Steve Szatynski, Candidate for Chair-Elect

Steve Szatynski of Eastman Kodak Company is originally from Niagara Falls, NY. He received an Associates Degree in analytical chemistry from Niagara County Community College and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of Rochester. At Kodak since 1979, Steve advanced through positions of increasing responsibility to his current position as a manager in the Materials and Media Design Division. His group develops and commercializes film formulas for the Aerial and Industrial Markets, Document Imaging, and Color Negative Films. Steve was also Worldwide Formulation Manager for Kodacolor films, providing him with the opportunity to travel internationally to support manufacturing facilities in Mexico, Australia, France and China. Steve is married to Aileen and they have three children in their twenties, none at home (currently).

Position Statement
I am honored to have been nominated as Chair-Elect of the Rochester Section in 2010. It is my hope to use 2011 as a year of learning, both in leadership skills and for identifying opportunities that we might address in our section. I believe that we can build stronger and more synergistic relations with several associated groups and area institutions. I consider myself fortunate to be Chair- Elect during the planning year for Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM) and Chair in 2012 when we host NERM.

Deborah Janes, Candidate for Chair-Elect

Biography
Deborah Janes is an analytical chemist employed at the Eastman Kodak Company in the Ion Analysis Laboratory of the Foundation Science and Technology Center, supporting research and development of imaging chemicals. She received a Bachelor of Science in Applied Chemistry and a Master’s Degree of Material Science and Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology.
Deborah currently serves on the executive committee of the Rochester Local Section as a member-at-large, and previously served on the executive board of the Technician Affiliate Group (TAG). She is actively involved with Tim Wilson in presenting a chemical education outreach program, Adventures in Chemistry and Physics (ACAP) to students throughout the year. In this capacity, she has volunteered at National Chemistry Week celebrations, ACS High School Chemistry Awards Nights, Rochester Museum and Science Center’s Science Saturdays Program and Science and Technology Week, and Kodak’s National Engineering Week programs, presented workshops to junior and senior high students at Science Exploration Days, science educators at Science Educators’ Conferences, and the STANYS Science Educators Conference. In 2001, she presented a workshop with Tim Wilson at the 221st National ACS Meeting in San Diego, California. Deborah was also a member of the NERM 2004 organizing committee and the co-chair of the Secondary School Teacher and Student Event during NERM 2004.

Position Statement
I am willing to serve as Chair-Elect of the Rochester Section in 2010. In this position, I would seek to forge stronger links between the section and other groups such as Younger Chemists Committee and the Committee on Technician Affairs, and would also like to re-establish a Women’s Chemist Committee. I believe these partnerships will strengthen our section and make it more vital. 2012 is a big year for the Rochester Section as we prepare to celebrate our 100th anniversary, as well as host the Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM). I feel it is vital that the next two years be a time for planning an anniversary celebration that is meaningful to all members of the section and a successful NERM 2012. I will continue to support our successful programs and look forward to working with a dedicated group of professionals.

Mark Heitz, Candidate for Treasurer

Mark P. Heitz is Associate Professor of Chemistry at SUNY Brockport. Mark teaches a variety of courses, with a primary emphasis on Analytical Chemistry. A native of Rochester, Mark began his training at The King’s College, Briarcliff Manor, NY, receiving his Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry. He also studied at Rochester Institute of Technology with Professors G. Takacs and V. Vukanovic working on surface modifications of polyimides. In 1990, he earned a Master Degree from the University of Rochester. Following this Mark taught high-school chemistry for three years prior to attending SUNY Buffalo, where in 1995 he earned his Ph.D. under the tutelage of Professor Frank Bright. Mark’s research at UB was focused on studying solute dynamics in reverse micelles formed in liquids and supercritical fluids. Mark accepted a post-doctoral position at The Pennsylvania State University with Professor Mark Maroncelli continuing to study solute-solvent interactions in supercritical fluids.

Mark has become an active contributor to local section activities by serving on the NERM organizing committee as the Public Relations chair and Exhibition co-chair and as a member-at-large for the past two years. He has also served a two year term as local section treasurer.

Statement: Local section treasurer is position of significant responsibility. Having been actively involved in the local section now for nearly six years, I am interested in continuing to serve the needs of the section by working with the leadership to support, promote and enhance the Section’s programs. It is easy to simply say ‘I’m too busy…’ but the benefits that are enjoyed by the membership are a direct result of those who take time to serve. I have benefited from the numerous people who have generously donated time to the ACS local section and I want to return ‘in-kind’ by contributing where I am able. Serving as treasurer is but one additional way that I can give back to the Society.

Lew Allen, Candidate for Member-at-Large

Lewis E. Allen took early retirement in 1992 from Eastman Kodak where he was director of the Environmental Analytical Services Laboratory. He then served on the adjunct faculty at Monroe Community College, Brockport and Geneseo and as a mentor at SUNY Empire State College before retiring again in 1999. Before joining Kodak he was associate professor of chemistry at Florida A&M University from 1963 to 1970. He received his B.S. in chemistry from Queens College and his Ph.D. in Physical Organic Chemistry from Syracuse University. He has served the Rochester Section as Alternate Councilor in 1982-83 and Treasurer in 1984-85. He served as Chair-elect in 1986 and as Chair during the Section’s 75th Anniversary year of 1987 when the section hosted the 17th Northeast Regional Meeting (NERM). As past chair in 1988 he served as chair of the nominating committee and on the audit committee 1988-92. He has also served the section as photographer and on the local Project SEED committee. He was an associate member of the (national) Council Committee on Project SEED from 1990-92 and as a member of the committee 1993-2001. He also served on the national committee on Minority Affairs and served one year as associate member of the Committee on Environmental Improvement. He then served six years as a member of the Council Committee on Meetings and Expositions where he served on three subcommittees. He is also coordinator of the local section’s Project SEED program and chair of its Retired Chemists Committee. Lew was honored with the Rochester Section Award in 1993.

Position Statement
I have been active in local section activities since 1981 working in a variety of areas in an effort to contribute to the excellent record of the Rochester Section. After fifteen years I retired from the ACS Council and was elected as a member at large. That allowed me to remain a member of the local section executive committee. I will continue my work with Project SEED and the Retired Chemists. I hope you will vote for me as a member at large.

Kim Chichester, Candidate for Member-at-Large

Biography

I have been an analytical chemistry professor at St. John Fisher College for the past year and a half. Prior to Fisher, I received my doctorate from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Before entering graduate school I completed an internship at Atofina elf in Geneseo, NY, which led to a chemist I position at Atotech, USA in Rock Hill, South Carolina. My duties at Atotech involved testing and maintaining customer electroplating baths. I have also worked as a chemist I at Banner Pharmacaps, a pharmaceutical company in High Point, North Carolina. At Banner, my duties were as a quality control specialist, which also involved paperwork for the DEA and FDA.

