ACS NEWS "SORRY DON'T GET IT DONE, DUDE." Crum keeps a portrait of John Wayne in his office for inspiration. This quote comes from the movie "Rio Bravo."
JOHN CRUM RETIRES On the eve of his retirement, the 20-year ACS executive director reflects on his career and the people who helped to shape it
natured conspiratorial asides that, of ne cessity, he says are "off the record." Crum tells C&EN that, despite getting a research degree in inorganic chemistry he never expected to spend his career in in dustry or academe as a chemical scientist. "When I started my Ph.D. studies in in organic chemistry at the University of Texas, Austin, my adviser asked me my in tent, ^vvfould you like to get the Nobel Prize in Chemistry?' he asked. I said, 'No.' I said that I would like to have a career in scien tific writing or something like that," Crum says. As a result of that conversation, Crum's Ph.D. curriculum included cours es on science writing and courses on patent, trademark, and copyright law, and some on personnel management. Crum's Ph.D. adviser, George W Watt, was involved in society governance and would, in 1964, become chair of the ACS Committee on Nominations & Elections. Crum cites Witt as an early mentor who gave his protégé his first behind-the-scenes look at the society and its governance and politics.
LINDA R. RABER, C&EN WASHINGTON
B
Y ANY MEASURE,
AMERICAN
Chemical Society Executive Di rectorJohn Κ Crum has enjoyed a stellar career. Having spent the past 4 0 years at the society's headquarters in Washington, D.C., Crum has served the society in many roles, mak ing his mark in finance and investments early on. Now 66, Crum is retiring at the end of the year. His successor is Madeleine Jacobs, editor-in-chief of C&EN. As executive director, Crum is the so ciety officer who has direct day-to-day re sponsibility for all ACS operations—in cluding the Publications Division and Chemical Abstracts Service. More than 1,900 employees ofACS report through a chain ofmanagement that stops with him. The years of his tenure at ACS have been years ofgrowth in terms of the society's fi nancial reserves andfiscalhealth and in the exploitation of new technological innova tions that have poised the society to con tinue making contributions to chemistry
and its practitioners well into the future. This reporter sat down with Crum on one of his last days at ACS. His office is large and comfortable with a few paintings and heavy wooden furniture, including some guest chairs, a large round table, and a coffee table strewn with retirement gifts from well-wishers. Most of the gifts seem to have aTexas/John Wayne theme and in clude a photo of Crum as "the Duke," a cattle brand with the intials JKC, and a bottle of what looks to be a Kistler chardonnay Kisder is Crum's middle name. And as anyone familiar with ACS knows, Kistler is abbreviated K—no period. His manner is genial and confident as he recalls the past and contemplates the coming divergence of his future and that ofACS. His voice has a gentle Texas twang that comes from his early years in the Lone Star State. The conversation is peppered with the insights and hindsights that 4 0 years with the same organization bring. These are interspersed with some good-
ONCE CRUM was hired by ACS, his trajectory up the ladder of the society's staff began quickly He joined AnalyticalChemistry as an assistant editor in 1964. Mentored by Analytical Chemistry Editor Lawrence C. Hallett, Crum became managing editor of the magazine four years later and group manager ofACS journals in 1970. Crum speaks of Hallett with great affection, interrupting the interview to ask his longtime executive assistant Diane H. Bender to bring in a large oil painting of Hallet, which was commissioned byACS years ago. The painting, in shades ofblack, white, and gray depicts abig, bearlike man with a shock of snow-white hair leaning toward the viewer. It is a striking portrait. "He was a very kind person, but he could hold his own," Crum recalls with a laugh, then a sigh. "He was about 65 years old when I met him; he had piercing blue eyes, and I guess I saw him as a father figure and as a person who was well skilled in the management arts." When asked about the development of ACS publications during his career, Crum
"My most satisfying moments have been over the past 10 years, when I have been able to pick some people in leadership positions who have turned out to be really good." 54
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PRESIDENTIAL HONORS Former and future ACS presidents wish Crum well at his retirement dinner: (from left) Eli M. Pearce, Robert W. Parry, William F. Carroll Jr., Crum, Helen M. Free, Charles P. Casey, Nina I. McClelland (board chair), and Edel Wasserman. DONORS Robert W. Parry and Crum display the list of donors to the John I Crum Tribute Fund Β established this year to fund four society initiatives started under Crum's watch.
