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The Association of Applied
Paleontological Sciences, formerly the
"American Association of Paleontological
Suppliers" was organized to create a
professional organization of commercial fossil
and mineral collectors and preparators for the
purpose of promoting ethical collecting
practices and cooperative liaisons with
researchers, instructors, curators and exhibit
managers in the academic and museum
paleontological community.
During February 1977, the few
fossil dealers attending the Tucson Gem and
Mineral show met in the Marriot Hotel (laster
known as Holiday Inn on Broadway and now the
Radison City Center), downtown Tucson, to
discuss the formation of a collective
association. Included at the meeting were
Peter Larson, Neal Larson, Gerald Berry, Bob
Harris, Allen Graffham and Hugh Rose.
The American Association of
Paleontological Suppliers (the AAPS). This new
organization was to serve as a united voice
for the fossil industry. It was at this
meeting that our code of ethics and our
constitution was born. These two important
documents were drafted over the course of the
following year. Allen Graffham of Geological
Enterprises was elected as the first president
of this organization. Bob Harris was elected
vice president, and James A. Honert,
secretary-treasurer.
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FOUNDING MEMBERS (1978)
Black Hills Minerals, now Black
Hills Institute of Geological
Research: Pete Larson, Neal
Larson, James Honert, Rapid City, SD
Geological Enterprises: Allen
Graffham, Ardmore, OK
Geoscience Enterprises: Bob
Howell, Roachdale, IN
Maloney's Fossils: Tom and
Hilda Maloney, Willows, CA
Melloy's Fossils: George
Melloy, Bethlehem, PA
Tetla: Gerald Berry, El Paso,
TX
The Bug House: Bob Harris,
Delta, UT
Ward's Natural Science
Establishment: Steve Bryson,
Rochester, NY
AAPS was the original idea of Hugh
Rose, who later became an honorary
member
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The AAPS met for its second
annual meeting, again at Tucson in February
1978. Prospective new members had to be
nominated by a current member and elected by a
majority of the membership. All new members
were elected that way until 1997 when
membership was opened up to fossil business.
There were still methods in place to remove
members if they did not comply with the AAPS
Code of Ethics. Associate and honorary members
were allowed as early as 1980. Annual dues
were originally $50 and stayed that way until
the late 1990's when they were reduced to $10.
In 1979, most of the fossil
enterprises that attended the Tucson show were
brought together by George Topham who
organized the first fossil show at the
Sheraton Pueblo. At this time, several new
members were added, including Leon Theisen,
Warfield Fossils and Tom Johnson. Throughout
the 1980's, the organization continued to grow
and add more members, mostly those associated
with the Fossil Show at the Pueblo. By the
early 1990's there were more than 60 member
businesses and several Associate members of
the AAPS. By 1989 the fossil show moved to the
Ramada Inn on Oracle with Marty Zinn. That
hotel changed its name several times becoming
the Vagabond 2003. In 2005 the fossil show
moved to the Inn Suites and the new Ramada Inn
along St. Mary's Road.
The IAPS (International
Association of Paleontological Suppliers) was
created in the early 1990s to help foreign
businesses organize and become aware of the
United States and other countries' legislation
regarding the import and export of fossils
from different countries in the world. The
first president of this organization was Kirby
Siber of Siber & Siber from Aathol,
Switzerland. The organization adopted the code
of ethics of the AAPS, and used the AAPS
constitution as a guideline for their
constitution. The IAPS became incorporated
with the AAPS in 2000.
It became apparent that we
should do something more with our funds than
to use them to fight government legislation,
so in 1990 we started the James
Welch Scholarship. Our first scholarship
was named for a long time member, James Welch
of Montana Geological Materials, from
Billings, Montana, who died of a heart attack
while collecting fossils at Glass Mountain, in
the Permian of Texas. From 1990 until 1995 we
worked quite closely with the Paleo Society
who chose the recipients to award our
scholarships.
