guide to Minerals is still considered one of the best, if not the best, books on fluorescent minerals because it covers al aspects of the fluorescent mineral collecting hobby. The Guide is invaluable for both the scientist and hobbyist: it is especially helpful for understanding the basic principles of fluorescence and how various activators can cause the color differences observed in some fluorescent minerals, and provides valuable information for the field collector. Sterling passed away June 28, 1970.
Thomas S. Warren
Inducted 2018
Tom Warren founded Ultra-Violet Products in 1932 and soon produced the “Mineralight” that was used to find fluorescent minerals everywhere. His company had the largest stock of fluorescent minerals in the world, and he would personally take the time to assist you in the purchase of some fluorescent specimens. Later he helped develop the new Hoya Optics short wave filter that greatly extended the life of short wave ultraviolet lights. Tom was a founding member of the Fluorescent Mineral Society and served as one of its original board members. His company originally printed the UV Waves, the official FMS newsletter, as well as the first Journal of the Fluorescent Mineral Society. Among his many contributions to the fluorescent mineral hobby, he funded “Tucson ‘96”, a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Fluorescent Mineral Society at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society show, by donating bags of fluorescent minerals that the FMS sold. He was one of the four authors of the book “Ultraviolet Light and Fluorescent Minerals”. In summary, Tom was a lifetime promoter of and contributor to the fluorescent mineral hobby.