Since starting at St. John Fisher College, I have co-chaired the Rochester Section Undergraduate Research Symposium (2009) and become the advisor of the chemistry club. As the club advisor I have recently begun paperwork to become an ACS charter club. I would like to further my involvement in the Rochester section of the ACS and becoming a member at large would further that interest.

Position Statement
As a member of the section, my interests lie in the community outreach and educational committees. I would like to get more students involved in chemistry at all ages and education levels. The Adventures in Chemistry and Physics (ACAP) is one area I would really like to get more involved in and I could also see it as a way for my students to be involved in the community and continue their education. Our students at Fisher enjoy service learning and I believe this program is one they would enjoy. I have also noticed two archived committees that I think would be beneficial to students and members alike. The student affiliates and the high school chemistry mentor network committees would give our undergraduate students a chance to be more active participants in the Rochester section and the national ACS as a whole. I know as a student member I felt cut off from the ACS and the opportunities the organization afforded. As the chemistry club advisor, I would like students to be more aware and to be active participants. Having students feel like members from the beginning will go a long way towards building a larger network in the future. I would really enjoy the chance to become an active participant in the Rochester section and promise to do my best to serve all the members as a member at large. Thank you for your support.

Irene Kimaru, Candidate for Member-at-Large

Biography

I received a B.S. in chemistry and biochemistry in 1998 from Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya and a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry in 2006 from Southern Illinois University Carbondale. I joined the faculty at St John Fisher College in 2006 where I currently hold the position of Assistant Professor of Chemistry. My research interests include studies of chiral recognition of drug molecules using chiral ionic liquids as chiral selectors and environmental studies of soil contamination with lead in the local region as well as plant uptake of lead.

Position Statement
I am currently an assistant professor of chemistry at St. John Fisher College. Professionally, I have taught chemistry for the past three years, authored 3 papers and a book chapter and presented at numerous ACS and Pittcon meetings. I chaired this year’s 54th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium and contributed at the Science Exploration Days. I have served as a faculty advisor of ACS Student Affiliates for the past two years. This work has convinced me that I can positively influence ACS at the local level. I believe that the Rochester Section of the American Chemical Society needs to continue to reach out positively to all ours members in ways that will benefit them.

50-Year ACS Member: Ronald E. Bambury (2009)

Ron Bambury was born in Aberdeen, South Dakota but moved to Minneapolis as a child and later to the north suburbs. Here he completed his secondary education, graduating from Anoka high school in 1950. While still in grade school he expressed an interest in being a chemist at a large company and showed his other scientific bent by describing the details and uses of a binary number system to his classmates. To pursue his chemist dream he entered the Institute of Technology at the University of Minnesota for the five year program. He graduated with a Bachelor of Chemistry degree, and his senior project on nitro-olefins was the basis of his first publication.

Ron then entered the graduate program at the University of Nebraska, and received an M.S. in 1958 and a PhD in 1960 with a major in organic chemistry and minors in physiology and biochemistry. His thesis work on Tetralones, done under Prof. N.H.Cromwell resulted in five publications. He was elected to Sigma Xi and Phi Lambda Upsilon.

Employment during college included janitorial work as well as summer chemistry lab jobs at Russell Miller Milling and the Minnesota Water Department. His dream to be a large company chemist was realized in subsequent years, first at American Cyanamid Animal Health Division (1960-64) working on anthelmintics and antiprotozoal agents. He then worked at Merrell-National Labs, (1964-76) and Diamond Shamrock(1976-83) on antiprotozoals, antimicrobials, Beta Lactam antibiotics, and growth promotion agents. Ron's last employer was Bausch and Lomb in Rochester, Contact Lens Division(1984-97), working on synthesis and development of novel contact lens materials. He retired in 1987.

During his professional career Ron authored over 50 publications and patents, notable of the latter were 2 on antihelmintics and the siliconhydrogel polymer used in the manufacture of the Pure Vision(TM) contact lens. He also authored a chapter in "Burger's Medicinal Chemistry" on antimicrobial agents, and served as a referee for both the Journals of Medicinal Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Ron's ACS activities included a stint as chairman of the local section in Wooster, OH. in 1970. He also served as chairman of the Sycamore School Planning Commission in Cincinnati and most recently as a field agent for the 2000 census.

While in his last year of college, Ron married Laura Ukasick, and they have children Cathy, Kevin, and Jennifer, six grandchildren, and one great grandchild. Over the years Ron's hobbies have been varied, including photography, camping, hiking, and biking along the Erie Canal. Taking much of his time currently is woodworking, with emphasis on designing and building furniture in the Arts and Crafts style. The many fine pieces of furniture in the Bambury home attest to Ron's skill in creating beauty from a few simple pieces of wood.

George A.Brown

50-Year ACS member: James K. Elwood (2009)

James K. Elwood was born in 1936 in Ladysmith, WI. His interest in science was kindled by a microscope set he received while in Fourth Grade. In those days it was a simple matter to order replacement chemicals by mail. After graduating as salutatorian from Ladysmith High School, he attended Wisconsin State College in Eau Claire, which is now a branch of the University of Wisconsin. He graduated magna cum laude in 1958 with majors in chemistry and mathematics. In the fall, he began his graduate work at Michigan State University in E. Lansing, MI., where, under the supervision of Robert Herbst, his thesis work involved the synthesis of tetrazole analogs of glutamic acid. This work was hampered by the discovery that tetrazoles, when treated with acetic anyhydride, rearrange to 1,3,2-oxadiazoles.

In September 1953 Jim began work at Kodak Research Labs in Jack Gates’ Emulsion Addenda Synthesis Laboratory. This work included the syntheses of antifoggants and developers along with the study of some Claisen rearrangements involving pyrazoles which led to a publication. A few years later he moved to Don Heseltine’s Sensitizing Dye Synthesis Laboratory. One of his initial projects involved the preparation of cyanine dyes containing the phenalene ring system in place of the polymethine chain. Two publications resulted from this interesting work. Another interesting project was the preparation of cationic cyanine dyes having lanthanide chelate counter anions.

Over the years, the original Sensitizing Dye Synthesis Laboratory underwent a number of changes in name, emphasis, and lab heads. As a result, Jim was able to work on a number of projects at various times, including nucleating agents, spectral sensitizing dyes for reversal systems as well as negative systems, conventional image dyes, and metallizable image dyes. A few more joint publications and about a dozen patents resulted.

Jim wrote a computer program to calculate the basicities of basic nuclei which correlated well with their measured basicities when expressed in energy terms.

He also conducted modeling studies on the structural features of sensitizing dyes with a view of reducing dye stain.