PROUD AND POSITIVE Crum, who has had an illustrious career with the American Chemical Society, approaches retirement with enthusiasm.
LIFE'S A BEACH ACS Board Chair Nina I. McClelland and Crum pose with a replica of a large painting of a beach scene that has hung in Crum's office for years. The painting was given to Crum as a retirement gift.
SECRETARIAL POSITIONS Former and current ACS secretaries joined in the festivities: (from left) Flint H. Lewis, D. H. Michael Bowen, Crum, Rod Hader, and Justin Collât. HTTP://WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
SUCCESSFUL SUCCESSION Crum and Jacobs smile for the camera at Crum's retirement dinner.
RIGHT HAND AND LEFT HAND, TOO Crum thanks longtime executive assistant Bender for years of loyal service. Both are retiring at the end of 2003. C&EN
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ACS NEWS recalls: 'When I joined the organization, we were doing hot-metal typesetting. I re member my many trips to Mack Printing when I wsswiuiAnalyticaiChemistry to learn that part ofthe trade.TThen everything start ed changing." Crum was made director of the ACS Books & Journals Department in 1972 at the age of 36. And a big part of his agenda was getting the society into electronic pub lishing early His management talent was recognized by Robert W Cairns, who had served as president of ACS and chair of the board of ACS before becoming ACS execu tive director in 1972. It was Cairns who plucked Crum from the ranks of ACS senior staff for more advanced training in management. Crum received a diploma from Harvard University's Advanced Management Program in 1975. Little did he know what awaited him back in Washington. That year, Crum was elect ed treasurer and chief financial officer of the society "I wish that they had told me they were planning to do that; I would have taken more courses in finance at Harvard," Crum says with a laugh. "It was a surprise," he contin ues. "I needed to learn quickly about invest ments, management of pension funds, and things like that that the treasurer and chief financial officer has to know about. It was overwhelming, but it was the most exciting period of my life to learn all of those new things that were completely different from chemistry and completely different from the publishing environment that I had been in before. I learned most of my present skills from Cairns when I was treasurer and CFQ" According to C&EN articles written at the time, as treasurer and CFO, Crum spearheaded a major overhaul of the busi ness accounting and reporting systems at ACS and initiated new financial planning that led to establishing financial goals and financial reserve requirements. After 1979, as chairman of the board's Committee on Investments, Crum com pletely reoriented the society's approach to investments management, with excellent results. By 1981, Crum was tapped by the ACS Board to become deputy executive di rector of the society In this newly created position, which he held concurrently with his others, Crum became intimately in volved in the day-to-day management of the society and its staff: Raymond Ρ Mariella, who had served as executive director for
five years, announced his retirement effec tive at the end of 1982. And, as usual, a search committee of the board of directors was formed to find Mariella's successor. "I remember quite well, when I was in terviewed as one of six candidates for the job, I told the board of directors that ACS is on the verge of being big time into elec tronic publishing and that because of my experience in publications, I was probably the most qualified person to lead us into the era of electronic publishing. And as it turned out, that's ex actly what happened," Crum says. In late November 1982, the ACS Board of Directors met in spe cial session and elected Crum as executive di rector, effective Jan. 1, 1983. According to a re cently published histo ry of the society: "The organizational changes implemented in 1981, while Crum was deputy executive di rector, continued to produce the desired benefits. Membership services and busi ness efficiency continued to improve, the objectives of the Columbus and Washing ton operations offices were sharpened in dividually and collectively, and the full po tential of the staff was demonstrated."
Crum completely reoriented the society's approach to investments management, with excellent results.
