For director-at-large: Joseph P. Stoner

Georgia Section. Retired, Shimadzu Scientific Instruments, Kyoto, Japan.

Academic record: Georgia Institute of Technology, BChE, 1966; University of Georgia, MBA, 1971.

Honors: Nexus Award, ACS Division of Business Development and Management, 2023; Henry Hill Award, ACS Division of Professional Relations, 2021–22; ACS Fellow, 2011; Georgia Section Outstanding Service Award, 2010; Director’s Award for Advancing ACS Public Policy in R&D Funding, 1998; Georgia Tech Alumni Association, Ramblin’ Wreck Volunteer Award, 1998; Phi Kappa Phi; Beta Gamma Sigma; Leadership DeKalb, class of 2009.

Professional positions (for the past 10 years): A number of analytical instrument companies, sales, management, and quality assurance roles (now retired).

Service in ACS national offices: Committee on Divisional Activities, 2020–23; Committee on Budget and Finance, 2009–19; Committee on Economic and Professional Affairs, 1998–99, 1995–96, 2009–10; ACS Board-Presidential Task Force on Society Services and Associated Dues Pricing Models, 2010–14.

Service in ACS offices: Georgia Section: councilor, 2019–24, 2007–12; alternate councilor, 2013–15; secretary, 2004–06; chair, 2003; chair-elect, 2002. North Jersey Section: councilor, 1998–99, 1994–96; chair, 1995; chair-elect, 1994; alternate councilor, 2000–01, 1997; Chromatography Topical Group, chair, 1992–1993; treasurer, 1991–1992; secretary, 1990–1991; Business Development and Management Division: chair, 2016; Professional Relations Division: chair, 2014, Ethics Subdivision, chair, 2012; Middle Atlantic Region: Caucus, chair, 1995–96.

Member: Member of ACS since 1972. ACS Divisions: Small Chemical Businesses; Analytical Chemistry; Professional Relations; Business Development and Management.

Related activities: Ethics Programs in Corporations and Institutions, 245th ACS National Meeting, symposium chair; Henry Hill Award Symposium, 266th ACS National Meeting, chair

Stoner’s statement

I will bring a different perspective to the American Chemical Society Board of Directors. I have 30 years of experience in sales and marketing of analytical instruments, mostly high-pressure liquid chromatography, but also gas chromatography, UV spectrometry, thermal analysis, total organic carbon, atomic absorption, and mass spectrometry. These many years of advocating for the sale of analytical instruments have taught me lessons about how to encourage people to buy into activities that will help their individual needs.

The biggest issues facing ACS today are membership and participation. Membership has declined for several years, and the society has put into place new membership categories that encourage membership growth. Membership and participation in divisions have declined as well. These issues are being addressed by marketing professionals who are members of the ACS staff. We must develop creative marketing strategies to grow society membership as well as participation in divisions and local sections. We need advertising and public relations strategies that support growth, as well as programs that engage members in recruiting new ACS members and that engage division members in recruiting new division members from within the ACS. We need programs that encourage young members to get more involved.

It is important that the Board of Directors has among its members the kind of expertise in marketing disciplines that I can bring, in order to support our professionals as they build the future of the society. I also bring recent practical experience as Division Activities Committee’s liaison to the Membership Affairs Committee.

I support the technical mission of the society. I began my volunteer participation in ACS in 1990 with leadership roles in the North Jersey Chromatography Topical Group. As chair of two large local sections, I have supported technical topics in their programming. More recently, I have involved myself with the technical divisions as a member of the Division Activities Committee.

I have been an active participant in the advocacy efforts of the society. I was recognized with the Director’s Award for Advancing ACS Public Policy in Research and Development Funding in 1998, for outreach to US Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen. I will be a supporter of our efforts in lobbying both in the nation’s capital and in individual states as a member of the Board of Directors.

With more than a decade of experience on the Budget and Finance Committee, I have a broad understanding of our revenue-​generating entities, Chemical Abstracts Service, and ACS Publications, as well as the broader financial issues that the society faces. The Division of Business Development and Management has recognized me for my leadership with the Nexus Award. My business background serves me well in the role on the board.

As a recent recipient of the Henry Hill Award, I am a supporter of the society’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) goals. We support DEIR programming in the Division of Professional Relations, which I chaired in 2015. I also chaired its Subdivision of Ethics.

I promise to be a board member that is available to the members of the society. I have learned as a sales professional that listening is the most important skill that an advocate can have. I pledge to listen to the concerns of members and bring them to the table in board discussions. I also pledge to listen well to the ACS staff and to the other members of the board.

I would be honored to serve you as a member of the Board of Directors. I thank you for your support.

To contact this candidate, email joestoner@bellsouth.net.