Dr. Larry Berger, a long-time member of the American Cleaning Institute’s (ACI) Board of Directors and recently retired Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer of Ecolab Inc., has been named the 2026 recipient of ACI’s Elva Walker Spillane Distinguished Service Award.
The award recognizes Dr. Berger’s many years of outstanding service to ACI and the cleaning products industry. He served on ACI’s Board of Directors since 2008, including several years on the Board’s Executive Committee, where he provided strategic counsel and industry insight on critical issues affecting the cleaning product supply chain.
Throughout his career, Dr. Berger has been a champion of innovation, collaboration, and scientific leadership. His commitment to sharing perspectives and fostering thoughtful dialogue helped inform initiatives that continue to strengthen Ecolab’s mission. His focus on expanding the global RD&E network and cultivating a high-performing, execution-driven, and inclusive culture laid a strong foundation for the company’s long-term innovation and growth.
In addition to his corporate leadership, Dr. Berger previously served as a long-standing member of the Ecolab Foundation, helping guide funding decisions that support communities around the world. He is also an inaugural member of the Technical Advisory Board for the University of Minnesota’s Institute on Environment and continues to advise organizations and leaders across the industry.
Before joining Ecolab in 2008, Dr. Berger spent 22 years at DuPont, holding senior leadership roles in technology and business development. That depth of experience shaped the expertise and perspective he brought to his work with ACI.
“Over many years, Larry Berger’s service on our Board consistently aligned with ACI’s mission to promote safety, sustainability, and consumer and customer trust, making him a pivotal figure in guiding the industry through evolving challenges and opportunities,” said Jennifer Abril, ACI’s President & CEO. “He has been a trusted counselor and supporter to ACI, and he is richly deserving of this honor.”
ACI’s Distinguished Service Award is named in honor of the late Elva Walker Spillane, the former National Purity LLC chief executive who served on the association’s Board for 20 years. The award honors an individual for extensive or exceptional service to ACI, who promoted the growth and interests of the Institute and the industries it represents and who exercised outstanding leadership within ACI.
The American Cleaning Institute® (ACI – www.cleaninginstitute.org) is the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Products Industry® and represents the $60 billion U.S. cleaning product supply chain. ACI members include the manufacturers and formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and chemical distributors. ACI serves the growth and innovation of the U.S. cleaning products industry by advancing the health and quality of life of people and protecting our planet. ACI achieves this through a continuous commitment to sound science and being a credible voice for the cleaning products industry.