Mr. Runyon has years of environmental and educational experience and has excelled in a career that has taken him around the world, always with the aim of keeping people safe.
SEATTLE, WA, January 16, 2023 /24-7press release/ — Richard G. Runyon was included in the Marquis Who’s Who. As in all biographical volumes of the Marquis Who’s Who, the individuals profiled are selected using current reference values. Factors such as position, notable achievements, visibility and notoriety in a field are considered during the selection process.
Mr. Runyon has years of environmental and educational experience and has excelled in a career that has taken him around the world, always with the aim of keeping people safe.
Early in his career, Mr. Runyon earned a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from California State University, Los Angeles in 1971. He then enrolled at Humboldt State University, now known as California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology in 1975 and a Masters of Science degree in biology in 1978. At the same time he was a biology teacher at the College of the Redwoods and later at Allan Hancock College. Mr. Runyon continued his association with academia by serving as an adjunct assistant professor at Chapman University from 1981 to 1989, where he taught courses in environmental studies, drugs and society, and genetics. During this time, Mr. Runyon specifically conducted classes at Vandenberg Air Force Base, now known as Vandenberg Space Force Base, and at the United States Penitentiary in Lompoc, California.
To expand his professional endeavors, Mr. Runyon served as an Environmental Health Specialist for Santa Barbara County from 1979 to 1984, where he assisted in the regulation of construction and operation of swimming pools and restaurant kitchens, design and construction of water wells and water systems. In the mid-1980s, he distinguished himself as a facility coordinator at Lockheed Space Operations Command in Vandenberg, where he managed a facility that treated space shuttle launch suppression water, which became acidic and contaminated with heavy metals during launch. In addition, Mr. Runyon expertly directed the Santa Barbara County hazardous materials program from 1986 to 1989.
Prior to 2000, Mr. Runyon spent 11 years as a senior scientist at NUS/Scientech Inc., where he served as a global provider of consulting services to improve safety, asset performance and reliability. He has assisted with risk assessment and emergency management at various locations including Taiwan’s EPA, refineries in Mexico, petrochemical plants, heavy industries and pipelines in Trinidad, petrochemical and heavy industries in Saudi Arabia, conventional power plants in Nevis, and handling nuclear power plant emergencies Works in Yugoslavia, now Slovenia, and Japan, among others. From 2000 to 2014, he served as a supervisor, investigator and senior program analyst for the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the latter notably in the Office of the Associate Commissioner of Regulatory Affairs (ACRA).
Mr. Runyon notes that one of his most important projects was with the FDA in relation to a major pet food scandal involving two pet food component manufacturers in China. As lead investigator, he was sent to the country with a colleague to investigate a claim that both pet food companies used different compounds, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of dogs and cats. The investigation revealed that both companies were out of business and the owners and operators of each company were arrested and subsequently arrested by local police. The FDA also received the charges from people in China and the US who knew about the contaminated animal feed but allowed it to happen. The US company was eventually convicted in federal court.
To stay current in his industry, Mr. Runyon is a member of the Union of Concerned Scientists, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the California State University Los Angeles Alumni Association, and the Humboldt State University Alumni Association. In addition to his civic activities, he was a member and past president of his local Toastmasters International chapter. Mr. Runyon has also donated his time and expertise by conducting lectures and field trips for interested community members on the history of poisonous and medicinal plants.
Reflecting on his prolific career, Mr. Runyon is honored to have been part of such extraordinary experiences focused on keeping people safe. He cites perseverance as a critical factor in his success. Mr. Runyon originally wanted to get involved in criminal justice, but after taking a biology course, which was a requirement for his degree, he discovered a passion for the study of biology and was able to combine this with his love of travel, which became his from his Instilled in parents as they traveled extensively during his childhood. Since then he has never looked back.
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Since 1899, when AN 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 major field, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, the arts, religion and Entertainment. Today, Who’s Who in America® remains an indispensable biographical resource for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who’s Who titles, including Who’s Who in America®, Who’s Who in the World®, Who’s Who in American Law®, Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who’s Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications can be viewed on the official Marquis Who’s Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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