NEWBURYPORT — Good deeds can be rewarded, as Michael Strem proved recently.
Strem, the president of Strem Chemicals in the industrial park, has been awarded the prestigious Charles Lathrop Parsons Award by the American Chemical Society for outstanding public service.
News of the award, which is given out every two years, was delivered to Strem late last year. He was officially honored in late March during a ceremony and symposium in California.
Strem was selected for his outstanding contributions "to the future of the chemical enterprise through innovative international programs for young chemists" and for his company's "ground-breaking initiatives" to forge collaborations between business and education.
The award includes $3,000, which Strem returned to the American Chemical Society.
A native of Pennsylvania, Strem earned his doctorate in 1964 from the University of Pittsburgh. Knowing he wanted to start a company based on organometallics, he partnered with Ventron Corp. in Danvers. In 1977, he bought out Ventron's interests and relocated his company, Strem Chemicals, to Newburyport.
The privately held Strem Chemicals manufactures and markets specialty chemicals of high purity. Its clients include academic, industrial and government research and development laboratories as well as commercial-scale businesses in the pharmaceutical, microelectronic and chemical/petrochemical industries.
Strem is also active in the community, serving on various boards over the years. He was a founder of the Newburyport Education Business Coalition and a past president of the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce & Industry. He serves on the board for Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport and the Merrimack Valley Work Improvement Board. He is also a trustee of Newburyport Area Industrial Development Corp.
During last month's American Chemical Society symposium, held in Anaheim, Calif., a full day of lectures was given in Strem's honor. Speakers shared their thoughts on Strem or reflected on his contributions to the field.
Judith C. Giordan, director of VentureWell and a senior adviser to the National Collegiate Inventors & Innovators Alliance, gave an address titled "How Strem Chemicals — and the Vision of Mike Strem — Saved My Life."
Also among those who spoke were Nobel laureate Robert Grubbs, a professor at California Institute of Technology, who gave the talk "Homogeneous Catalysis and Mike Strem;" Congresswoman Grace Napolitano and Timothy Swager from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"I never heard my name mentioned so much (during that size time frame)," Strem said yesterday with a laugh.
Strem, who lives in Marblehead, served on the board of directors of the American Chemical Society from 1998 to 2000. He also has been a member of the Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates.
Strem was on a tour bus in Germany last year when he got the call about the award. He said he could barely hear the person delivering the news over the din of the tour guide describing the scenery.
"I finally realized it was the chair of the board of the American Chemical Society," he said.
Familiar with the award, as he has served on the board in the past, Strem said he was nominated for the distinction.
"I did not ask her to nominate me, believe me," he said. "I am not an award seeker."
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