Perry Romanowski elected SCC president for 2027

Perry Romanowski, founder of the Chicago-based consultancy Element 44, has been elected President of the US Society of Cosmetic Chemists (SCC) for 2027, taking office on 1 January and succeeding Marisa Plescia. Romanowski currently serves as the Society's vice-president for 2026, which gives the incoming presidency a year of continuity rather than a cold start.

For formulators and suppliers who rely on SCC programming — continuing education, chapter events and the annual Scientific Meeting — the transition matters mainly for what Romanowski has flagged as priorities: membership growth and member engagement.

"I'm extremely honoured to serve again as SCC President in 2027," said Romanowski. "I look forward to working with the Board to help members learn, connect with others in the industry, and get more involved with the Society."

He was explicit about the growth agenda. "We also want to bring more people into the SCC and make sure it continues to be a useful resource for cosmetic scientists for years to come," he said.

The word "again" is not incidental. Romanowski has held the SCC presidency before, and his return signals institutional stability at the top of the 700-strong professional body's leadership. That record matters to corporate members who budget for training and conference attendance: a president with prior experience shortens the ramp-up period for new initiatives.

Who fills the other officer seats?

The election set the full officer line-up through 2028.

• Vice-President, 2027: Valerie George of Simply Formulas, who advances into the number-two role.
• Vice-President-elect, 2028: Amy Marshall of Eckart America/BYK USA, positioning her to assume the vice-presidency the following year.
• Secretary, 2027: Mindy Goldstein continues in the role, providing further continuity in the Society's record-keeping post.
• Treasurer: Caryn Weiss of Amway takes over from Volodymyr Onyshchak of Estée Lauder next year, handing financial oversight from a major finished-goods house to a major direct-selling manufacturer.

Two officer seats therefore carry over unchanged — the presidency's predecessor chain and the secretary — while the treasury changes corporate hands.

What does the change mean for practitioners?

For cosmetic chemists, the practical consequences are straightforward. A president focused on recruitment and engagement typically means more accessible regional chapter programming, more networking entry points for early-career scientists, and continued investment in the educational content that members cite as their primary reason for dues.

The vendor side should note the Eckart America/BYK USA presence in the officer line-up. A raw-material supplier holding the vice-president-elect seat for 2028 keeps the ingredient community embedded in SCC governance, a relevant point for suppliers weighing sponsorship or technical-session participation over the next two years.

The Amway appointment at treasurer likewise reflects the Society's base among brand-side R&D teams rather than consultancies alone.

The timeline to watch

Romanowski's term begins on 1 January 2027, with George's vice-presidency running alongside it and Marshall's elevation already fixed for 2028. The first concrete signals of the new administration's direction — committee appointments, the 2027 education calendar and any membership initiatives — should surface in the first quarter of 2027, and those announcements will show whether the growth rhetoric translates into programming.