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CRUM'S STATED GOAL at the time was to expand coordination and communication among the operating units. The increased coordination, combined with a greater em phasis on long-range planning by the staff, was aimed to ensure that the management staff made the best allocation of financial and human resources. He also established a financial goal to have revenues exceed ex penses on an annual basis and to build rev enues to a level that would ensure the fi nancial viability of ACS to withstand almost any catastrophe. This careful financial plan ning, which has distinguished his career, al lowed ACS to finish 1983, ayear of budget austerity, in sound financial shape. "My most satisfying moments have been over the past 10 years, when I have been able to pick some people in leadership positions who have turned out to be really good and have been loyal to me and loyal to our or ganization," Crum says. Injune 1992, Robert J. Massie was appointed director of CAS. In addition, the Governing Board of CAS was established to ensure that CAS remain at the leading edge ofinformation science and con tinue as the most important supplier of chemical information to the world. By 1996, this board would become the Governing
Board for Publishing, on which Crum sits, and it oversees the operations and research development efforts of both the ACS Pub lications Division and CAS. "CAS has a tremendous future. They have been concentrating more and more on patents, which are increasingly impor tant in the general commerce of the world. They are well placed—whatever hap pens—to have a real role in chemical in formation," Crum says. Robert D. Bovenschulte was named di rector of the ACS Publications Division in 1997. By 2001, the Publications Divisionhad in place all of the elements for a fully elec tronic publishing process. Recendy launched ACS journals have provided a testingground for developing and refining electronic fea tures. The journals Organic Letters sndBiomacromolecules were the first to offer authors a paperless manuscript submission process. Crum says the value of ACS publications will hold over time, even in the wake of on line-only journals that are now becoming popular in the biosciences. "Our journals take the traditional careful approach to truth in science," he says. "Traditional journals will hold out. Those associated with professional societies like ours will hold out because of the value we add to them, because of the prestige of the organization, and the ability to use our membership for the reviewing process." He is also proud of the growth in ACS membership and member services that has occurred on his watch. "Most membership organizations since the 1970s have seen de creases in their membership," he says. "We have a 94% retention rate, which is the highest in the business that I know of, and that has not changed. It really shows that ACS members are getting what they want from the organization." When one considers the remarkable achievements chemistry has made in the past, it is easier to imagine what might be accomplished in the future. "The society continues to encourage in the broadest and most liberal manner the advancement of readiness—through its officers, members ofgoverning bodies, and the expert servic es of its staff—to fulfill the mission set by the chemical enterprise and its practitioners."This has been Crum's overarching mis sion, and as he passes the office of execu tive director to Jacobs, he is content. "I think my successor is uniquely quali fied to help put ACS on the world map in a way that I was perhaps never qualified," he concludes. "She is a unique spokes woman for chemistry, and I think that will work greatly to the society's advantage. My advice to her is to forge ahead." • HTTP://WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
ACS NEWS
ACS-PRF Grants For 2003 Announced
STN Express Analysis Edition Launched
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Board of Directors approved the recommendations of the ACS Pe troleum Research Fund (PRF) Advisory Board to award 4 9 9 grants, committing a total of more than $22.6 million in the regular A C S - P R F grant programs in 2003. In addition, the board approved advisory board recommendations for 23 grants in three ACS-PRF pilot grant pro grams, totaling more than $1.7 million. These pilot programs are supported by a special allocation authorized by the ACS Board (C&EN, March 17, page 47). In the regular grant programs, about 28% of the Type AC applications, 34% of the Type Β applications, and 30% of the Type G (starter grant) applications were supported. ACS-PRF was established in 1944. ACS is required to "use all funds for ad vanced scientific education and funda mental research in the petroleum field,' which may include any field of pure sci ence which may afford a basis for subse quent research directly connected with the petroleum field." All grant and ad ministrative expenses are paid by the fund. No ACS dues money is used to sup p o r t P R F ; A C S - P R F grant funding comes from an endowment (C&EN, June 18,2001, page 45). The decline and uncertainty in the capital markets in recent years present ed unusual challenges for ACS-PRF for the 2003 grant cycle. The ACS-PRF en dowment was negatively impacted by the poor performance of the capital markets. The continuing fluctuations in the mar kets forced ACS to be cautious with spending plans for 2003 to avoid jeop ardizing the long-term health of the fund. Fortunately, the financial markets im proved in 2003 and all recommended ap plicants have been notified that their grants have been approved. The com plete list of ACS-PRF grants approved in 2003 may be viewed and searched at ht tp : //www. cen-online .org. Information and application materi als for all programs may be obtained by contacting the Petroleum Research Fund, American Chemical Society, 1155—16th St., N.W., Washington, D C 20036; by calling (202) 872-4481; by emailing a request to
[email protected]; or by submitting a request through the ACS-PRF website, http://chemistry. org/prf. HTTP://WWW.CEN-ONLINE.ORG
HEMICAL ABSTRACTS SERVICE (CAS)
announced the latest version of STN Express on Dec. 2 at the Online In formation 2003 conference in London. New features in STN Express with Dis cover! Analysis Edition (version 70) aim to help information professionals see the big picture when they search and retrieve in formation from the world's scientific lit erature and patents. "Combining our database content with the latest technology, we have integrated STN Express with the widely used Mi crosoft Excel program to deliver a set of tools [that] searchers will find easy to use and responsive to their needs." says Robert L. Swann, CAS vice president for infor mation technology New capabilities include the following: • A two-dimensional Analyze Wizard used to analyze and tabulate data, then automatically create charts and graphs in Excel. • A unique Variable Group Analysis Table to identify the common substruc ture for an answer set of substances iden tified in the CAS Registry with variable Rgroup locations identified and variable R-groups listed in a table. • Assistance for query development via an interface to the CA Lexicon, a tool based on the effective use of CA indexing terms. More information is available online at http://www.cas.org/ONLINE/STN/dis cover.html.
