The American Cleaning Institute honors individuals and groups through a variety of award programs for their efforts in promoting the goals of the cleaning product and oleochemical industries.
ACI Elva Walker Spillane Distinguished Service Award
The ACI Elva Walker Spillane Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership and service to ACI and the cleaning products or oleochemical industries. Award recipients are honored at ACI's Annual Meeting & Industry Convention.
Previous Award Recipients
- 2025 - Dr. Wayne Ashton
- 2024 - Dr. David Macinga
- 2023 - Steve Christenson
- 2022 - Steve Tanner
- 2020 - Rob Bartolo
- 2019 - Bill Phillips
- 2018 - Tim O'Brien
- 2017 - Dale Steichen
- 2016 - Suzanne Thompson
- 2015 - Martin Wolf
- 2014 - Bob Hamilton
- 2013 – Larry Peiros
- 2012 – Jane Hutterly
- 2011 – Frank Sherman
- 2010 – F. Quinn Stepan
- 2009 – Dr. Jack Linard
- 2008 – Dr. Stewart Gloyer
- 2007 – Judith H. Smeltzer
- 2006 – Theodore E. "Ted" Brenner
- 2005 – Dr. David Scharer
- 2004 – June A. Stahl
- 2003 – Gregory T. Grochoski
- 2002 – Elva D. Walker Spillane
ACI Sustainability Spotlight Award
The ACI Sustainability Spotlight Award is a new award designed to recognize and honor players in the cleaning product industry for their steadfast commitment to sustainability.
2025 - Ecolab Inc.
ACI/NBB Glycerine Innovation Award
Sponsored by the American Cleaning Institute and the National Biodiesel Board (NBB), this award recognizes outstanding achievement for research into new applications for glycerine with particular emphasis on commercial viability. The award consists of a $5,000 honorarium and a plaque commemorating the presentation. The honor is annually presented during the American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS) Industrial Oil Products Division meeting.
Annual Winners Include:
- 2025 - Dr. Thomas H. Epps, III
- 2024 - Dr. Mohamed El Doukkali
- 2021 - Dr. Karine De Oliveira Vigier
- 2017 - Greener Chemistry Through Glycerine
- 2015 - Research Creating High Value Products from Glycerine Glut
- 2014 - Research to Overcome Bottlenecks to New Uses of Glycerine Receives Innovation Award
- 2013 - Turning Green: Glycerine Use in Manufacturing Can Lead to Cleaner Industrial Processes, Less Pollution
- 2012 - Scientists Honored for Greener Solvents Research
- 2011 - Identifying New Uses for Glycerine-Production of a Renewable Amino Alcohol
- 2010 - E. coli Has Its Benefits – Rice University Scientist Honored for Research Converting Glycerine Into High Value Products
- 2009 - Trio from Pittsburg State University in Kansas Honored for Sustainable Use of Glycerine in Foams
- 2008 - Research Leads to Creation of Eco-friendly Biosurfactants and Polymers
- 2007 - Solvay Technology Honored With 2007 SDA/NBB Glycerine Innovation Award
- 2006 - Improved Process for Converting Glycerine from Biodiesel Production to Propylene Glycol
- 2005 - A synthetic chemist at Kansas' Pittsburg State University
- 2004 - Glycerine Derivative Used as Effective Anti-Freeze Agent
Distinguished Paper Award
This award is presented annually to the authors of the best technical paper appearing during the preceding year in Journal of Surfactants and Detergents (JSD). Presented annually to the authors of the best technical paper appearing during the preceding year in the Journal of Surfactants and Detergents (JSD), a publication of the American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS).
Recent Winner Papers
- 2024 - "Ester-based surfactants: Are they stable enough?"
