Stanley Rhodes

1942 - 2023

Stanley Rhodes
April 18, 1942 - November 2, 2023
Stanley Paul Rhodes, Ph.D. – a loving father, dedicated friend, and influential global pioneer and leader in environmental and social sustainability – passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on November 2, 2023.
Stan was born in Hayward, Calif. to Paul Rhodes and Erna Uhlenfelder. His parents were fifth-generation vintners, who fled from Germany during World War II as Jewish refugees. Stan spent his childhood in agriculture, working on the family winery. In high school, he served as the quarterback for the football team and won state-wide recognition in wrestling. These accomplishments earned him a wrestling scholarship to Oregon State University (OSU), marking the beginning of Stan's promising journey.
While at OSU, Stan discovered his aptitude for chemistry and later transferred to University of California at Berkeley. Upon completion of his B.S. in Chemistry in 1965, Stan earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Purdue University in 1970. Notably, Stan's synthesis of a 3-carbon ring was recognized in his Ph.D. advisor Herbert C. Brown's 1979 Nobel Prize Lecture on Organoborane. This discovery holds lasting significance, as these intermediate compounds have become indispensable in chemotherapy.
It was during his tenure at Purdue that Stan's passion for politics took root as he actively participated in the Robert Kennedy campaign in Gary, Ind. Later, in New York, while working as a research chemist at Eastman Kodak and Delta Labs, Stan began to combine his commitment to social justice with his chemistry profession. He blended his agricultural background, chemistry expertise, and entrepreneurial skills to create community-driven, cooperative ownership projects such as the Food Emporium and the Blessed Thistle Bakery. Additionally, Stan pioneered independent testing initiatives to ensure the veracity of foods labeled as organic by conducting pesticide residue analysis. In each endeavor, he unwaveringly championed his ideals, fostering diversity and creativity within his community.
Upon his return to Calif., Stan continued to pursue innovative solutions for food safety, motivated by a commitment to improve agricultural systems, labor rights, and the environment. He established methods for detecting pesticide residues in fresh foods using tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry – a method that was later adopted by the US Food and Drug Administration. This work also led Stan to found Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) Inc. in 1984, Stan's most impactful professional legacy. Over the past four decades, Stan served as President and CEO as SCS has grown to become one of the world's most respected third-party certification and standards development bodies in the sustainability arena. Under his careful leadership and ingenuity, the company quickly branched into new fields of certification, such as: responsibly managed forests and fisheries; life-cycle assessment and claims certification for energy production, consumer products, and the growing green building market; and climate restoration. SCS embodies the fulfillment of Stan's lifelong aspiration to establish a scientifically grounded, evidence-based company with a social impact mission. His success extended beyond building a thriving enterprise, yielding benefits for his immediate community and on a global scale.
Stan will be remembered as a warrior for a better tomorrow. He cared deeply about social and economic inequality, championing these causes globally and personally. He measured success not by the bottom line, but by the difference he could make in tackling global temperature rise or improving livelihoods. Every day he listened and actively supported employees, friends, or family through any challenge. Stan was a fiercely compassionate man who went beyond the call of duty time and again. The lesson he left is this: embrace lifelong learning, take action, and strive to make the world a better place for those you love.
Stan also ignited the spirits of those around him with his infectious sense of fun and athleticism. He adored California's natural beauty and made it a point to share his enthusiasm with family and friends whenever possible-whether it was practicing Tai Chi on the beaches, hiking and biking in the hills, or skiing in the mountains. He also had a knack for seeking out live music and thoroughly enjoyed dancing the night away.
Stan is survived by his beloved daughter, Sahar Priano; longtime love, Michele Blazek; bonus child, Stephanie Blazek; SCS co-founder and friend, Linda Brown; friend and the mother of his child, Susan Priano; and countless others whose lives he has touched.
A celebration of life is planned for friends and family. Gifts in his memory may be made to the following organizations: Sempervirens Fund (protecting California's redwood forests), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the Children's Defense Fund.