Kevin Gellenbeck, Sr. Principal Research Scientist
Plant Ingredient Development
Amway/Nutrilite, California

It is an honor to be nominated to run for the position of President-elect of the International Carotenoid Society and I thank those that nominated me.  I look forward to an opportunity to give back to the organization that has helped me along my path, starting way back in 1996 at the International Carotenoid Symposium in Leiden, Netherlands.  At that time, I was working at an algae company that produced beta-carotene from Dunaliella algae.  While my PhD work from UCLA in Biology proved me competent on the algae side, to be really effective I realized I needed to catch up on carotenoid science.  Who better to learn from than the world experts that are members of the ICS? I was amazed then, as I continue to be today, at the level of knowledge and expertise that exists in the membership of this Society.  Since my initial membership, six more Symposia, a few Gordon Conferences, and the recent virtual Conference on Carotenoids 2021 I was able to help organize, I am continuously reminded of how much I can learn from my colleagues here at ICS.  I can state unequivocally that my career has been augmented by the support of many colleagues employed in both academia and industry that are listed within the ICS membership. I am grateful for my numerous and potent interactions with all involved in ICS as my career moved from algae extraction to human carotenoid nutrition while working at Amway.  My research outcomes include a body of carotenoid-focused publications and patents ranging from product design to clinical evaluations, and I have no doubt my research portfolio would be less robust without the learning, relationships, and collegiality provided to me through my long-standing involvement in ICS.

Because I desire to help provide similar opportunities to others, I put forth my name in 2014 to be an industry representative on the ICS Council.  I was fortunate to be elected and had expanded responsibilities as the Secretary over the past seven years, maintaining the membership records and sending you all those emails that we hope have been informative.  I now find myself at a crossroads, as I soon will be retiring from Amway but look forward to staying connected with this vibrant, interdisciplinary group. My career trajectory has existed largely at the interface between basic and applied research, and I am excited to use my somewhat unique work experience to help lead the ICS in its mission.

Of course, it is vitally important to maintain the scientific excellence and sense of community that so many of us have worked towards over the years.  In addition, the Society goals of promoting education and exchange of ideas, especially with new and younger researchers, has never been more important than now in our increasingly connected, but at times fractured, world.  While we all hope we can get back to our traditional in-person meetings, the truth is that it has always been a challenge to bring together people and ideas from all parts of the globe.  While the recent pandemic has added some new and substantial barriers, the ICS has already shown it can overcome the obstacles presented and use innovative tools to support and encourage carotenoid science and communication.  It is my plan as President-elect to continue to utilize and expand virtual tools, combined with our traditional in-person meetings, to further advance the carotenoid field and increase public awareness of our important results.