Marc Centner 1954–2023

Marc Centner, the Technical Manager for ALS Environmental APAC, passed away after a long battle with cancer on Saturday 17 June.

Marc was a great friend and mentor to many at ALS and, as Technical Manager was a central figure in the growth and success of the ALS Environmental Division, not only in Australia but around the world. Anyone who met Marc will have been struck by his incredible intelligence, his technical leadership as well as his quirky personality and sense of humour.

Marc was a brilliant and passionate analytical chemist. From his very first day he looked for ways to advance processes, questioning why something was done in a particular way and whether there was a better alternative. For the next 28 years, he was responsible for the development and continuous improvement of ALS’ environmental analytical methodologies. He was instrumental in the advancement of environmental organic analytical chemistry and was a world leader in the field.

Marc was recruited to ALS in May 1995 to be the Senior Organic Chemist for the planned new laboratory in Sydney. Marc freely shared his knowledge of analytical chemistry, chromatography and the environmental business and in 1996 became the ALS Sydney Laboratory Manager, working tirelessly to improve our service to clients--even introducing his own home-made LIMS called BatchTrack to track work through the facility.

In January 1999, he was appointed to the role of Technical Manager, leading the technical development of the ALS Environmental Division as it grew into a global business with a massive expansion in technical scope and capabilities. He was involved in the development of ALS’ first true Enviro LIMS, travelling to Asia and Canada to ensure its successful deployment. In 2008, Marc developed the first commercially available analysis of PFAS compounds in Australia (and possibly the world). PFAS chemistry quickly became a passion and he became one of the world’s preeminent practitioners of PFAS analysis.

In 2017, Marc was promoted to Technical Manager–APAC and prior to COVID, relished the opportunity to travel and offer technical assistance to our laboratories in Asia.

As Marc battled cancer over the last few years, through the pandemic he predominately worked from home, but remained active in his role, continually providing advice and technical assistance. He even took his laptop with him to hospital when receiving treatment to stay connected with his team, keep his mind active and continue to ponder solutions to ever more technical conundrums.

Marc was a brilliant man, a great friend and mentor to many and will forever be part of the ALS family. He leaves behind his wife Margie, children Johnathan, Stephanie and Emily and a granddaughter, Juno.

Marc Centner
Chemist
1954–2023

Michael Heery,
General Manager Environmental, ALS