Even though Nate Belkin retired roughly 16 years ago following a 40-year career in healthcare, he remains the unparalleled expert on woven materials and a thought leader in cleaning, disinfection and sterilization whose litany of published works (which continue today) are listed in the Library of Congress.

As the long-standing manager of professional relations at Kimberly-Clark Corp., the always nattily attired Sandy Buhler represents not only the face and image of the company in materials management, sterile processing, surgical services and infection control circles but also the dedicated advocate for healthcare providers outside the industry and in Washington circles. Buhler remains one of the few bridge-building industry ambassadors who can credibly, respectably and sincerely cross the line between providers and suppliers.

A veteran central service/sterile processing and distribution management professional who spearheaded educational efforts at Saint Barnabas Health Care System (West Orange, NJ), Nancy Chobin cemented her legacy as a stalwart – and successful – evangelist for certification. Through her not-for-profit organization the National Institute for the Certification of Healthcare Sterile Processing and Distribution Personnel and later CBSPD Inc., Chobin stressed the personal, professional and patient-related benefits of sterile processing certification, reaching thousands to improve the profession and quality of care.

While her recent retirement leaves a vacuum in the profession, hospital CS director-turned-prominent consultant will be best remembered as one of the marquee voices of sterile processing before the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation and one of the influential architects with Forum Health’s Susan Klacik of AAMI Steam Sterilization Standards ST 79.

Behind the quiet and subdued demeanor, Neal Danielson was a dedicated driver of the need for sterilization standards in the 1980s and 1990s. The retired Danielson chaired AAMI’s Hospital Practices Working Group on Steam Sterilization for nearly two decades, and his extensive knowledge of ethylene oxide sterilization qualified him as a steadfast and respectable defender of the practice – even in the face of newer methods.

The late Bill Dennis was a blunt-speaking, straight-shooting central service director at Duke University Hospital (Durham, NC) whose oration may not have earned him accolades and awards but his educational and professional actions and activities certainly did, as well as the honor and respect of his colleagues and peers. Before his passing in January 2001 he was poised to assume the ASHCSP presidency for the second time in two decades, this time as more of a seasoned veteran shaping the next-generation of CS professionals.

As the director of scientific and clinical affairs for Advanced Sterilization Products, a Johnson & Johnson Company, Martin Favero serves as the experienced warhorse championing the latest techniques and technology. His extensive background with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in public health, environmental microbiology, disinfection and sterilization, biosafety and a variety of viral diseases grant him near instant credibility and industry respect in the areas of infection control and sterile processing.

Start talking with Diane Gantt about anything related to sterile processing or materials management operations and if she doesn’t radiate a beaming smile or start laughing about something you’re not looking at her or listening to her. Gantt, a former sterile processing manager-turned-consultant, is one of those who enjoys humor and life, and doesn’t shy away from speaking her mind or listening to yours when it comes to educating professionals and improving performance and quality.

With an occupational and professional pedigree as decorated as his Naval uniform, Zory Glaser exuded a calmness and compassion not typically associated with someone holding a government office. His expertise in ethylene oxide sterilization, environmental health engineering, the health effects of chemical and physical agents, medical devices and radiation safety qualified him as a leading authority in sterile processing, along with his senior-level positions with U.S. Phamacopoeia, the FDA’s Center for Medical Devices and Radiological Health, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the U.S. Public Health Service and Johns Hopkins University.

For years, Charles Hancock has served as one of the primary go-to sources for education and information on the dynamics of sterile processing and the developing profession that does it for a living. The highly regarded New York-based consultant from MDT Corp. can articulate a cogent opinion on just about anything related to sterile processing you toss his way, ranging from medical device sterilization to quality and sterility assurance to international standards to contract sterilization and parametric release principles. His influence can be found in the guts of many of the industry guidelines issued by the leading associations.

Until five decades ago next year, the CS/SPD profession didn’t have a dedicated association or professional society to represent it, let alone educate and improve it for generations to come. That is until Betty Hanna picked up the banner and led the charge in 1958, launching what’s now known as the International Association for Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management and for which she still oversees. Her larger-than-life influence, stature as the longest-serving association-based executive director, and firebrand nature as one of the pioneering advocates for CS technicians and managers alike overshadows her diminutive size. IAHCSMM’s influence in sterile processing education and certification is legendary.

As an innovator and inventor, Larry Joslyn almost single-handedly made the beleaguered ethylene oxide sterilization practice acceptable, desirable and effective again amid more stringent regulations and safeguards due to exposure hazards. His patented spin on 100 percent EO sterilization, involving the steam-flush pressure-pulse model, revolutionized industry thinking to the point that the leading sterilizer manufacturer acquired his company and expertise.

Search for any certified sterile processing professionals with extensive experience in infection control and nursing, with credentials that include a registered nurse and a Ph.D. in health administration, and who practices what she preaches as she preaches what she practices and Skee Japp should be at the top, if not near the top, of that list. That she unselfishly leads and promotes her team, despite the litany of letters after her name makes Japp a rare breed indeed.

The veteran hospital CS manager-turned-education director for a supplier may have "switched sides" but never veered from or silenced his fundamental message to educate and improve the profession: "Keep it clean." As the renowned apostle for cleaning Steve Kovach has evangelized his colleagues and peers in person and online for years on the importance and necessity of proper cleaning for effective sterilization, a tireless quest that never grows obsolete.