WCC Travel Grants Announced
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LEVEN C H E M I S T S HAVE BEEN S E -
lected to receive Eli Lilly/Women Chemists Committee Travel Awards for spring 2004.The grant program provides funding for undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral women chemists to travel to scientific meetings to present the results of their research. The winners, listed below, were chosen from a pool of 25 applicants. • Rebecca L. Coppins of the Universi ty of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, will at tend RNA 2004, the ninth annual meet ing of the RNA Society, in Madison, Wis. (June 1 6, 2004), to present her research titled Ά D N A Enzyme that Mimics the First Step of RNA Splicing." • J. KaTrina Daniels from Clemson University, in South Carolina, will attend the 227th ACS national meeting in Ana
heim, Calif. (March 28-April 1,2004), to present her research titled "Core-Shell Nanoparticles for Optical Labeling in DNAAssays." • Kelly Hutchinson ofNazareth College, Rochester, N.Y, will also attend the Ana heim national meeting to present research titled 'Acid and Temperature Dependence of Pyrrole-2-Carboxylate Decarboxylation and Integration into the Physical Chem istry Laboratory " • Maya Leonetti of Washington State University, Pullman, will speak on the "ScanningTunneling Spectroscopy Study of Self-Assembled Dicyano Cobalt(III) Phthalocyanine on Au(lll)" at the Ana heim national meeting. • Carmen Lopez, from Purdue Univer sity, will present research titled "Electro chemical Synthesis of Nanostructured Metal Chalcogenide Photoelectrodes" at the Anaheim national meeting. • Kathryn McCulloch of Ball State Uni versity, Muncie, Ind., will attend the 2004 annual meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology in Boston on June 12-16,2004, to speak on "Site-Directed Mutagenesis of the Yeast V 0 Subunit to Study its Role for V-ATPase Function." • KelseyMcDuffee of the University of California, Irvine, will present research ti tled "Surface Variability of 14C in Dissolved Inorganic Carbon: Indications for Circu lation Change and Carbon Cycling in the Sargasso Sea" at the American Geophysi cal Union Ocean Sciences meeting in Port land, Ore., on Jan. 26-30,2004. • Sarah-Jo Stimpson, from Union College, Schenectady, Ν . Υ., will head to the Anaheim national meeting to pre sent research titled "Investigating Ligand-Receptor Interactions: Organic Foldamers Recognizing the EVH1 and SH3 Domains." • Hannah Toomey of the Universi ty of Texas, Arlington, will attend the Anaheim national meeting to speak on "Cofacial Dimerization of Bis-napthyl Porphyrins." • Christine Utter, from the University of Detroit, Mercy, will speak about the 'Ab Initio Study of the UV Spectrum of the l,r,5,5'-Tetramethyl-6,6'-Dioxo-3,3'Biverdazyl Diradical" at the Anaheim na tional meeting. • Amber Wellman, from the Universi ty ofTennessee, Knoxville, will attend the Pittsburgh Conference in Chicago (March 7-12, 2004) to present research titled 'Analysis of A-B Fibrils Using Capillary Electrophoresis with Laser Light-Scatter ing Detection." • C&EN
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