Jim has two sons, John and Christopher, with his former wife Donna, and one grandson, Keane. John is an associate professor of physics and current department head at E. Stroudberg University in Pennsylvania.

In retirement, Jim spends time gardening, playing the piano and pet-sitting for his sons.
When asked if he would do anything differently if he had the chance, he said: “Probably not, since my choices always followed my interests”.

50-Year ACS Member: Roy Orvis (2009)

Roy Orvis grew up in western Canada, but spent his entire career with the Kodak Research Labs. He was born in Calgary, but attended schools in Mirror, Alberta. He graduated with a B.Sc. in Honors Chemistry from the University of Alberta in Edmonton and continued there to get an M.Sc, under Prof. R. B. Sandin. He came to graduate school in the US, at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, where he received a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry under the direction of Prof. E. E. VanTamelen.

Roy joined Eastman Kodak in 1964 in the Color Organic Chemistry Lab in the Color Photography Division directed by Ilmari Salminen. After 14 years doing synthesis of color photographic couplers, colored (masking) couplers, and nucleating agents there, he became a Staff Assistant in the division, a position he held until he retired in 1991 in the big Kodak buyout.

In retirement Roy manages an antique car collection that includes the first car that he owned, a 1953 Chevrolet, which he has restored. He is also interested in genealogy and has traveled widely with his wife Marina. They live in Greece and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Roy and Marina have a son and daughter; the daughter, Carey and son-in-law Paul have two teen-age children, Roy and Marina’s two grandchildren. Carey works for a financial consulting firm and Paul is a banker here in the Rochester area. The son Mark lives in Rhode Island and is employed in the packaging field.

50-Year ACS Member: Arnold F. Schmeckenbecher (2009)

Arnold F. Schmeckenbecher was born in Allendorf/Lumda, Germany in February 1920. He graduated from the ‘Kreuzschule’ (School of the Cross), a humanistic ‘Gymnasium,’ in Dresden in 1940 where he studied English, Latin and ancient Greek. His father was a Lutheran pastor.

After two weeks of study at the Technical University in Dresden, he was drafted into the German Army in October 1940 , served from June 1941 in Russia and from April 1944 in Italy. He was taken prisoner by the U.S. Army near Siena (Tuscany) in June 1944, and shipped to a POW camp in Louisiana. He returned to Germany (American Occupation Zone) in November 1946 and was reunited with his parents and sister who had lost their home in the Dresden air raids.

Arnold Schmeckenbecher resumed his academic studies (chemistry) at the University of Heidelberg (Germany) in April 1947. Arnold’s father had given him a chemistry set when he was 12, perhaps in memory of his uncle, a chemistry student, who had volunteered in the German Army in World War I and was killed on the Russian front in 1915.

He graduated from Heidelberg with a degree ‘Dipl. Chem.’ in 1950, and pursued graduate study at the University of Kiel (Germany). He was awarded the degree ‘Dr. rer. nat.’ (magna cum laude) in July 1953. A summary of Schmeckenbecher’s research under Prof. Dr. Robert Juza was published in Naturwissenschaften (1955), ‘Magnetochemischer Nachweis von Chlorgraphit.’ He then served as a ‘Postdoc’ at Kiel with a stipend from the ‘Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft’ from August 1953 – October 1954.

Dr. Schmeckenbecher’s entire industrial career was with American firms. From January 1955 to October 1958, he performed research at General Aniline & Film (GAF) in Linden, NJ on the decomposition of metal carbonyls, e.g. ‘Carbonyl Iron’ particles used in ‘low loss cores’ of early television induction coils. He then worked with Remington Rand Univac in Philadelphia from October 1958 to July 1960 doing research on magnetic NiFe computer memories.

The bulk of Arnold Schemeckenbecher’s career was with IBM from July 1960 until his retirement in April 1989 at Poughkeepsie, NY focusing on packaging and cooling of silicon chips for mainframe computers, elecroless nickel-iron alloy plating and many other projects. He was promoted to ‘Senior Chemist’ in April 1969, was awarded 23 U.S. patents and published several peer reviewed papers. He was the recipient of the IBM Award for ‘Outstanding Technical Achievement’ and of twelve IBM awards for creative contributions to IBM progress.

Dr. Schmeckenbecher has been married (happily !) to Rose, nee Zettler, since August 1953. Rose obtained a BS degree in Behavioral Science from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY at the age of 65 ! In 1996, the Schmeckenbechers moved to a retirement community in Metropolitan Rochester to be closer to their daughter and four grandchildren. Their daughter, Eva, obtained a BS degree in Biochemistry from Union College (1977) in Schenectady, NY. Arnold and Rose are proud of the accomplishments of their grandchildren: the two oldest recently graduated from Medical School and are now in internship and residency; the third obtained a BS degree in accounting from Roberts Wesleyan College and is working with a Rochester accounting firm; and, the youngest, just started (2008) at SUNY/Brockport.

Arnold Schmeckenbecher’s hobbies include: gardening, hiking (as long as the legs cooperate) and learning how to play the piano.

Max M. Boudakian

Fall 2009 ACS National Meeting Report

The Council of the American Chemical Society convened in Washington, DC on Wednesday, August 19, 2009. As your Councilor, I want to give you the highlights from that meeting as it deals with Council business.

The following summary is provided to help Councilors report to their local sections and divisions on key actions and discussions of the ACS Council and Board of Directors at the 2009 fall national meeting.

ACTIONS OF THE COUNCIL

Election Results

• The Committee on Nominations and Elections presented to the Council the following slate of candidates for membership on the Committee on Committees beginning in 2010: G. Bryan Balazs, Dawn A. Brooks, Victoria L. Finkenstadt, Wayne E. Jones, Jr., John M. Long, Les W. McQuire, Ingrid Montes, Douglas J. Raber, Frankie K. Wood-Black, and Steven W. Yates. By electronic ballot, the Council elected G. Bryan Balazs, Dawn A. Brooks, Les W. McQuire, Ingrid Montes, and Frankie K. Wood-Black for the 2010-2012 term.

• The Committee on Nominations and Elections presented to the Council the following slate of candidates for membership on the Council Policy Committee beginning in 2010: R. Gerald Bass, Alan B. Cooper, M. Elizabeth Derrick, Thomas R. Gilbert, Lydia E. M. Hines, Willem R. Leenstra, Sally B. Peters, and Carolyn Ribes. By electronic ballot, the Council elected M. Elizabeth Derrick, Thomas R. Gilbert, Willem R. Leenstra, and Carolyn Ribes for the 2010-2012 term.