If you attended any major sterile processing meeting and missed career educator Sandra Lee you probably weren’t at a major meeting. A consummate educator on all practices, procedures and technology related to sterile processing, Lee could effectively communicate the basics to new hires, as well as educate the seasoned veterans in marathon three-day programs catering to CS, infection control and operating room professionals. Now an independent consultant, Lee for years was regarded by CS techs and managers as the voice of STERIS and before that AMSCO and Castle.

As part of the backbone of AAMI’s standards efforts, Joe Lewelling, vice president for standards development, has heard and seen it all. In fact, nary a national standard, recommended practice or Technical Information Report escapes his eye before it emerges with AAMI’s blessing to be adopted and implemented by the sterile processing, infection control, materials management and surgical services communities. As a result, his imprint and influence on sterile processing and infection prevention is unmistakable.

The late pioneer in hospital infection control at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, renowned for her knowledge, humor and use of "marionettes dressed as bacteria and chickens" to emphasize the dangers of contamination, blazed the trail and paved the way for bacteriological standards, practical microbiology methods and principles to prevent cross-contamination. One of her bons mots still resonates within the sterile processing profession: "An unsterile item in the OR is like a loaded gun."

Depending on your point of view, Tony Monaco is one of the most beloved and revered government officials in the State of New Jersey’s Department of Health or one of the most reviled. Why? While he wisely emphasized the clear ties and triangulation between sterile processing, infection control and the OR, he also has successfully pushed for requiring state certification of sterile processing technicians. New Jersey’s state-mandated certification (the first state to accomplish this) applies a sense of accountability to sterile processing techs’ performance, promoting their ongoing educational advancement and skill set improvements for patient care quality and safety. Other states, like neighboring New York, are trying to follow suit.

Whether you link him to Castle, MDT or most recently Getinge, Chip Moore’s educational motivation and philosophy has been consistent. Moore is one of the few genuine sterile processing advocates that doesn’t allow a sale, or the potential loss of one, get in the way of helping CS professionals improve their performance, skills and outcomes, including patient safety and quality service. Moore has been an active and steadfast proponent of CS education, a key contributor to AAMI standards and is responsible for bringing talent like Sandra Lee into the big leagues early on.

A soft-spoken Northeasterner who spent his storied career in Maine, the late Reny Moses exemplified many of the qualities healthcare facilities want in a sterile processing professional – dedication, determination and enthusiasm for the job, as well his pursuit of excellence, patient safety and quality in everything he did. His prolific narratives and writings not only showcased his down-to-earth and inspirational philosophy but mirrored his actions and served as a beacon for colleagues and peers both old and new.

As the author of the venerable textbook, "Principles and Methods of Sterilization," regarded as the bible of the industry, John J. Perkins etched his influential status in print. In fact, his tome still applies today, educating current and future generations of sterile processing professionals.

While Marimargaret Reichert may be a notable hospital CS director-turned-consultant, her contributions to AAMI standards and her prolific writing – books, journal and magazine articles – justify her well-earned reputation as a leading authority in sterile processing operations and procedures. Her work continues to influence scores of CS managers and technicians and shape the future of the profession.

Your first impression of Eleanor Reilly, who retired from the Cleveland Clinic as CS manager after a long and successful career, may be one of a heartland-based schoolmarm, but that wouldn’t do her renowned educational efforts and achievements any justice. Your lasting impression should involve examining those who worked for her and with her. They typically turned out to be more seasoned professionals, thoroughly dedicated to quality work that benefited the patients they served. Reilly consistently emphasized that patient link, which remains part of her enduring legacy.

Bill Rutala remains one of the undisputed thought leaders in proper infection control and epidemiological practices. As a professor in the division of infectious diseases, department of medicine, at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine (Chapel Hill) and the director of hospital epidemiology, occupational health and safety program at UNC Health Care System, Rutala’s name is synonymous with disinfection and sterilization. In fact, the retired Colonel with the U.S. Army Reserve not only advises a number of professional associations and educates their memberships but also has a hotline to the federal CDC, FDA, EPA and FTC.

Peggy Ryan’s dedication and leadership in improving the central service and sterile processing profession resonated considerably with technicians who were the frequent recipients of her vast knowledge and experience. Ryan’s work in case carts and packaging, for example, established benchmarks for others to follow, and her writings remain as relevant and reliable today as they were when they were originally published.

While the late Tom Samuels, who passed away in January 1985, may have conducted considerable research in infection control it was his groundbreaking studies on the safe use of EO in hospitals that established his credentials and reputation as an influential force. His communication skills helped him capture the attention of sterile processing professionals during his many lectures.

Whether you know Rick Schultz from Spectrum Surgical Instruments on a personal or professional basis, one thing is certain: This guy knows instruments inside and out. Not only how to make them but also how to maintain them and evaluate them. And if you leave any of his marathon educational seminars without learning at least something new about these devices, regardless of your experience, you were either daydreaming, sleeping or distracted by text messaging for hours.

Research the roots of technician training and the odds are high you’ll find the name Phyllis Smith as a pioneer in the efforts. Smith, a veteran IAHCSMM instructor and long-time CS/SPD educator, developed the association’s technician training course that remains a valued industry staple and a rite of passage for anyone working with instruments that wants to make a difference and be successful – in that order.

From his years as a hospital CS director to his foray into the supplier side, recently joining Stephen Kovach at Healthmark Industries, the quick-witted Ray Taurasi has parlayed his knowledge and experience in sterile processing to become a respected thought leader, industry observer and sought-after educator and "advice columnist" whose words of wisdom, delivered in print or verbally with a thick Bostonian accent, are digested and discussed by thousands.