William "Boomer" Wing began this hobby back in 1967 at the University of Minnesota in Duluth (UMD), where he majored in Geology and Zoology and was caretaker of the Marine Invertebrate Systems. At this time he helped to create a Coral Reef Studies class that is still taught today. In the early 1970's he joined the US Army and attended the U.S. Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School (military bomb technician school-thus "Boomer"). He was Honor Graduate in all three phases of the field and was a member of a anti-terrorist and TS EOD Unit. Afterwards, he worked for US Steel's Iron Ore mine in Northern Minnesota, where he engaged in
Geophysical Exploration, Plant Technician, Metallurgical Technician and Mobile Equipment Operator positions and retired after 30 years.
Boomer has acted as a unpaid technical consultant for a number of aquarium companies and public aquariums. Over this time he has become very engrossed in seawater chemistry, especially the CO2-Carbonate System and granular activated carbon (GAC). Identifying marine invertebrates has also been one of his specialties. He has also
accumulated a massive home library, to the tune of $90,000, almost all directed to the sciences of reef keeping, biology, geology, chemistry and explosive technology. Recently, and in past years, he has assisted Dr. Ken Feldman, Dr. Randy Holmes-Farley and the new Steinhart Aquarium. Boomer has been a Reef Central Team Leader (since 2002) and moderator on two other chemistry forums.
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