• The Council Policy Committee presented to the Council the following slate of candidates for membership on the Committee on Nominations and Elections: Roger F. Bartholomew, Dwight W. Chasar, Milagros Delgado, Kevin J. Edgar, John W. Finley, Martin L. Gorbaty, Sharon P. Shoemaker, Walter O. Siegl, Herbert B. Silber, and Ellen B. Stechel. By electronic ballot, the Council elected Dwight W. Chasar, Milagros Delgado, Kevin J. Edgar, Sharon P. Shoemaker, and Ellen B. Stechel for the 2010-2012 term.

Candidates for President-Elect and Board of Directors

The candidates for the fall 2009 ACS national election were announced as follows:

President-Elect 2010:

• Nancy B. Jackson, International Chemical Threat Reduction Department
  Manager, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM
• Cheryl A. Martin, Currently on sabbatical; former Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Rohm and Haas Company, Philadelphia, PA
• Mary Virginia Orna, Professor of Chemistry, College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, NY (Petition candidate)
  

Directors-at-Large - 2010-2012:

• Dennis Chamot, Associate Executive Director, Division of Engineering and Physical Sciences, National Research Council, Washington, DC
• H. N. Cheng, Research Chemist, US Department of Agriculture, New Orleans, LA
• Ray A. Dickie, Retired, Ford Motor Company, Efland, NC
• Valerie J. Kuck, Retired, Lucent Technologies, Montclair, NJ
• Howard M. Peters, Retired, Peters, Verny, LLP, Palo Alto, CA
  

Director, District I - 2010-2012:

• D. Richard Cobb, Senior Research Technician, Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester, NY
• Neil D. Jespersen, Professor of Chemistry, St. Johns University, Jamaica, NY
  

Director, District V - 2010-2012:

• Judith L. Benham, Retired, 3M Company, St. Paul, MN
• Peter K. Dorhout, Vice Provost, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
  

Petitions (For Action)

• The Council received two amendments to the ACS Constitution and Bylaws for action: The Petition on Candidate Selection by Member Petition – (to be considered for Urgent Action) and the Petition on Election Timelines and Procedures 2009.
• The Petition on Candidate Selection by Member Petition proposes to permit candidates to be selected by a petition process from members. To be considered for urgent action, the petition required a ¾ affirmative vote. After considerable discussion, a vote to consider the petition at the 2009 fall meeting FAILED. Absent urgent action, the Petition on Candidate Selection by Member Petition will now be up for action at the 2010 spring meeting of the Council.
  

o Next, the Council discussed in great detail the Petition on Election Timelines and Procedures 2009. This petition proposes to shorten certain election timelines and change petition candidates (who go straight on the ballot if they obtain enough signatures) to petition nominees (who need to be screened by Council along with other nominees chosen by the Committee on Nominations and Elections). After rejecting a request to have a recorded vote, the Council VOTED to recommit the petition to the Committee on Nominations and Elections with instructions. Following this action, N&E sought input through a nonbinding survey to help guide their revisions. A revised petition will likely be up for action at the 2010 spring Council meeting.

(For Consideration)

• The Council received one petition for consideration: the Petition on Admissions Committee. This petition removes the Admissions Committee from the Bylaws and transfers its functions to the Council Committee on Membership Affairs. Action is expected on the petition at the 2010 spring meeting.

Committee Review

• As part of a regular performance review, the Council VOTED to continue the Committees on Chemical Safety, Minority Affairs, Chemical Abstracts Service, Technician Affairs, and Analytical Reagents. Continuing the first three committees requires Board of Directors concurrence.

Registration Report and 2010 National Meeting Registration Fee

• As of August 19, 2009, the ACS fall national meeting had attracted 14,319 registrants. This was the largest Washington meeting in history. Totals in select categories are as follows: Regular attendees 8,575; Students 3,159; Guests 462; Exhibit Only 676; and Exhibitors 1,447. In keeping with the objective of the National Meeting Long Range Financial Plan, previously approved by the Board of Directors and Council, the Meetings and Expositions Committee recommended to the Board an increase of $10 for the 2010 national meeting registration fee. The Board will act on this recommendation shortly.

Membership Activity

• The provisions of the Petition on Membership Categories and Requirements were fully implemented this past June with the transfer of former Student Affiliates to Student Member status, and Associate Members to regular Member status. As of July 31, the Society had 9,732 Student Members – 6,500 of them former Student Affiliates and more than 3,000 of them new Student Members.

Dissolution of the Division of Chemical Technicians

• At the 2009 spring Council meeting, the Divisional Activities Committee (DAC) reported that it had voted to accept a recommendation from the Division of Chemical Technicians (TECH) that the division disband and to recommend this action to Council in the fall. On recommendation of DAC, as recommended by TECH, the Council VOTED to disband the Division of Chemical Technicians effective December 31, 2009. DAC agreed that TECH has accomplished its mission of enhancing the status of technicians in the American Chemical Society, and now they are integrated into the other technical divisions.

Changes to Charter Bylaws for New Local Sections and International Chemical Sciences Chapters and Bylaws for Divisions in Probationary Status

• The Council VOTED to accept changes to charter bylaws for new local sections and international chemical sciences chapters, and bylaws for divisions in probationary status. These changes, which were developed in cooperation with the Committees on Divisional Activities, Local Section Activities, and International Activities, are a result of changes to the Constitution and Bylaws made as a result of the Petition on Membership Categories and Requirements, which became effective on June 30.








ACTIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Board Committees and Task Force Actions

• The Board of Directors VOTED to approve nominees for the 2010 Perkin Medal and the Alan T. Waterman Award. The Perkin Medal, awarded by the American section of the Society of Chemical Industry to a scientist residing in the US, recognizes innovation in applied chemistry resulting in outstanding commercial development. The Alan T. Waterman Award, presented by the National Science Foundation, recognizes an outstanding young researcher in any field of science or engineering.

• The Committee on Public Affairs and Public Relations announced the designation of “Dip-and-read Tests for Blood and Urine Glucose” (work of Al and Helen Free) as a National Historic Chemical Landmark. The committee also reported on its approval of a new healthcare policy statement, received from the Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs.

• The Board VOTED to approve an action recommended by the Committee on Professional & Member Relations to accept with minor revisions the key terms contained in a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between ACS and the Royal Society of Chemistry. The MOU: a) offers an opportunity for the ACS and RSC to develop and distribute a “primer,” both in hard-copy and electronic format, to provide the wider population with a basic understanding of the chemistry underlying issues related to sustainability; b) provides a series of joint seminars in the UK, US and elsewhere with participation by scientists, media and decision-makers to focus on sustainability; and c) supports collaboration on activities that train scientists to address issues relating to sustainability and other global challenges in non-technical, readily understandable communications.

• On the recommendation of the Committee on Budget and Finance, the Board VOTED to fund a new program (Science Coaches) and to reauthorize an existing program (ACS Green Chemistry Institute ®) in the 2010 budget.

