From our CEO

December 31, 2021

Happy holidays! As we prepare to turn the page to 2022, we at Barr have so much to celebrate and look forward to—thanks to our clients and partners.

Though I became president and CEO of Barr in 2021, I’m anything but new to this company, having just celebrated my 23rd year here. Even after all these years, I continue to be amazed by the dedication, passion, and ingenuity of our staff. I know firsthand how deeply Barr’s employee-owners care about client service and the work you entrust us to perform on your behalf.

We also share with you a strong commitment to the communities in which we live and work. We’re honoring this commitment through year-end donations and contributions of volunteer time to causes such as affordable housing, ending hunger, and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

We’re grateful for the opportunities we’ve had in 2021 to work with you on your projects. We’re excited about the challenges we’ll help you solve and the great outcomes we’ll help you achieve in the year ahead.

About Ward Swanson

Ward Swanson, who began serving as Barr’s president and CEO in 2021, helps industry and regulatory authorities solve complex analytical issues related to preserving and restoring the environment. He is a nationally recognized expert on geochemical analysis, hydrocarbon fingerprinting, low-level mercury analysis, dioxin and furan analysis, and chemicals of concern such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 1,4-dioxane. His three decades of experience also encompass environmental-data quality assurance and quality control; laboratory regulation and certification; analytical methodologies; and internal-database quality.