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Governance

ACS Board updates and actions from December 2024

A roundup of all end-of-year board actions

by Sara Cottle
January 24, 2025

 

The American Chemical Society logo.

The American Chemical Society Board of Directors met in Washington, DC, Dec. 6–7 to hold elections; take actions; have discussions on regulations, policies, and ACS community feedback; and review reports. In line with one of the bigger changes in the newly approved 2025–29 ACS Strategic Plan, the meeting opened with a reflection on the evolution of diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect on the ACS Board and in ACS at large.

Board elections

In December, C&EN published breaking news on the election of Wayne E. Jones as chair of the board of directors for 2025, as well as other board appointments.

Board actions

The board approved the 2025–29 ACS Strategic Plan, effective Jan 1. 2025, which included a magnitude of changes not seen since the 2020 updates to the strategic plan. Other approvals, as detailed in the December breaking news, include operating budget, capital budget for 2025, and CAS and Publications financial targets, the ACS biennial public policy priorities, an editor in chief for ACS Nano, and funds for an award and supporting speakers. Additionally, amendments were approved as presented, and the board endorsed actions that were approved by the ACS Council during ACS Fall 2024. A resolution in memory of past ACS president and board member Attila E. Pavlath was also adopted.

Board discussions

The board discussed several topics related to running ACS. For example, it discussed how the Working Group on International Board Member Onboarding can continue providing input to the board. That group suggested updating regulations and policies so that its review of board members’ onboarding is easier. The board also discussed preliminary recommendations, such as the Board Committees Review Working Group’s suggestions to make board committees more efficient, reviewed feedback from ACS members, and decided the topics that will be on the agenda at the June and December 2025 meetings.

Reports

Albert G. Horvath, ACS CEO, and his staff reported on ACS’s global operational footprint, the society’s upcoming 150th anniversary, changes at C&EN, an updated policy on delegating authority, potential mergers and acquisitions, and ACS’s financial state.

The presidential succession—the current president, immediate past president, and president-elect—shared updates on their significant activities and initiatives, including Mary K. Carroll’s efforts to create an ACS Pride Committee. Other reports included one by ACS secretary Kim Knight on opportunities to further improve support for the board and written reports from the general counsel, Human Resources, treasurer, Advisory Board for the ACS Green Chemistry Institute, American Association of Chemistry Teachers Governing Board, and the Committees on Audits, Board of Trustees for the Group Insurance Plans, Budget and Finance, Chemical Safety, Corporation Associates, Education, and Petroleum Research Fund.

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