• The Board of Directors received a report from the Board–Presidential Task Force on Education This task force is charged with 1) reviewing recommendations contained in national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education reports released during the past five years; 2) identifying specific actions that the Society could undertake in response to these recommendations; and 3) creating a priority list of actionable items where the Society can have a unique impact on STEM education. The new Science Coaches initiative was one of the task force’s recommendations.

The Society’s Finances

• In view of the ongoing global recession and its impact of the Society’s finances, the Board received an update on the Society’s current financial position and the projected financial performance for 2009. The Society is projected to end the year with a net contribution from operations of $11.2 million, or $528,000 favorable to the 2009 approved budget. The favorable projection is largely the result of Contingency Plan actions and expense management initiatives implemented in early 2009, which are expected to fully offset revenue shortfalls in the Approved Budget across several categories.

Strategic Issues

• At its retreat held earlier this year, the Board developed a “dashboard,” i.e. a list of possible Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) related to ACS strategic progress. At this meeting, a Board task force presented a draft dashboard for review. The Board agreed to continue this discussion at its December meeting.
The Executive Director/CEO Report

• The Executive Director/CEO, along with several of her direct reports, updated the Board on the activities of the Publications Division, Chemical Abstracts Service, and the Society’s General Counsel (including the Leadscope litigation). As a part of the Publications report, the Board VOTED to approve the re-appointment of three journal editors.

Compensation of Society Executive Staff

• The Board received a report from its Committee on Executive Compensation and voted to approve several actions relative to compensation for the Society’s Executive staff. The compensation of the Society’s executive staff receives regular review from the Board.

Other Society Issues

• The Board received a briefing from its Chair on her recent meeting with International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) leaders and plans for the International Year of Chemistry-2011 (IYOC-2011). The Board also was briefed by International leaders from the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences (EuCheMS), the German Chemical Society, the Korean Chemical Society, the Mexican Chemical Society, the Royal Society of Chemistry, and the Serbian Chemical Society on their strategic directions and on their plans for IYOC-2011.

• With the creation of the ACS Leadership Development System, the Society is now better positioned to create the skilled leadership needed to advance as the world’s largest scientific society and to achieve its mission. In recognition of this achievement, the Board awarded plaques to its Oversight Group on Leadership Development for outstanding work on this major initiative.

The Board received a briefing on a new program to equip ACS members to be more effective spokespersons for chemistry. It is called the Chemistry Ambassadors program, and information may be found at www.acs.org/chemistryambassadors

IMPORTANT NEWS: At the Washington National Meeting, the Rochester Section received a ChemLuminary Award for “The Most Innovative New Activity or Program in a Local Section in 2008”.

Please remember that as Councilor, I am your voice on the national level. Feel free to contact me at 477-4903, email me at d.richard.cobb@kodak.com

or write me at:

D. Richard Cobb
15-C Greenleaf Meadows, Rochester, NY 14612.


Thank you!

Richard Bent, 1917-2008

Longtime Rochester ACS Member Richard L. (Dick) Bent passed away Sunday, November 9 at the age of 91. Dick served the Rochester Section in many capacities over the years, most recently as its historian and photographer. Below is a biography that Dick himself wrote on the occasion of his 50-year ACS anniversary in 1995.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I was born in Rochester in 1917. but after the family moved to England in 1920 I lived in Harrow, near London, until just before the war. I received most of my early education at two excellent boarding schools,
Orley Farm in Harrow and St. Edward's in Oxford. Discipline was strict in those days and at the latter canings were given for such minor offenses as skipping the compulsory cold shower in the morning!

After passing the School Certiticate exam with the required number of credits, I entered Cambridge University. residing at Queens which was founded in 1448. l majored in both physics and chemistry and received a Bachelor's degree in 1939. This was followed over here by
additional studies at Berkeley and at the U of R, including some evening courses.

In 1941 I started work as a production chemist in the Synthetic Chemistry Division, Kodak Park West, where World War I sheds were still being used as labs. ln 1948 I transferred to the Building 129 Research Lab headed by C. F. H. Allen, working with Jack Thirtle in A. Weissberger's group. In 1950 this group was incorporated into the Color Photography Division and we moved to the main Research Labs in Buildings 59 and 82.

For nearly 30 years. until my retirement in 1979 as a Research Associate, much of my time was devoted to the synthesis of p-phenylenediamine color developers which react to form the appropriate dyes in many photographic products. Several patents and joint publications resulted from this work. After retirement I was persuaded to return on a part-time basis (without remuneration, however) to write several detailed reports on developers.

From 1954 to the present I have served the Rochester Section in many capacities including the post as Secretary in 1963-4. As a volunteer I have worked for a number of years at St. John's Home and have also been involved in the Meals on Wheels program.

My long-term hobbies have been photography and building a scientific library, which I continually keep up to date and which now totals over 2000 volumes. Travel has been a major interest and few years go by without going abroad. This year's trip in August was a little more
rugged than usual as it involved exploring Spitzbergen — located about 750 miles from
the North Pole - and the coastal areas around Greenland.

James H. Reynolds: Candidate for Chair-Elect

Jim Reynolds is a Research Associate at Eastman Kodak Company, where he has been employed since 1992. His current assignment is in the Materials and Media Design Division developing new films and technologies for color imaging systems. He received a B.A. in chemistry from Colby College and a Ph.D. in physical-organic chemistry from Yale University. Jim lives in Brighton with his wife Ginny and his daughter Maya.

Rochester Section Activities: ACS Member since 1983. Section Councilor (2000-2008); Member-at-Large (1994-1995, 1998-1999); National Chemistry Week Chair (1998-2000); Section Webmaster (1996-present), Audit Committee Chair (2002-present), Section Awards Committee (2003-2005, Chair 2003); High School Awards Committee (2001-present), NERM 2004 Committee; CHEMunicator Newsletter editor (2007-present); Rochester Section Special Recognition Award, 1999; Rochester Section Award winner, 2002 and 2005 (with NERM Committee); Salutes to Excellence Award, 2008.

National ACS Activities: Member of the Local Section Activities Committee and the LSAC sub-committee on Local Section Assistance and Development (2002-2008).

Statement: I am delighted to have been asked to run for Chair-Elect of the Rochester Section. I have been an active member of the Section for more than 15 years, and I look forward to serving the Rochester Section in a larger role. I will continue to be a strong advocate for the Section's signature events including the Harrison Howe Award, the High School Chemistry Awards, and its educational outreach activities. I am committed to working with my colleagues on the Executive Committee as together we learn how to "do more with less" and how to better serve our local ACS members.

