12 inform January 2009, Vol.

20 (1)

1989–1998: The good times

Membership rises, finances
improve, divisions multiply
New Orleans’ motto when Mardi Gras time arrives is “laissez les
bon temps roulez”—let the good times roll. For AOCS, the 1990s
proved to be the good times: membership would peak, financial
surpluses would return, and international activities would increase.
AOCS’ ninth decade also became the first without an AOCS annual
meeting in New Orleans.

George Willhite
AOCS Treasurer Robert Burton had bad news for members
attending the 1989 AOCS annual meeting in Cincinnati. The
Society had an operating loss of approximately $268,000
in 1988, Burton said, and a total loss of $360,000. AOCS
had operated in the red for three straight years and four
out of the last six, Burton reported, but the overall bal-
ance sheet was healthy and the Governing Board had or-
dered personnel cuts and budget revisions the previous
fall designed to avoid future operating deficits.
Burton’s optimism proved justified when AOCS’ operating
income exceeded expenses in seven of the next eight years—ris-
ing to an operating surplus of nearly $450,000 in 1998. Budgets
were surpassing $4 million.
AOCS thrived during the 1990s, and expectations were high
for the following decade. The number of staff persons was increas-
ing. In the late 1990s, a space crunch led AOCS’ four-person tech- A 1994 INFORM cover promoting that year’s AOCS Annual Meeting
nical staff, which was responsible for uniform methods, Smalley, & Expo. INFORM was one of two AOCS publications that debuted
and approved chemist programs, to move to rented office space
during the 1990s.
in a nearby office park.
In anticipation of a need for even more staff, the AOCS Gov-
had begun to coalesce into informal common interest groups—
erning Board in 1995 began to consider expanding the eight-year-
processing, soaps and detergents, protein, analytical, and others.
old Champaign headquarters building. Jim Lyon, AOCS’ chief
An AOCS protein and co-products specialty section had organized
staff officer, recalls that long-term considerations made expansion
formally in 1982, followed by a surfactant and detergent specialty
on Broadmoor problematic when planners realized that “projec-
section in 1987 and a plant and microbial lipids specialty section
tions pushed our staffing projections to a point beyond the scope of
in 1989. From the 1920s until the late 1940s, AOCS had included
future available parking.” In 1998, the board decided the Society
a “soap” section. The new specialty sections were a revival of that
should build a new headquarters rather than expand the old one.
type of division within the membership.
The eventual site chosen was 2.85 miles (4.6 kilometers) north,
In 1992, AOCS changed its bylaws to encourage creation of
still in Champaign. The new structure would be more expensive,
common-interest “divisions.” Within one year, AOCS had nine
but the outlook seemed to justify the cost.
divisions: Analytical, Biotechnology, Edible Applications, Health
and Nutrition, Lipid Oxidation/Quality, Phospholipids, Process-
MULTIPLYING VIA DIVISIONS ing, Protein and Co-Products, and Surfactants and Detergents. In
The nine AOCS founders in 1909 were a relatively homogeneous 1994, an AOCS Division Council was organized with representa-
group—analysts who worked with cottonseed products. In the tives from each division meeting to discuss mutual problems and
1990s, the 5,000+ members comprised a diverse group in terms of opportunities. The division council chairperson became a non-
disciplines and geography. Over several decades, AOCS members voting Governing Board member.
 inform January 2009, Vol. 20 (1) 13 AOCS’ 100 Years

