ACI Names Associate VP, Senior Director, and Other Positions

WASHINGTON, DC — August 17, 2018 — The American Cleaning Institute (ACI) has named several new filled positions within the organization. Dr. James Kim has been named associate vice president of science and regulatory affairs, and Merla Zollinger was named senior director of conventions and meetings, according to press release.

Dr. Kim comes from the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs when he was a toxicologist since 2012. He also previously worked for the International Life Sciences Institute’s Health and Environmental Sciences Institute. He has authored or co-authored more than 30 articles and is a doctoral graduate of Johns Hopkins University.

ACI Executive Vice President of Technical and International Affairs Richard Sedlak said of the hiring, “Dr. Kim’s experiences in the laboratory and application of his toxicological and risk assessment expertise in reviews of federal rules and regulations will be a terrific asset to ACI and our member companies throughout the cleaning product supply chain.”

For the past 27 years, Zollinger worked with American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers, most recently as the convention services senior manager. She will oversee Institute gatherings, including the 2019 Industry Convention January 29-February 2 in Orlando, FL.

“Merla brings extensive experience in meetings and convention services to ACI, as well as great familiarity with many of our members,” ACI President and CEO Melissa Hockstad said. “Her knowledge, relationships and commitment to great teamwork will provide exceptional value to ACI’s members, especially when it relates to the ACI Industry Convention.”

The Institute  also announced the promotions of Melissa Grande to director of sustainability and Shawnté Furbush-Jones to senior program coordinator.

Since joining the Institute in 2012, Grande has worked to develop and advance ACI’s Sustainability Metrics Program, Charter for Sustainable Cleaning, and other initiatives that showcase the cleaning product supply chain’s leadership in operating sustainably.

Furbush-Jones has been part of the Institute team since 2009, serving as an invaluable resource in support of Institute’s education, outreach, membership, and meetings functions.

“ACI is very fortunate to have a dedicated, hard-working team that allows us to succeed and provide membership value as the trade association for the cleaning product supply chain,” added Hockstad.