Dr. Claude A. Lucchesi, co-founder of ALMA, died October 25,2018 at the age of 89.  Dr.  Lucchesi was also Northwestern University Emeritus Sr. Lecturer and Director of Analytical Services.   He graduated with a major in chemistry, and a minor in chemical engineering, from the University of Illinois at Champaign/Urbana (1950) and earned a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Northwestern University, Evanston (1954).

After graduating Claude began work as a research chemist at Shell Development Company in Houston, Texas.  He also worked for Sherwin Williams Company in Chicago, and Mobil.  In 1968, he moved back to Northwestern University as Director of the Analytical Services Laboratory (ASL) in the Chemistry Department, a position he held until retirement. 

In 1980, Claude co-founded with Tom Lyttle the Analytical Laboratory Managers Association (ALMA) and was its first president. Since its initial conference, ALMA has grown and broadened its impact changing its name to the Association of Laboratory Managers.  In 1991, he developed a workshop entitled Managing the Chemical Analysis Support Laboratory. He presented this workshop around the globe: throughout the United States, Australia, Africa, China, Europe, The Middle East, India, and South America. In 1995, he founded a quarterly journal called Managing the Modern Laboratory and was its first editor. 

Claude will be greatly missed by ALMA.  His legacy, however, lives on.  The association that Claude was instrumental in founding has through 39 years of conferences and workshops enabled over 3000 managers of laboratory-based organizations become better leaders.