The Accredited Gemologists Association has announced that this year’s Antonio C. Bonanno Award for Excellence in Gemology will be awarded to Shane McClure of the Gemological Institute of America’s Gem Laboratory.

After earning his Graduate Gemologist diploma in 1978 at GIA’s Santa Monica, Calif., campus, McClure accepted an entry-level position at the GIA Gem Trade Laboratory in downtown Los Angeles. He is still with the GIA laboratory, now located in Carlsbad, Calif., where he manages both gem identification activities and numerous research projects as director of West Coast Identification Services. McClure has won the Gems & Gemology award for most valuable article seven times. The award winner is decided by the journal’s readership.

This year, in a change from tradition, the award winner was announced before the Tucson Gem Show and AGA conference. “We wanted to make the gala a celebration of the winner, so we decided to publicize the winner in advance this year,” said Antoinette Matlins, originator of the award, which is named after her father, who founded AGA.

The Antonio C. Bonanno award was created to recognize people who have made significant contributions to the gemological field. The award—which includes a check for $2,000—calls attention not only to the outstanding contributions of the recipient but also to the responsibility of the gemological community to encourage and reward ongoing research, education, and dissemination of information.

Previous winners include C.R. Beesley (United States), Robert Crowningshield (United States), Richard Drucker (United States), Henry Hänni (Switzerland), Alan Hodgkinson (Scotland), Alan Jobbins (United Kingdom), John Koivula (United States), and Antoinette Matlins (United States).