WAREHAM, Mass.– Smithers, a leading provider of testing, consulting, information, and compliance services, is announcing the retirement of Ronald C. Biever and the appointment of James Klippel to lead the North American operations of the Environmental Risk Sciences Division as the Vice President of Operations.
For the remainder of 2021, Ron will transition his responsibilities to Jim. They will share leadership responsibilities for the Smithers team of experts who provide environmental testing services in the areas of ecotoxicology, environmental fate, metabolism, and product and residue chemistry.
“Ron has been an integral part of the Smithers team for decades and is well-recognized throughout the industry. He will be missed by our colleagues and clients,” said Susan Shepherd, President, Smithers Environmental Risk Sciences Division. “We are excited to have Jim join the team. He will offer a new perspective to this leadership role, drawing on his long history in laboratory management, innovation through automation, and customer service. His dedication to meeting client commitments blends well with the Smithers mission to provide accurate data, on time, with high touch.”
Ron has 35 years of experience with Smithers in various capacities and levels of responsibility across his career, including Study Director for both lab and field studies, Department Director, and Chief Scientific Officer. His responsibilities included the implementation of new service lines and unique business models. Ron will officially retire in December.
Jim has over 20 years of experience in laboratory operations, having most recently served as General Manager, Life Sciences, for the ALS Laboratory Group. In this capacity, Jim was responsible for overseeing the entire USA Life Sciences lab operations. Jim holds a BS in Business Management from Arizona State University and an MBA from University of Phoenix.
Jim will assume responsibility for the financial and technical management of Smithers in Wareham, Massachusetts and Snow Camp, North Carolina. He has worked in laboratories throughout his career and has been heavily involved in business growth and expansion, with a deep understanding of operations and client service. His direct reports consist of technical management, quality assurance, business development, and shared services teams. His mission includes guiding the development of new business, creating a division-wide strategy for the service organization, and ensuring superior client experiences.
