Peter G. Arvan

Peter G. Arvan, 93, a retired Monsanto Chemical executive, died in Louisville, Colo., on April 25.

Born in Chicago, Arvan received a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, in 1943 and an M.A. in organic chemistry from Indiana University in 1944. He returned to the University of Illinois to earn a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry in 1949.

Arvan joined Monsanto Chemical in 1948, working as a researcher until 1955, when he became assistant director of research. He served as director of technical sales for the company’s inorganic division from 1956 until 1959, when he moved into a series of executive positions, first in the agricultural division and later in the new enterprise division, before retiring in 1978. He then joined Beker Industries and later worked as a private consultant.

He was a 70-year emeritus member of ACS and a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the New York Academy of Sciences, the Society of Chemical Industry, Sigma Xi, and Alpha Chi Sigma.

Arvan is survived by his daughters, Margaret Wallace, Maria Robinson, and Cende Holmes; son, George; two grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.