Biography

AUTHOR:

 Ron Ginn grew up in Northwestern Alabama beside the Tennessee River. He graduated from Sheffield High School in 1959 and then obtained a BS in mathematics from the University of North Alabama in Florence. He then spent 35 years in Information Technology in positions ranging from programmer to Director of Technical Services for a major multiple mainframe corporate computer center. He worked in the United States in Birmingham, AL, Muscle Shoals, AL, Richmond, VA, Houston, TX, and Phoenix, AZ and traveled on business to most major cites in the US. He also lived in Seattle, WA, Loveland, CO and spent nine months touring the US in a 32 foot trailer after returning from working almost 2 years in Saudi Arabia. He served in the Alabama National Guard with the 115th Signal Battalion for over 14 years earning the rank of Sergeant First Class.

He spent over 12 years working overseas in Africa, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and London providing consulting services to large oil companies, governments and private groups.  During the overseas assignments he took advantage of annual month long paid vacations to visit and explore other interesting places in the world. Countries visited in Europe: Holland, Germany, Italy, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Russia (St. Petersburg, Moscow, and Kiev). Countries visited in Africa; Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Gabon. In the Far East: Thailand ( Bangkok,  Phuket, and Chiang Mai), The Philippines (Manila, Negros Island, Subic Bay, Mindoro Island) and Hong Kong. Countries visited on the North American continent include: Mexico, Belize, and Canada.

He is now retried and lives in Chandler, AZ during the winter and in the White Mountains near Vernon, AZ during the summer months.

CURRENT VOLUNTEER POSITIONS:

Apache Junction Rock and Gem Club (395+ Members)
        Assistant Membership Chairperson
        Webmaster

White Mountain Gem and Mineral Club (100+ Members)
        Membership Chairperson
        Webmaster
        

Mineralogical Society of Arizona ( 200+ Members)
        Membership Chairperson
        Webmaster
        Hornorary Life Member

He is still active in software development having recently developed a windows based Club membership/Lapidary Usage/Web Support database that is supporting the membership of the Apache Junction Rock & Gem Club, the White Mountain Gem & Mineral Club, and the Meteorological Society of Arizona. 

He has also developed websites for the Apache Junction Rock & Gem Club , and won an award for the website he developed for the White Mountain Gem & Mineral Club. The White Mountain website won first place in the Rocky Mountain Federation of Rock Clubs Website contest for 2011.

                                             

The Logo at the top left of this website (Shown below in a larger photo) is an example of his art work; the design is inspired by the knowledge of Native American depictions of the Great Thunder bird a symbol of power and strength. He found all of the stone, cut the slabs, trimmed the final pieces, polished them, and mounted them on an 8 X 8 piece of light colored stained glass. The stones used in the piece of art are: Head and Shoulders; Wyoming Black Agate, Beak; Petrified Wood, Body; Red Jasper, Tail; Zebra Agate, and Wings; Alamo Lake Jasper.