Man in his late middle-ages smiling while wearing a suit

Richard Sedlak, the American Cleaning Institute’s (ACI) executive vice president of Technical & International Affairs, is retiring Dec. 31, 2019 after more than 42 years at the association.

Sedlak will assist in transitioning Dr. James Kim, ACI’s associate vice president, Science & Regulatory Affairs, to the position, says ACI in a press release. Kim will lead the institute’s technical and regulatory department starting Jan. 1, 2020.

“Rich’s vast knowledge, experience and legacy within our industry is virtually unmatched,” says Melissa Hockstad, ACI president and chief executive officer. “We will miss him as a colleague and friend, and wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement. 

Sedlak, who joined ACI in 1977, has overseen a broad range of initiatives addressing the environmental fate and human and environmental toxicology of cleaning product chemicals. His experience includes research on the treatability and compatibility of detergent ingredients in municipal and on-site wastewater treatment systems, the fate and effects of residual releases to the environment, assessment of risks posed by product ingredients during and after use, and the shaping of laws, regulations and voluntary initiatives based on state-of-the-art science.

Sedlak has also been a leader in coordinating U.S. and international industry input to United Nations and OECD initiatives to develop a harmonized system for managing chemicals based on best practices. These international initiatives have spanned the development of risk assessments for high volume chemicals, enhanced tools for chemical risk communication and enhancements to existing chemical management systems.

Kim joined ACI in July 2018. Since then, he has been responsible for a range of ACI initiatives, such as toxicology, human safety and efficacy of topical antiseptics