Arthur R. Kavaler

Arthur R. Kavaler, 91, former editor and publisher of Chemical Marketing Reporter (now ICIS Chemical Business), died on Jan. 18 from complications of heart disease.

Born in New York City, Kavaler earned a bachelor’s degree in English from New York University in 1941 and a master’s degree at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in 1942.

Early in his career, he worked in the news department of the radio station WQXR and in the Washington, D.C., bureau of the now-defunct Syracuse Herald-Journal. In 1947, he joined Schnell Publishing as market editor of Oil, Paint & Drug Reporter (OPD). He was appointed news editor in 1949, managing editor in 1952, and editor-in-chief in 1969. In 1972, he became president of Schnell and publisher and chief executive officer of OPD (later renamed Chemical Marketing Reporter and then Chemical Market Reporter).

Schnell’s profitability quickly increased under his direction, as he added innovative products to the company’s portfolio, including a new monthly feature magazine, Chemical Business, and the first electronic reference database for chemical manufacturers, CompuReach.

He stepped down from his roles as publisher and editor-in-chief of Chemical Marketing Reporter in 1990 but continued to serve as an editorial consultant for Schnell and for various trade organizations until 1995. In his honor, Schnell created the Kavaler Award, which was presented to leading chief executives in the chemical industry from 1990 until 1999.

After retiring in the late 1990s, Kavaler took courses at Columbia University and traveled extensively with his wife, Lucy. He also indulged his passions for archaeology, collecting Mayan and Chinese artifacts, and for the arts, supporting museums and concert halls in New York City. He played tennis until the age of 70.

He is survived by his daughter, Andrea, and son, Roger. His wife of 62 years died in 2010.