Richard Hartmann: Candidate for Councilor

I earned my doctorate in inorganic chemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2000. Since that time I have been employed by Nazareth College where I am currently and associate professor and director of the general chemistry program. I have spent the last few years incorporating undergraduates into my research which focuses on designing and analyzing novel catalysts for biodiesel synthesis from used cooking oils. I have been active in the local section for a number of years, first as a member at large and most recently as the chair of the section. These years of involvement have shown me that we are fortunate to have an excellent contingent of people who diligently serve the members of the section and strive to maintain its vibrancy in spite of diminishing numbers and finances. I have decided to run for councilor as I have found that I greatly enjoy working with local chemists who have a vision for the future of chemistry and the ACS in Rochester. I am committed to working with the new executive committee to continue the work that has been started in the past few years as well as to continue to plan for a great future for the section.

Robert Murray: Candidate for Alternate Councilor

Education: B.S., Universuty of Nebraska – Lincoln (1969); Ph.D. in organic chemistry, University of Nebraska – Lincoln (1973).

Professional Experience: Post-doctoral Research Associate, Department of Medicinal Chemistry University of Kansas (1973-1974); Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Sidney Farber Cancer Institute (1975); Senior Scientist / Group Leader, Pennwalt Corp (1976 – 1985): Section-head Medicinal Chemistry, Fisons Corp (1985 – 1996); Associate Director Chemistry, Astra (1997- 2000); Director for Chemistry, Serono Research Institute (2001 – 2004); pharmaceutical consultant (2005 – present).

ACS Service: member since 1972.

Rochester Section ACS Service: Finance Committee, 1985-1987 (chairman, 1986-1987); Nominations and Elections Committee, 1986, 1990 and 1991 (chairman 1991); Rochester Section Award Committee, 1987, 1990 and 1995 (chairman 1995); NERM-17, treasurer (1987); Alternate Councilor, 1988; Chairman-Elect, 1989; Chairman, 1990; Treasurer, 1992; Adopt-a-School Program volunteer (Cobbles School), 1992 – 1996: Alternate Councilor, 2008.

Honors: Rochester Section Award (1994).

Statement: I am pleased to have been asked to run again for office in the Rochester Section. If elected, as alternate councilor and thereby a voting member of the Executive Committee I would support the excellent programs which have been started at the local level as well as encourage thoughtful planning and frequent program reviews to ensure their continued success. In addition, I will work to ensure that the vision for local sections as expressed by national are adopted locally so that we continue to “connect chemistry with the community” and thereby carry out the mission of the ACS: to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practioners for the benefit of Earth and its people. At the national level I would represent the interests of the Rochester Section and its members in council as required.

Elizabeth Burns: Candidate for Secretary

Biography
ACS Rochester Section
Academic Record:
LeMoyne College (1994) B.S. Chemistry with Departmental Honors
Nazareth College (2003) M.S. Education
Syracuse University (enrolled) M.S. Forensic Science
Honors:
American Institute of Chemists Student Medal Award (LeMoyne College)
Outstanding Student Teaching in Chemistry (Nazareth)

Professional Positions:
Fairport High School (Fairport, NY), Chemistry and Forensic Science Teacher, 2001 to Present
Eastman Kodak Company (Rochester, NY), Chemical Buyer, Quality Assurance Engineer, 1996 to 2000
Bristol Myers Squibb (Syracuse, NY), Assistant Scientist Chemical Development Labs, 1994 to 1996

Service in ACS: Member since 1994
Member: ACS Division of Chemical Education

Statement

It is an honor to be nominated to run for Secretary of the Local Rochester ACS Section. As a member of the ACS since 1994, I have had many opportunities to utilize the services of the ACS through conferences, workshops and access to ACS publications. I am looking forward to having a more active role in the Local Section. As a teacher, I love getting my students excited about chemistry. I am looking forward to finding opportunities to promote chemistry in Rochester.

Maryann Mendel: Candidate for Member-at-Large

Biography
Dr. Maryann Mendel has been an ACS member for 43 years. Her contributions to Chemistry were in the area of Photography at Eastman Kodak Company, where she worked as a Senior Development Manager in the Entertainment Imaging Business. During her tenure, more than 15 new innovative film products were successfully delivered to the Motion Picture Industry. More recently, she filled the role of Business Development and Program Manager for digital products until her retirement in 2005.

Mendel holds a BA in Chemistry from Immaculata College and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Boston College. She also completed The Duke Advanced Management Program.

In addition to her ACS membership, Mendel is a Research Fellow and Lifetime Member of the Research Scientific Council, Eastman Kodak Company and is currently a Fellow of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc. During her career, Mendel received many team technical awards such as 2 Academy Awards of Merit (Oscar) from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Board of Governors. She also received the Fuji Gold Medal Award from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers, Inc. for individual advancements to color science.

She is currently a resident of West Irondequoit, New York with her husband John and their 2 dogs, Teddie and Annie.

Statement
Over the last year, the Rochester Section of the American Chemical Society presented a new look to chemistry by focusing on Chemistry and its relationship to the Arts. Several lectures were provided that covered Chemistry and its relationship to Art. These presentations were very well received and allowed other disciplines to realize the role of chemistry beyond technology. As we move forward, if elected, I would continue to support non-classical chemical presentations.

Todd Pagano: Candidate for Member-at-Large

Biography
Todd Pagano, an assistant professor and director of the Laboratory Science Technology (LST) program, came to Rochester Institute of Technology/ National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT/NTID) in 2002 where he led the implementation of the new LST program. During his career at RIT/NTID, he has set-up a state-of-the-art instrumentation laboratory, architected the new degree program, and helped to place numerous deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals into careers in the chemical sciences. He has worked on several pedagogical and chemical research projects and has presented or co-authored over sixty papers at regional, national, and international symposia. He has been honored as a recipient of RIT’s Richard and Virginia Eisenhart Award for Excellence in Teaching, EPA’s STAR Fellowship, Institute on College Teaching Fellowship, Dawan L. Albritton Faculty Humanitarian Award, Delta Sigma Phi Faculty Humanitarian Award, and ACS’s Stanley C. Israel Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences. He is active in encouraging underrepresented students into science fields and leads outreach initiatives to K-12 deaf and hard-of-hearing students. He has been a member of the ACS for 12 years, serves on the ACS Committee on Chemists with Disabilities, and is co-editor of the Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities.

Statement
I have enjoyed working with the ACS in many different capacities. As a member-at-large, I plan to continue the close collaboration between the Rochester section of the ACS and RIT/NTID. I am anxious to provide opportunities for underrepresented individuals in the field, including members of our deaf and hard-of-hearing community. I hope to continue to promote outreach initiatives to K-12 students, build alliances between academia and industry, and progress the general goals of the local section.

Councilor's Corner - October 2008

HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR VOTE IN THE NATIONAL ACS ELECTIONS?

