People are the Chemistry

Environmental NEWS - Fall 2008

At Lancaster Laboratories, we believe that our people provide our strength. Their dedication to quality, professional competence and hard work is the key element in the company’s success. In this regular feature, we introduce you to some of the people who have helped make Lancaster Labs an industry leader.

Rick and Kati Karam

Working for environmental labs in Vermont and New Jersey for nearly a decade, Rick Karam wanted to move back closer to his home near Scranton, Pennsylvania. He says it was clear from the start that to work for the lab with highest quality analytical reputation would mean he’d have to compromise on his exact location as all roads pointed to Lancaster, Pa. Now a manager in the GC/MS Semivolatiles, GC/MS Volatiles and Organic Extraction departments, Rick says joining Lancaster Labs was a great career move that also got him in the same state with his family and friends he grew up with. “I appreciate the opportunities, the level of quality services and the corporate culture here,” says Rick. “Essentially the environmental industry is very competitive and exciting, and if you are willing to work hard, Lancaster Labs recognizes and rewards that.” Here’s a slice of Rick’s life in his words:

What does your current job entail?
As manager of the Organic Extraction and GC/MS Semivolatiles departments, I oversee a staff of 48 employees. I coordinate the daily prioritization of workload and monitor the holding time and turnaround time status of samples within each department. Additionally, I serve as a technical resource to clients by answering questions regarding organic extractions and GC/MS Semivolatiles methods or data.

What is the scope of your group?
The Organic Extraction Department consists of 34 technicians and chemists that are capable of carefully extracting over 10,000 samples a month. This team is constantly looking for ways to extract samples with greater efficiency and reduce waste.

The GC/MS Semivolatiles Team is one of the most experienced departments in Environmental with most employees having 10-plus years of experience and several with more than 20 years spent at the laboratory. The team is comprised of nine chemists and five specialists. The chemists are responsible for analyzing samples, interpreting the GC/MS data, and maintaining the 14 instruments in the department. The specialists provide the second and third levels of review to ensure that the data we are providing is of the highest quality.

How would you characterize your leadership style?
I believe that my most important responsibility is to give the employees in my departments the support and resources they need to be successful. If they are succeeding that means that I am succeeding.

And when you’re not working?
When I am not working I like to travel and spend time with my family and friends. My wife and I both enjoy the outdoors so we try to get outside as much as we can.