Press Release

Gerald R. Fitzgerald, collections care professional and past President (1992-1994) of the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) was honored at the Society�s annual meeting in June 2010 in Ottawa, Ontario by the naming of the Fitzgerald Travel Grant.

The Society recognizes Jerry�s many contributions to the field of collections care, from his long career at the Canadian Museum of Nature (CMN) where he served as the first Director of Collections, to his pivotal role in the origins of SPNHC. Jerry had a knack for teaching and a deft touch in promoting the professionalism of his colleagues.

Kieran Shepherd of the CMN, in his letter of nomination stated, �This is to honour Jerry Fitzgerald, one of those key individuals that recognized a need for an organization to promote the preservation of natural history collections and acted upon it. Through his devotion to the cause, SPNHC was born. He was, and still is, a steadfast believer in the organization.

�We as members should recognize his contribution to the founding of the society. The naming of the newly created travel grant to honour him is a fitting tribute to his service to the society and the natural history community in general.�

Mr. Fitzgerald worked as a student for the Geological Survey of Canada and the National Museum of Natural Sciences. In 1970, he joined the palaeontology staff of the NMNS, later renamed the Canadian Museum of Nature and became the first Director of the newly created Collections Division in 1991. During his career he produced 23 publications, and presented numerous talks and professional training workshops. Dedicated to the highest standard of care for the national collection of natural history objects, he assisted his staff in elevating their own skills to equal the task. He established a Conservation unit under the leadership of Rob Waller, who was honoured at their 2010 meeting by SPNHC with the Carolyn Rose Award for significant contribution to the objectives of the Society. As well as encouraging others, Jerry worked to improve his own skills and was accredited by the Canadian Association of Professional Conservators in 1989 and served as President from 1996 to 2000.

The seed that became SPNHC was planted when Jerry and his colleague Dan Faber organized the first international workshop on care of natural history collections in Ottawa. Says Stephen L. Cumbaa of the CMN, �That was in 1981, and the workshop proved to be an inspired idea. The proceedings of that workshop came out in 1983 as Syllogeus No. 44, a publication of this museum. Jerry was beating the drums for conservation even
then; his paper in the volume, �The wet-epoxy-surface technique of casting with pour-in-place polyurethane foam� was one in a series of �how to� papers. Jerry always had ideas of how to do it better.�

Catharine Hawks of Falls Church, Virginia points out: �Jerry was instrumental in the founding of SPNHC, in no small part by helping to smooth the way to an amicable joint Canadian-American enterprise at times when factions within the organization were notably fractious. He persistently instilled a sense of �gentlemanly conduct� that helped to make SPNHC able to attract members from many nations. Without his quiet leadership, I don�t think the organization would have survived to reach a 25th Anniversary, at least certainly not as a multi-national entity. We owe him more than most of our members will ever know.
�Always hardworking on behalf of collections care for the natural sciences, Jerry helped raise awareness in Paleontology about sound conservation practice and the importance of using the same ethics in preparation that are expected from conservators in other fields.�
Janet Waddington of the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Ontario recalls, �Jerry has always been passionate about the welfare of collections and about SPNHC, having served in the presidential offices from 1992 to 1996. Two other awards (the Carolyn Rose Award, for significant contribution, and the Faber Award, for research on collections care) are named after founding members who remained active in the society. As Jerry was instrumental in starting a tradition of meetings on aspects of collections care, it is fitting to give his name to the Fitzgerald Travel Grant to help defray the costs for young professionals to attend the annual meetings of SPNHC.�

The Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) is an international multidisciplinary organization of professionals from 24 countries dedicated to the care of objects derived from the natural world. Their mission is: �Improving the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society.�

For more information and to arrange interviews, contact:
Jean-Marc Gagnon, President SPNHC
Canadian Museum of Nature
(613) 364-4066, email [log in to unmask]

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