INTERNATIONAL FLAVOR Timeline

for 1989–1998
As the new topic-oriented divisions, which crossed internation-
al boundaries, flourished, so did geographic sections outside the
United States.
A Canadian AOCS Section had been formed in 1985, fol-
1989//// AOCS discontinues “individual associate” mem-
lowed by a Latin American Section in 1987. An AOCS India
ber classification, making all full members eligible to vote
section was authorized in 1993. AOCS sections in Australia and
Europe would hold their first meetings in 1996. The first AOCS and hold society offices.
section outside the United States had been formed in 1965 in Mon-
1990//// AOCS publishes first issue of INFORM (Interna-
terrey, Mexico, but it had become inactive by 1975.
tional News on Fats, Oils, and Related Materials).
During the decade, there were four AOCS world conferences
in Europe, three in Asia, and one in Istanbul, which straddles both AOCS installs first internal computer network for word
continents. The 1992 oilseed conference in Budapest, Hungary, processing; spreadsheet software installed at AOCS.
was AOCS’ first such venture into eastern/central Europe. Also
in 1992, Vytaly Kljuchkin became AOCS’ first member from the US detergent industry begins introducing sueprconcen-
Soviet Union; he was general director for a research institute in trated powder and liquid laundry detergents, dishwashing
Leningrad. gels, and other cleaning products.
AOCS took on secretariat duties for the International Society
for Fat Research (ISF) that same year. ISF previously had oper- 1991//// First Stephen S. Chang Distinguished Service
ated with a secretary-general as its only staff member, with host- Award presented to John Kinsella.
country volunteers handling organizational details for meetings,
usually held biennially. With AOCS as a secretariat, ISF gained L.H. Princen becomes editor of JAOCS, succeeding Thomas
staff to handle membership records, meeting logistics, and pro- H. Applewhite.
motional services. There were four ISF congresses during the de-
cade: 1992, Toronto; 1995, The Hague; 1997, Kuala Lumpur; and Oxygen bleach activators discovered; structured liquid de-
1999, Brighton. tergents introduced by US industry.
If AOCS’ international activity, including international sec-
tions, was increasing, domestic geographic section activity was AOCS publications department begins operation of an
diminishing. Relatively inexpensive domestic long-distance tele- Apple computer network for desktop publishing.
phone service, fax machines, and e-mail gave US members ways
to communicate rapidly rather than waiting for a monthly dinner 1992//// First Samuel Rosen Memorial Ward presented to
meeting or annual symposium. Robert Laughlin.
One new domestic section did form in the decade. After a
successful 1989 annual meeting in Cincinnati, an Ohio Valley 1993//// First Ralph Potts Student Award presented to
Section was formed, providing that meeting’s organizers with a Jonathon Blitz.
chance to continue the fellowship they had enjoyed. But elsewhere
AOCS Analytical Division creates and presents first Her-
geographic sections were fading. In 2008, the two remaining US
geographic sections, the North Central Section and the Northeast bert J. Dutton Award to Dr. Dutton.
Section, would merge into a single United States section.
1994//// Howard Knapp becomes editor of Lipids, succeed-
ing Wolfgang Baumann.
PUBLICATIONS
Two AOCS periodicals were introduced during the decade. IN- First Frank Naughton Award presented to Chaitali
FORM, a new member monthly publication, published its first is- Adhikare.
sue in January 1990. At the end of the decade, the Journal of Sur-
factants and Detergents (JSD) debuted. AOCS hires first information technology systems manager.
INFORM, an acronym derived from International News on
Fats, Oils and Related Materials, was intended as a monthly busi- First genetically altered oilseed crop—40% laurate cano-
ness and science news magazine for AOCS-related disciplines. la—planted by Calgene near Dawson, Georgia
Former AOCS Director of Publications Dick Baldwin suggest-
ed the title during a publications committee meeting at the 1989 1995//// Alkyl polyglucosides commercialized by Henkel.
AOCS annual meeting in Cincinnati. Tom Applewhite, the found-
Canadian AOCS Section presented its first lifetime
ing editor for INFORM, was succeeded in 1993 by Tim Mounts.
achievement awards in field of fats and for contributions
INFORM contained the news and advertising content that previ-
ously appeared in JAOCS, which continued as a monthly jour-
by Canadians to Robert Ackman, Joyce Beare-Rogers,
nal publishing only peer-reviewed technical papers. The late Bert Kenneth Carroll, John deMan, Arnis Kuksis, and Ted Mag.
Princen (see “In Memoriam,” p. 38) became editor of JAOCS 1996//// First M. Eijadi Student Award, AOCS Foundation,
in 1991, succeeding Applewhite. William H. Tallent was named
Lever and Unichem scholarship awards presented.
JAOCS editor in 1997 when Princen stepped down. James Rat-
tray became INFORM editor that year following the death of Tim For the rest of this decade’s timeline and other historical
sidebars, log in and visit www.aocs.org/press/inform/.
Lorenzo’s Oil: 14 inform January 2009, Vol. 20 (1)