In 1992 we added a scholarship
for vertebrate paleo students and created the
Charles
Sternberg Scholarship.
By 2002 it was determined that
we should incorporate the AAPS under an
International name, since we had many
want-to-be members from other countries. At
the Denver show in September, the Association
of Applied Paleontological Sciences (AAPS),
was born, this new organization was composed
of the former American Association of
Paleontological Suppliers (AAPS) and the
International Association of Paleontological
Suppliers (IAPS).
The Charles
H. Sternberg Medal was created by the
Association of Applied Paleontological
Sciences (AAPS) in January of 2003 to honor
very special friends and members of our
organization who have given a large portion of
their life to paleontology. This is the
highest honor that our organization can bestow
on any person, whether they are an AAPS member
or not.
The A.
Allen Graffham Research Grant was
created in 2006 and funded by Geological
Enterprises.
The René
Vanderveldt Research Grant was created
in 2007, first recipient in 2008, funded by
Korite International and Canada Fossils.
During 2010, the AAPS created a
grant in the name of of Dan Rigel, a longtime
member and supporter of the AAPS, who ran
Caveman Lapidary along with his wife, Hope.
When Hope passed away in 2020, the name of the
Grant was changed to Dan
and Hope Rigel Educational Grant. The
grant is funded primarely by Applegate
Lapidary.
The AAPS created the William
H. Mason III Preparators' Grant during
2020, to assist both fossil and meteorite
technicians to preserve and stabilize
specimens destined for museum displays or
research collections
AAPS PRESIDENTS
Initially there were one-year terms for
officers
Allen Graffham 1977-1979
Peter L. Larson 1979-1986
Gail Hebdon 1986-1990
Glenn Rockers 1990-1992
Jon Kramer 1992-1994
Two year terms initiated for officers during
the summer of 1994
Mike Triebold 1994-1996
Bill Mason 1996-2001
Note: there was no election held in the year
2000
Neal L. Larson 2001-2005
Two consecutive two-year term limits for any
office adopted September 12, 2002
Mike Triebold, 2005-2008
Tracie Bennitt, 2008-2012
Neal Larson, 2012-2016
Term limits for any office abolished February
6, 2016
John Issa 2016-2020
Craig Kissick 2020-2023
Andre LuJan 2023-2026
Geoffrey Notkin 2026-present
AAPS VICE PRESIDENTS
Bob Harris, 1977-1978
1978 -1986 A. Allen Graffham, Bob Harris,
& Roy Young?
Larry Martin, 1986-1987
James Welch, 1987-1988
Gale Hebdon, 1988-1990
Japheth Boyce, 1992-1994
Nathaniel 'Sandy' Ludlum, 1994 - 2001
Mike Triebold, 2001-2003
Charlie MacGovern, 2003-2005
Rick Hebdon, 2005-2009
Dave Kronen, 2009-2013
John Issa, 2013-2016
Ed Rigal, 2016-2023
Neal Larson 2022-2024
Alex Ruger 2024-2025
Geoffrey Notkin 2025-2026
Amanda Cantrell 2026-present
AAPS SECRETARIES
James A. Honert, 1977-1980
Neal L. Larson, 1980-1986
Robert A. Farrar, 1986-1992
Janet Maxim, 1992-1996
Candy Nuss, 1996 - 2001
JJ Triebold, 2001-2003
Larry Hutson, 2003-2005
George Winters, 2005-2008
Bill Mason, 2008-2011
John Issa, 2011-2013
Rick Hebdon 2013-2015
Nathaniel 'Sandy' Ludlum, 2015-2025
Amanda Cantrel 2025-2026
Brook Ricard 2026-present
AAPS TREASURER
Created 2015
Jane Murray, pro tem 2015
Jane Murray, 2016-2019
Katherine Taylor, 2019-2020
Rick Rolater, 2020-2023
Tracie Bennett, 2023-2025
Tom Sauzo 2025-present
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