Michael R. Walter, a retired teacher, has nearly 50 years of experience collecting minerals. He has authored dozens of lay and professional articles on specimen mineralogy and has authored and co-authored four books on the minerals of New York State, including the definitive book on the subject of Herkimer diamonds.

He is retired from Parishville-Hopkinton Central School, where he taught earth science and geology for 22 years. He has owned Geological Desires, a mineral specimen and mining business, for over 30 years.