The fats and oils movie lent. Others could join as “individual associate members,” which
Lorenzo’s Oil is likely to be the only major Hollywood film entitled them to virtually all privileges except voting or holding
ever to have a plot revolving around triglyceride structure. executive office. At the spring 1989 annual meeting, members vot-
The 1992 fi lm is based on the true struggle of Augus- ed to dissolve the difference. Henceforth, all full members would
to and Michaela Odone to save their son, Lorenzo, who be eligible to vote and to run for office.
was diagnosed in 1984 at age 6 with X-ALD (adrenoleu- The AOCS Fellows program began in 1997. Previously, long-
time members being recognized for long-term outstanding service
kodystrophy) in the brain. Susan Sarandon, who portrayed
had been designated as “Honorary Members.” Now they would be
Michaela Odone, received an Academy Award nomination
known as “Fellows.”
as best actress.
Henceforth, the honorary member designation would be be-
The disease involves destruction of the myelin sheath stowed on nonmembers who had provided unusual service to
around nerve structures by accumulations of very-long- AOCS or its fields of interest, which had been the criteria for hon-
chain fatty acids (VLCFA), disturbing nerve function. The orary members during AOCS’ early decades.
Odones eventually obtained a pint of pure, food-grade ole-
ic-acid oil from the late Russell McIntyre, an AOCS member
who worked for Capital City Products in Columbus, Ohio.
MILESTONES
The 4th edition of AOCS Official Methods and Recommended
McIntyre recalled in 1993 that he remembered a phone call
Practices was completed in late 1989, a culmination of the pro-
from Mrs. Odone seeking the oil, but couldn’t remember gram that had begun in the 1970s to update AOCS’ methodology.
the research project that had produced the surplus pint of AOCS Technical Director David Berner and Uniform Methods
pure oleic acid oil that he sent to her. editor David Firestone decided another useful task would be to
Use of the pure oleic-acid oil in Lorenzo’s diet reduced revive Section I of the AOCS methods book. By 1997, the updat-
his serum VLCFA levels and slowed the disease’s progress. ed Section I, providing physical and chemical characteristics for
He did not die within two years as doctors had said was in- hundreds of fats, oils, and waxes was completed. Since 1999 it has
evitable, surviving until 2008. One research report noted been published in book form.
that only about 10% of a group of young boys who began In 1990, scholars outside North America became eligible for
taking Lorenzo’s Oil after having been determined to have AOCS Honored Student Awards. Honored Students from around
the gene leading to X-ALD later showed symptoms of the the world now receive support to attend the AOCS annual meet-
disease. ing to present a research paper. In 2008, eight of the twelve Hon-
After Lorenzo Odone died May 30, 2008, at age 30, his ored Students were born outside the United States, with four re-
father, Augusto, said he planned to write a book about the ceiving awards for work done in Argentina, Canada, France, and
struggle to save Lorenzo. An article about the movie ap- New Zealand.
peared in the April 1993 INFORM. Students attending the 1994 annual meeting in Atlanta had
a unique chance to have breakfast with “mentors,” AOCS mem-
bers who offered to buy breakfast for two or three students and
to discuss what might lie ahead after graduation. During the 2008
Mounts in 1996. Larry Johnson had filled the post on an interim AOCS meeting in Seattle, the mentor event was held during a
basis during the latter part of 1996. lunch break and allowed students to visit with more than one pro-
With the advent of INFORM, the AOCS news staff ceased fessional AOCS member.
publication in December 1989 of I.N.F.O. (International News- At the 1991 annual meeting in Chicago, Executive Direc-
letter on Fats and Oils), a limited circulation monthly created to tor Jim Lyon was honored for two decades with AOCS. Dur-
share information among national fats and oils groups in North ing his first 20 years, AOCS membership had risen by more than
America, Europe, and Asia. 33%, the budget had more than doubled, and the number of staff
Paul O’Dea was named AOCS staff director of publications in members had tripled to 36. During those 20 years AOCS also had
1988, retiring a few years later to be succeeded by Mary Lane. grown from a primarily domestic organization into an international
AOCS Press, the Society’s publishing arm, was created in society.
1993 to give a distinctive identity to the publications program, as The first Stephen S. Chang Award was presented in 1991 to
well as to provide a vehicle to form a for-profit subsidiary if the John Kinsella for outstanding research. Chang had come to the
need should arise. Thus far it hasn’t. United States after World War II and become active in AOCS af-
The quarterly Journal of Surfactants and Detergents began ter doing graduate studies at the universities of Kansas and Illi-
in 1998, publishing technical papers, news, and advertising. Ten nois under Fred Kummerow. He became head of the Department
years later it became a journal solely for peer-reviewed technical of Food Science at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey,
papers. Surfactant and detergent industry news is published in in- where the agricultural college’s library is named for Chang and his
form (which now uses lower-case letters in its acronym title). JSD wife, Lucy. The Changs became generous benefactors to AOCS,
was championed by AOCS’ surfactant and detergent contingent, making the first individual $25,000 contribution to the 1986 build-
with founding editor Michael Cox leading the way. ing fund drive as well as endowing the Chang award for research
of importance to the fats and oils industries.
MEMBERSHIP REVISIONS AOCS had hired its fi rst information technology staff per-
AOCS opened the door wider to full active membership in 1989. son in 1994 and two years later established a home page on the
Until then, “active members,” those entitled to vote and hold of- Internet, a bland display compared to the current version, but one
fice, had to have at least five years’ scientific training or its equiva- that drew enough attention to make it, at the time, one of the most
 inform January 2009, Vol. 20 (1) 15
AOCS’ 100 Years