- 2023 - “Nanoparticles and essential oils with antiviral activity on packaging and surfaces: An overview of their selection and application”
- 2022 - “Interactions of Surfactants with Biomimetic Membranes. 1. Ionic Surfactants”
- 2021 - "Probe Molecules for Pulsed‐Field‐Gradient Diffusion Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Experiments on Micelles”
- 2020 - “Interactions of Surfactants with Biomimetic Membranes. 1. Ionic Surfactants”
- 2019 - “New Interfacial Rheology Characteristics Measured using a Spinning-Drop Rheometer at the Optimum Formulation of a Simple Surfactant-Oil-Water System”
- 2018 - "Optimized microemulsion systems for detergency of vegetable oils at low surfactant concentration and bath temperature"
Previous Award Recipients
2017 Takako Igarashi, Koichi Nakamura, Masato Hoshi, Teruyuki Hara, Hironori Kojima, Masatsugu Itou, Reiko Ikeda, and Yoshimasa Okamoto 2016 Akin Ali Zayeed Alam Glenn Ward D. Ian Wilson 2015 Jean-Louis Salager Lisbeth Manchego Laura Márquez Johnny Bullón Ana Forgiarini 2014 Julia Boos Wiebke Drenckhan Cosima Stubenrauch 2013 Dr. Charles Hammond Dr. Edgar Acosta 2012 Dr. Mahdavian Dr. Ali Reza Tehrani-Bagha Dr. Krister Holmberg 2011 T. Banno K. Kawada S. Matsumura 2010 S. Kay Obendorf Haiqing Liu Kuitian Tan Timothy Young Michael Incorvia Michael Leonard | 2009 Edgar Acosta Art Bhakta Jessica Yuan 2008 Andreas W. Sonesson Thomas H. Callisen Ulla M. Elofsson Hjalmar Brismar 2007 Bungon Luepakdeesakoon Chintana Saiwan John Scamehorn 2006 Milton Rosen Huiyu Liu 2005 Cecilia Groth Magnus Nyden Kirster Holmberg James Kanicky Dinesh Shah 2004 Edgar Acosta Phuong Do Mai Jeffrey Harwell David Sabatini 2003 John Scamehorn Cheryl H. Rodr |
Past Awards
Healthy Schools Healthy People National Award
This was an annual awards program that ran from 2003 until 2018 and recognized middle schools for handwashing initiatives that improve health and reduce absenteeism. National award recipients received an all-expense paid trip for three students to Washington, DC. Two runner-up schools each received a cash award. The awards program was a part of the still ongoing Healthy Schools, Healthy People joint initiative of the American Cleaning Institute and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- 2018 - Kittitas, Washington
- 2017 - Litchfield, MN
- 2016 - Long Beach, CA
- 2015 - Fulda, MN
- 2014 - Douglasville, GA
- 2013 - Litchfield MN
- 2012 - Susanville, CA
- 2011: Fulda High School FCCLA (Fulda, MN)
- 2010: Forsyth High School FCCLA (Forsyth, MT)
- 2009: All Saints Regional Catholic School (Manahawkin, NJ)
- 2008: Sampson G. Smith School (Somerset, NJ)
- 2007: DeLaura Middle School (Satellite Beach, FL)
- 2006: Altoona Middle School (Altoona, WI)
- 2005: Ralston Middle School (Belmont, CA)
- 2004: Crownover Middle School (Corinth, TX)
- 2003: Goodrich Middle School (Lincoln, NE)
Clean and Healthy Families & Communities Award
This award was for members of the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) honoring outstanding educational programming efforts that utilize any of ACI’s educational materials and promote the connection between cleanliness and health. Programs demonstrated innovative outreach efforts that impact the local community and raise the awareness of the proper use and/or storage of cleaning products.
Previous Award Recipients:
- 2019 - Food Safety in the Workplace (Texas)
- 2018 - High Speed Handwashing Saves Time, Water and Health in North Central Kansas
- 2016 - Georgia's Southwest District FACS Agents
- 2015 - Michigan State University Extension and Purdue University Extension
- 2014 - Ohio State University Extension
- 2013 - University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service
- 2012 - University of Tennessee Cooperative Extension Service
- 2011 - Linda Beech (Kansas) and Darlene Christensen (Utah)
- 2010 - Robin Eubank (Kansas) and Joan Vinette (Michigan)
- 2009 - Snapshot of Food Safety & Healthy Choices Week
- 2008 - How, When and Why of Handwashing and Kitchen Clean Up
- 2007 - Helping Baby Boomers Reduce Clutter and Youth Wage War on Body Odor
- 2005 - Reducing Lead Poisoning and Imaginary Hygiene Report Card Projects
- 2004 - Maryland, Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Agents Receive Award
- 2003 - Inaugural Award