The whole of the membership of the American Chemical Society now has the opportunity to vote on the constitutional amendments brought about by the Petition on Membership Categories and Requirements that was approved by the ACS Council at the Spring, 2008 National Meeting.

The National ACS election ballots began going out in September 29th, as did the notification that you can vote electronically if you choose.

Many members do not get involved in the National ACS elections for a variety of reasons. Maybe they feel they are too far removed from the national level. Maybe they feel it does not matter. Maybe they just want their journals and to be left alone. However, this year offers one of the most important reasons than has ever been offered. That is because, beyond the selection of a President-Elect and At-Large Directors, members are being asked to vote on the petition noted above.

This petition marks one of the most daring changes to ACS structure ever. The Council already has ratified aspects of this petition and the membership is required to vote on the aspects of the petition that affect the ACS Constitution. Because of the complexity around this petition, the Membership Affairs Committee has offered many sessions to answer all questions posed by members. Unfortunately, some bad information is being passed on by some and it is vital that all members have accurate answers to their questions. Thus, I wanted to use this month’s “Council Corner” to help in that process.

This petition welcomes undergraduate students, now known as Student Affiliates, to be Student “Members”. The petition also helps to bring the Society’s membership admissions policies into this multidisciplinary age of chemistry. However, there will still be admissions guidelines in place and not just anyone can be a member.

The new Regular membership requirements, as passed by Council, will be that a person with an Associates, Bachelors, or higher degree in chemistry, or a related field of natural science, engineering, technology, or science education will be eligible for full ACS membership. The ACS bylaws, up to this vote, required additional work experience and/or supplementary application documentation from scientists without a chemistry degree. Undergraduate students are now not Members, but are designated as “Affiliates”.

If the amendments are ratified, the Student Affiliate category will become Student “Member” for individuals working toward an undergraduate degree in chemistry or related field. Student members would continue to be eligible for a 5/6 discount on member dues. Currently (based on 2008 dues), this would mean that Student Members would pay $23 with electronic access to C&EN and $38 with the print version of C&EN.


The Petition does not make any other change in dues structure. The Petition grants Student Members all the rights of membership except those of holding national office. This includes the right to vote in National Society elections. Student Members would not serve as Councilor or Alternate Councilor.

Divisions and Local Sections would have the option of allowing, but would not be required to allow, Student Members to serve as officers in the Division or Local Section. Divisions and Local Sections would themselves decide whether or not to waive or discount their dues for Student Members.

Graduate students are now and will continue to be Regular Members of the Society and receive a 50% student discount on their membership dues. The petition will have no impact on the dues discounts.

Please remember that not all students register for membership using their school’s address. Thus, their involvement in a Local Section could be based on the Section nearest their home address. This petition does not change the present per member allotment now in place for Local Sections. Finally, the membership listing for students within a Local Section’s jurisdiction would not be included in the Membership Roster that is sent out to Local Section leadership on a regular basis. This was information that was not available in this format before and hard to acquire in any format.

Because of the complexity around this petition, I urge you to pay very close attention to the facts leading to this important vote. If you have further questions, please contact the ACS at meminfo@acs.orgs or contact me directly, as Chair of the ACS Membership Affairs Committee, at d.richard.cobb@kodak.com. This vote is extremely important as it can pave the way for a more expansive, inclusive, and sustainable Society. Please make sure, more than ever before, that you take the time to express your opinion in this year’s election.

Please remember that I, and Jim Reynolds, are your voices on the national level. Feel free to contact me at 477-4903, email me at:
d.richard.cobb@kodak.com

or write me at:

15-C Greenleaf Meadows, Rochester, NY 14612.

Councilor's Corner - September 2008

The Council of the American Chemical Society convened in Philadelphia on Wednesday, August 20, 2008. As your Councilor, I want to give you the highlights from that meeting as it deals with Council business.

The following summary was provided to help Councilors report to their local sections and divisions on key actions and discussions of the ACS Council and Board of Directors at the 2008 fall national meeting.

ACTIONS OF THE COUNCIL

Election Results

· The Committee on Nominations and Elections presented to the Council the slate of nominees for membership on the Committee on Committees beginning in 2009. By written ballot, the Council elected Cherlynlavaughn Bradley, Rigoberto Hernandez, James M. Landis, Howard M. Peters, and Sara J. Risch for the 2009-2011 term.

· The Committee on Nominations and Elections presented to the Council the slate of nominees for membership on the Council Policy Committee beginning in 2009. By written ballot, the Council elected Ray A. Dickie, Bonnie A. Lawlor, Mamie W. Moy, and Eleanor D. Siebert for the 2009-2011 term.

· The Council Policy Committee presented to the Council the slate of nominees for membership on the Committee on Nominations and Elections. By written ballot, the Council elected W. H. (Jack) Breazeale, Jr., Peter K. Dorhout, Catherine C. Fenselau, Peter C. Jurs, and Andrea B. Twiss-Brooks for the 2009-2011 term; Angela K. Wilson for the 2009-2010 term; and Dwight W. Chasar for the remainder of a 2007-2009 term.

Candidates for President-Elect and Board of Directors

· The candidates for the fall 2008 ACS national election were announced as follows:

President-Elect 2009
Joseph S. Francisco, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Josef Michl, University of Colorado-Boulder, Boulder, CO

Directors-at-Large – 2009-2011
William F. Carroll, Jr., Occidental Chemical Corporation, Dallas, TX
Richard L. Deming, California State University- Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
Thomas R. Gilbert, Northeastern University, Boston, MA
Marinda Li Wu, Science is Fun! Orinda, CA

Director, District III 2009-2011
Pat N. Confalone, DuPont, Wilmington, DE
Alan B. Cooper, Schering-Plough Research Institute, Kenilworth, NJ

Director, District VI 2009-2011
Bonnie A. Charpentier, Metabolex, Inc., Hayward, CA
Gary D. Christian, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

Petition

· The Council VOTED to accept the Petition on Society Affiliate Dues. The petition raises Society Affiliate dues to be equal to the (full) membership dues, while specifying that Society Affiliates are not subject to any of the discounts otherwise applicable to membership dues. To be valid, the petition next must be confirmed by the Board of Directors within 90 days, and will become effective five months following confirmation.

Committee Review

· As part of a regular review, the Council VOTED to continue the Committee on Chemistry and Public Affairs, and the Committee on Patents and Related Matters. The Committee on Chemistry and Public Affairs is responsible for advice and recommendations for ACS action on public policy matters involving the chemical sciences and technologies. The Committee on Patents and Related Matters considers patents and other related items insofar as such consideration and possible action are appropriate under the Society’s Charter.