viewed pages among not-for-profit US chemical organizations. Smouse had been in the second class of AOCS Honored Stu-
At the time, few AOCS staff members realized how important the dents (1964) and served in numerous capacities on his way to
Internet would become. serving as AOCS president in 1983–1984, the Society’s 75th an-
In 1997, AOCS changed the name of its Smalley Check Sam- niversary year.
ple Program to the Laboratory Proficiency Program (LPP). AOCS Mounts was among the most popular members in AOCS.
co-founder and Southern Cotton Oil chief chemist Frank Smalley He became INFORM editor after serving as AOCS president in
had shared his check sample program with other AOCS members 1988.
during the Society’s first decade. After his death in 1921, the pro- “Tim and I were elected to the Governing Board the same
gram was named in his honor. But at the cusp of the 21st century, year and we served together on that body for eight consecutive
AOCS leaders decided few domestic members, let alone the ap- years thereafter.” Hastert said. “During that time, even though we
proximately 40% outside the United States, knew the origins of were dealing with numerous issues of tremendous importance, I
the program’s name. Laboratory Proficiency Program was chosen cannot recall that we ever had even a trace of a signifi cant dis-
as a descriptive title that might attract more enrollees. agreement.”
AOCS decided in 1998 to add two members-at-large to the
Governing Board, effective in 2000. AOCS membership had THE CURRENT DECADE
peaked at 5,400+ in 1997 and adding two Governing Board mem- AOCS’ ninth decade had been full of good news. Membership,
bers was seen as a way to provide greater diversity on the board. meeting attendance, and income had been rising. The next decade
Roberto Rodriquez became the first person from outside the United would be quite different.
States and Canada to serve on the board in 1991. There has been at And no one anticipated September 11, 2001.
least one such representative, and sometimes two, ever since.

SMOUSE, MOUNTS DIE

AOCS lost two relatively young past presidents when Tom Smouse
died in 1995 at age 59 and Tim Mounts died in 1997 at the same George Willhite, who is preparing this series of articles as AOCS’
age. Former AOCS President Robert Hastert described their deaths centennial historian, retired from AOCS in 2002 after 27 years
as “tragic” and a major loss to AOCS “leadership and esprit de as a member of its publications staff. He is an honorary member
corps.” of AOCS. He can be contacted via e-mail at: [email protected].

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