Paul’s love for fossils grew from his appreciation of geology and mineralogy. In the early years, he collected calcite specimens from south Florida’s quarries. This led him to study the beautifully silicified (agate) coral fossils found in parts of the state. Paul is a native Floridian and University of Florida graduate. Paul’s quest for knowledge eventually led him to the Florida Museum of Natural History where he volunteered in the Invertebrate Paleontology collection. This exposure to the vast diversity of Florida fossils encouraged Paul to form the Florida Geological Foundation, Inc. a non-profit organization created to fund research on Florida fossils and minerals. Paul has donated over 800 specimens into the FLMNH Invertebrate, Vertebrate and Paleobotany collections. Paul has focused on the Oligocene age Suwannee Limestone, the Miocene Chipola Formation and the Pliocene Tamiami Formation. His current passion is supporting the National Park Service’s National Fossil Day & Junior Paleontologists Ranger programs to help inspire the next generation of paleontologists.

“I have found that going out on field trips and attending the meetings with the Florida Paleontological Society has both educated and entertained me, what a great group of people to work with! I encourage anyone with dedication and a strong interest in Paleontology to join the FPS and join in the Fun.”