Registration Report and 2009 National Meeting Registration Fee

· As of August 20, 2008, the ACS fall national meeting had attracted 13,800 registrants. Totals in select categories are as follows: Regular attendees 8,196; Students 3,087; Guests 481; Exhibit Only 546; and Exhibitors 1,490. In keeping with the objective of the National Meeting Long Range Financial Plan, previously approved by the Board of Directors and Council, the Meetings and Expositions Committee voted to support an increase of $10 for the 2009 national meetings advance registration fee.

Membership Activity

· In 2007, the number of paid new members nominated by current ACS members was 1,559. Currently, there are 988 paid new member applications. The Society’s Member-Get-a-Member program is on track to have its best year ever.

Professional Employment Guidelines

· The Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs submitted its latest version of the Professional Employment Guidelines for consideration. These guidelines offer a broad spectrum of recommended practices in employment for professional scientists and their employers. The Council will vote on the Professional Employment Guidelines at the 2009 spring meeting in Salt Lake City.


Revision of the Division Funding Formula and Formation of a New Division

· After a motion to recommit failed, the Council VOTED, as recommended by the Divisional Activities Committee (DAC), to accept a revised division funding (allocation) formula. DAC reported that the formula improves clarity, offers simplicity, and rewards collaborative programming between divisions. The change will take effect in 2009 for 2008 activities.

· The Council also VOTED to approve the formation of the Probationary Division of Catalysis Science and Technology. The primary objective of this probationary division is to provide a “home” for the chemical science of catalysis within the ACS in a way that will also insure a continual connection between this science and the essential chemical technology of catalysis.

ACTIONS OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board’s Standing and Special Committees

· The Board of Directors received reports from its Executive Committee, and the Committees on Grants and Awards, Public Affairs and Public Relations, Professional and Member Relations, and Budget and Finance. On the recommendation of the Committee on Grants and Awards, the Board VOTED to approve nominees for the 2009 Perkin Medal and the 2009 Othmer Gold Medal. On the recommendation of the Committee on Professional and Member Relations, the Board VOTED to approve in principle a proposed alliance between the ACS and the RSC titled Research in Chemistry for Society/Sustainability (RICHES). On the recommendation of the Committee on Budget and Finance, the Board VOTED to include funding requests for the ACS Leadership Development System and ACS Green Chemistry Institute ® in the 2009 budget, and to accept the 2008 report from Program Review Advisory Group, as amended. The Board also accepted the recommendations from the 2008 Financial Planning Conference with one modification.

· The Board received a status report from its International Strategy Implementation Task Force and an update on plans for a Board-Presidential Task Force on Education. The International Strategy Implementation Task Force is charged with implementing the recently approved Society international strategy, and the Board-Presidential Task Force on Education will attempt to answer the question: “What can a Society with 160,000 members uniquely do that can have a transformative effect on education in the United States?”

Strategic Issue

· The Board of Directors continued its deliberations of the global scientific challenge Sustainability (e.g., energy, food, and water) and considered a proposed set of principles from the Committee on Environmental Improvement in this area. Addressing global scientific challenges is fundamental to strategic goal #3: ACS will be a global leader in enlisting the world’s scientific professionals to address, through chemistry, the challenges facing our world.


The Executive Director/CEO Report

· The Executive Director/CEO, along with several of her direct reports, updated the Board on the following items: the ACS Green Chemistry Institute ® Strategic Plan; the Web Presence Initiative; emerging issues affecting the Society; recommendations resulting from the new IRS Form 990 filing requirements; and the activities of Chemical Abstracts Service, the Publications Division, and the Society’s General Counsel. The emerging issues discussion was particularly vibrant as the ACS Board considered many of the key factors and trends that affect Society membership. As a follow-up to these reports the Board took several actions. The Board VOTED to amend its Regulations to conform with the new IRS Form 990 filing requirements; and on the recommendation of the Joint Board-Council Committee on Publications, the Board VOTED to approve the reappointment of several Society journal editors.

Other Society Issues

· The Board received an update on its substantial progress toward achieving its 2008 goals, and discussed a draft of proposed 2009 goals. The Board concluded its session with introductions and briefings from several international dignitaries representing the Royal Society of Chemistry, the German Chemical Society, the European Association for Chemical and Molecular Sciences, the Canadian Chemical Society, the Mexican Chemical Society, and IUPAC.

IMPORTANT NEWS: At the Philadelphia National Meeting, the Rochester Section received a ChemLuminary Award for “The Most Innovative New Activity or Program in a Local Section in 2007”. This award was for our efforts with NTID at RIT. We plan to have this award at the Local Section’s Award dinner in October so you will want to make sure you attend to see the beautiful honor.

As I stated in an earlier article, I am proud to represent Rochester as Chair of the ACS Membership Affairs Committee. I wanted to take some time in this article to describe what MAC is all about.

The ACS Committee on Membership Affairs is involved with recruiting and retaining ACS members by ensuring that ACS membership is a valuable resource in their professional lives. We do so by incorporating three subcommittees that meet, as an offshoot of the whole Committee, at each National ACS meeting. The three Subcommittees are:
o Categories and Dues
o Benefits and Services
o Recruitment and Retention

Categories and Dues

This Subcommittee is charged with the review of all membership dues categories and potential discounts. For instance, if there was a request for a special dues category and level for High School Chemistry Teachers, that proposal would be brought forth to this Subcommittee. The one thing that this Subcommittee does not handle is the base ACS dues level from year-to-year. That is handled through the Budget and Finance Committee.

Benefits and Services

This Subcommittee is charged with the review of all membership benefits and services in order to insure that we are maximizing the benefits of membership to our members. This is the Subcommittee that reviews al potential partners in business that offers members discounts, as was covered in my “Council Corner” within the June newsletter. One of the other positions I acquired, when I became Chair of this Committee, is a position on the Member Insurance Trust. This is the group the reviews all of the insurance programs offered to members. Updates from this Trust are brought forth to this Subcommittee. If you have an idea of a service or benefit that you would find valuable to you, please let me know so I can pass it onto this Subcommittee.

Recruitment and Retention

This Subcommittee is charged with coming up with programs that can help in the recruitment of new members as well as the retention of present members. This is a key area within the ACS because, like with any membership organization, people often come in and leave for a variety of reasons. For every person leaving, we have to bring in two new members to be ahead of the game. Many of you may have received a promotion called the “Member-get-a-Member” campaign. This is one of the programs that comes forth from this Subcommittee.

As you can see, the core of membership, what the ACS is all about, is within this Committee. I, for a long time, have been a champion for “membership value”. I would love to hear from any of you as to your ideas on what can bring better value to your ACS membership so that we can act on it and see if we can bring it to fruition.

Please remember that as Councilor, I am your voice on the national level. Feel free to contact me at 477-4903, email me at d.richard.cobb@kodak.com

or write me at:

15-C Greenleaf Meadows, Rochester, NY 14612.

D. Richard Cobb

Thank you!