He found much success as an investigator, supervisor and a senior program analyst at the United States Food and Drug Administration.
SEATTLE, WA, May 09, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Richard G. Runyon is a distinguished biographee of Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are chosen from among a pool of the most prominent professionals and are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Drawing on over four decades of expertise in the field of environmental biology, Mr. Runyon specialized in hazardous material assessment, response and management. Between 2000 and until his retirement in 2014, he found much success as an investigator, supervisor and a senior program analyst at the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), working in the office of the Associate Commissioner of Regulatory Affairs. Prior to this role, Mr. Runyon was active as a senior scientist at Scientech Inc., serving as a global provider of consulting services aimed at improving safety, plant performance and reliability from 1989 to 2000.
Mr. Runyon initially began his career working as a biology instructor at the College of the Redwoods and the Allan Hancock College from 1975 to 1980, while subsequently serving as an adjunct assistant professor at Chapman University from 1980 until 1989, where he taught classes in environmental health, drugs and genetics. During this time, he also conducted classroom instruction at the Vandenberg Air Force Base, now known as the Vandenberg Space Force Base, and the United States Penitentiary in Lompoc, California. Additionally, between 1979 and 1984, Mr. Runyon was active as an environmental health specialist for the County of Santa Barbara Public Health department, where he was later involved in their environmental health services as a hazardous materials program manager from 1986 to 1989.
After serving as an environmental health specialist for the Santa Barbara County, Mr. Runyon excelled as a facilities coordinator at the Lockheed Space Operations Command at Vandenberg from 1984 to 1985. In this capacity, he managed the plant that treated the space shuttle launch suppression water that had become acidic and contaminated with heavy metals during the launches. Furthermore, he aided in risk assessment and emergency management in diverse locations, including for Taiwan's Environmental Protection Administration, refineries in Mexico, petrochemical plants and pipelines in Trinidad, petrochemical and heavy industries in Saudi Arabia, conventional power plants in Nevis and nuclear plants in Yugoslavia and Japan. Additionally, Mr. Runyon's published research on Poinsettia toxicity generated worldwide interest.
Prior to embarking on his professional journey, Mr. Runyon pursued an education at the California State University in Los Angeles, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science in criminal justice in 1971. He continued his academic efforts at the California State Polytechnic University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in biology in 1975, followed by a Master of Science in biology in 1978. As a commitment to his field, he has been active with several industry-related organizations, including the Union of Concerned Scientists, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the California State University Los Angeles Alumni Association, the Humboldt State University Alumni Association and the local chapter of Toastmasters International. Likewise dedicated to civic advocacy, Mr. Runyon has led field trips and hosted lectures on the history of poisonous and medicinal plants.
Well-regarded for his contributions to the field, Mr. Runyon has received the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and was featured in Millennium Magazine. Additionally, he has been recognized as a Marquis Who's Who Industry Leader and included in the Marquis Who's Who in the World publication. Among his professional accomplishments, he is most proud of his involvement with a significant pet food scandal against two animal food component manufacturers in China during his tenure with the FDA, which consisted of an investigation of various compounds that caused the deaths of hundreds of dogs and cats, resulting in an indictment and the conviction of the one U.S. company involved. Reflecting on a long career, he attributes much of his success to his perseverance. Looking toward the future, Mr. Runyon aspires to continually enjoy his retirement and hopes to travel more.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Marquis celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, and Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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