Red Wing Collectors Society Foundation

The idea for the RWCS Foundation originated from the Vision Committee of the Red Wing Collectors Society. A special committee of RWCS members formally established the Foundation in 2000. An independent, volunteer, 13 member Board of Directors elects twelve directors to staggered three-year terms. The Foundation is recognized as a federal tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service Code.

The Foundation endeavors to provide information about the role of Red Wing stoneware, art pottery, and dinnerware in American history and culture to broaden public knowledge. This effort includes community outreach programs, educational videos, displays, and walking tours. The Foundation encourages and supports scholarly activity that would result in new knowledge and publications. The Foundation gives a scholarship to students who are studying in areas of ceramic history, ceramic engineering or pottery making.​

Tom Dvorscek first became aware of the Red Wing Collectors Society on a chance visit to the Ice House Antiques in the summer of 1985. It’s been a fun and fulfilling journey ever since. He stated, "I personally value and enjoy the many relationships formed during our collecting journey. It's been an exciting hobby for me, a tremendous learning experience, and a pleasant diversion to the normal every workday life." He has volunteered on several RWCS convention committees over the past 20 years and has helped to staff the museum during the riverboat excursions. He has loaned several pieces to the museum over the last ten years. He said, "It's a small part I can play in its displays. It is truly a WORLD CLASS Museum and should be promoted as such."

 Born and raised in the Chicago area, he met his wife, Ann, at Illinois State University. They raised two children in the Minneapolis area where they had resided for over 35 years.  After retiring Tom and Ann built a new home across the river from Red Wing in Maiden Rock, Wisconsin. Tom holds a B.S. in Business Administration and his work experience includes 40 years in outside sales management experience with Invensys, Emerson Motor, and Nidec Motor Corporation. He most recently spent 5 years based in Denver, Colorado – Account Manager, Western Region for Nidec Industrial Motor Division. He said, "I feel competent in computer usage and familiar with how business organizations function in terms of target planning, forecasting, and long -term strategic planning."

Dave Hallstrom, vice president, was born and raised in Red Wing and has always had a passion for the history and preservation of his hometown - a passion he shares with his wife, Diane. They began collecting in 1980. Red Wing stoneware was their first obsession before they incorporated art pottery, memorabilia, and other areas of collecting. He has served on the RWCS Board, Goodhue County History Center Board (serving as president), Red Wing Heritage Preservation Commission, and Cannon Valley Collectors Club, where he served as president. Diane and Dave were inducted into the RWCS Hall of Fame in 2003. They have been part of the RWCS Foundation since the beginning and Dave looks forward to the opportunity to help guide and give input to the future patrons of the Pottery Museum of Red Wing.

Shelley Lange grew up in a farming community in southwest Minnesota. Except for two years spent studying chemistry at Mankato State University, she has always lived within ten miles of the family farm. 

Shelley and her husband, Jeff, have been married for 35 years and raised two children, Stephanie and Michael, on the family farm. Stephanie and her husband live in Columbus, Ohio. Michael lives in Newton, Iowa. Jeff and Shelley also have two black labs that require attention.

Shelley works full time selling corn and soybean seeds to farmers in addition to turf grass products, wildflowers, small grains, and just about anything else along that line.

Her second jobs/hobbies include: quilting, embroidery work, planting CRP for customers, going to quilt shops and antique shops. Jeff and Shelley enjoy looking for Red Wing pottery together. 

Larry Peterson, treasurer, has been collecting Red Wing stoneware and art pottery for over 45 years. He has served on the Foundation Board since its inception, with the exception of one year. He was treasurer for eight years. He served as project manager for the new Pottery Museum located in the Pottery Place Annex. Larry is also a charter member of the Red Wing Collectors Society (RWCS), and served as their education chair from 1992-1996. He was elected to the RWCS Hall of Fame in 1999 and has also served as president of the Cannon Valley Chapter of RWCS. Larry has enjoyed participating in every RWCS Convention and MidWinter GetTogether and has co-authored three books: Red Wing Stoneware, Red Wing Collectibles, and Red Wing Stoneware Encyclopedia.

Larry owns "Larry's Jugs" in Red Wing, Minnesota, the only shop in the nation that specializes in the stoneware and art pottery of Red Wing. Larry's specialty is Red Wing stoneware. He lives in Farmington, Minnesota, with his wife, Pauline, and is retired from serving as a regional manager for Edina Realty.

 Danaè R. Prock, Ph.D., president, has been intrigued and fascinated by the products and history of the Red Wing Potteries for nearly twenty-five years. Although her primary focus is North Star Stoneware, Danaè also collects many stoneware products produced in Red Wing during the nineteenth century. She has presented on these interests at various events and while giving tours to guests of the Pottery Museum of Red Wing. She also loves sharing her passion and enthusiasm for Red Wing stoneware with folks alongside her husband, Bill, at Prock’s Crocks & Antiques.

 Danaè was a university professor and has extensive experience co-authoring books, articles, and grants. She brings her background as an educator along with her commitment to service to the Pottery Museum where she serves as President of the Board of Directors. 

 Larry Roschen, secretary, has been an active member of the Red Wing Collectors Society since 1980 and is a member of the Society’s Hall of Fame. Red Wing pitchers, teapots, salt & pepper shakers are Larry's collecting focus. In recent years the research of original Red Wing dinnerware documents has been Larry's primary interest. For several years he served as the dinnerware advisor for the "Ask the Experts" section of the RWCS website. Larry and his friend Terry Moe have presented seminars on dinnerware at the RWCS Convention and the MidWinter event on a regular basis. They have also co-authored dozens of articles published in the RWCS newsletter.  He and his wife, Kathy, served as RWCS commemorative managers from 1993 to 2000. Larry has also been an active member of the RWCS Gopher Chapter since 1980 and served as president in the early 1980s. He served as commemorative manager for the chapter from 1990 to 1992 and again from 2002 to present. He was a member of the Foundation’s board of directors from 2009 to 2017 and served as secretary of the board from 2015 to 2017. Larry rejoined the board in 2019 and is once again serving as secretary and serves on various committees. 

Gary Tyc has been collecting Red Wing stoneware and various antiques for over 30 years.
He previously served as a Foundation Board member from 2009-2011 and was president of the RWCS Colorado Chapter from 1994 through 1997. His primary collecting interest is merchant advertising, crocks, churns, beehive jugs, and various salt glaze pieces.

Professionally he is the CFO of a mutual fund company with headquarters in New York City and Tucson, Arizona. Gary has resided in the Tucson area for the past 17 years.

John Whaley, a recent transplant to the Red Wing area, spent his entire career in advertising, and most of his life collecting. Raised in Des Moines, he spent 35 years in the Twin Cities then back to Des Moines for 12 years. In 2021, he purchased the Junk Bonanza, a Shakopee-based antique sale, which brought him permanently to Minnesota.

John and his wife, Shelly, fell in love with the Red Wing geography and finished building their home here in July. Coincidentally, he lived part time at Pottery Place during the building process, visited our museum, and attended our parking lot sales.

“I love to spend time surrounded by antiques and the people who appreciate them,” he said.

His goal is to use his advertising experience to raise the visibility and popularity of our

museum…which he calls “an undermarketed treasure.”

John and Shelly currently own about 4 Red Wing pieces, but we expect that to increase!