Since founding SCS Global Services in 1984, Dr. Stan Rhodes has provided the strategic vision and scientific insight driving SCS to become one of the world's most prestigious providers of third party certification and assessment services in the environmental, sustainability, and food quality fields.
Stan has a Ph.D. in chemistry, earned under the tutelage of Nobel Prize winner Herbert C. Brown at Purdue University. After graduating, Stan initiated his career in Rochester, New York as an analytical chemist conducting advanced research, both at Eastman Kodak Co. and at Delta Labs. Following his passion for safe, healthy foods, he then launched and ran several businesses focused on food production, distribution and retailing, and began conducting laboratory analysis to verify claims on food products. This was the genesis of his decision to form SCS.
Stan has spearheaded the development of each of SCS's major divisions – Environmental Certification Services, Natural Resources, and Food and Agriculture – and continues to provide hands-on leadership in the management of strategic company projects, initiatives, and partnerships. He has played a central role in international efforts to put an end to greenwashing, to define sustainability, to advance the science of life-cycle assessment, and to develop up-to-date climate accounting metrics. In addition to his work in standards development in the U.S., he has served as a U.S. expert delegate to the ISO TC-207, which developed the 14000 standards, actively contributing to the work of the Life-Cycle Assessment, Environmental Labeling, and Climate subcommittees.
Ph.D., Organic Chemistry; Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
B.S., Chemistry; University of California, Berkeley, CA
Scott Romito serves in the role of company CFO, and has headed up SCS’ accounting and finance functions since 2010. He is also a member of the SCS Board of Directors.
Scott is an experienced certified public accountant and attorney. Prior to joining SCS, Scott served as CFO and General Counsel for a Southern California-based startup. He spent five years with "Big Four" public accounting firms as an auditor and tax consultant. Additionally, he sits on the Board of Advisors of a technology and certification company he helped develop.
James (Jim) Knutzon has rejoined the senior staff of SCS as its Vice President for Special Projects. In this capacity, he is involved in pivotal business expansion decisions related to SCS’s international certification, auditing, and testing services. In addition, he remains Chairman of the SCS Board of Directors, a position he has held for more than a decade.
Jim brings decades of agricultural, supply chain, and certification expertise to the position, including pioneering work in sustainable and organic production, product development, food safety, and standards development. Mr. Knutzon recently retired as the first President and CEO of Farm Fresh Direct, LLC, where he has been working since 2000. Under his leadership, Farm Fresh Direct, a coalition of family farms, grew to become one of the most respected potato providers in the U.S. During his tenure at Farm Fresh, Knutzon spearheaded many “firsts”, including development of the ready-to-eat baked potato, identification of the most antioxidant-rich purple potatoes, and much more.
Mr. Knutzon started his career in the agricultural chemical business, then transitioned into vegetable farming. In 1979, he co-founded Valley Fresh Distributing, the first major organic vegetable grower/shipper in the United States. In 1988, his organic carrots caught the attention of SCS and Raley’s Supermarket in California, when they were tested and shown to contain exceptional levels of beta-carotene. Mr. Knutzon later joined SCS, and served as Chief Operating Officer for a decade, managing programs in agriculture, forestry, fisheries and life cycle assessment before leaving to take the reins at Farm Fresh Direct.
Stanley Mathuram oversees SCS corporate sales and marketing. A member of the company executive team with extensive operational and technical expertise, he plays a key role in driving business strategy, organizational development, and critical project management.
Prior to SCS, Stanley worked for companies such as Michigan Steel, Inc., AECOM, The Mannik & Smith group, Inc., and DLZ Corporation. As a consultant, he prepared furniture manufacturers for certification to BIFMA level®, and helped guide businesses in the development of Triple Bottom Line and corporate social responsibility strategies, principles of lean manufacturing, renewable energy contract development, environmental compliance, and remedial design. Since joining the SCS team, he has been instrumental in educating industry leaders about the value of third-party certification. His focus on creating a culture of transparency, teamwork, and communication has helped drive the growth and performance of SCS’ services, while reinforcing client satisfaction.
Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, one of the major U.S. furniture manufacturing hubs, Stanley travels extensively to represent SCS at industry conferences and events.
Dave Bubser is Vice President of Forestry Services. In this role, he oversees international business for the forest-based programs in SCS’ Natural Resources division, including client relations, sales and marketing, auditing key accounts, strategic and operational guidance and support to Program Directors, and assistance with special projects.
Prior to joining SCS, Dave spent 17 years with the Rainforest Alliance where he held several leadership positions, most recently overseeing all certification and assurance activities in the US and Canada, as well as global carbon verification services. He served on the global management team for Rainforest Alliance’s certification division and led business planning initiatives for chain of custody and carbon service areas, as well as the integration of Canada and US operations. Dave also guided the launch of the Appalachian Woodlands Alliance, a collaboration of businesses, government and non-profit organizations committed to promoting sustainable forest management on family forests, and has been active in numerous FSC standard setting workgroups.
Before entering the forest certification sector, Dave spent over 15 years in various forest management positions in the Lake States and Inland Northwest regions of the United States, primarily on tribal lands. Dave’s applied forestry experience includes all aspects of on-the-ground forest management with particular emphasis on silviculture, harvest design and administration.
Stowe Beam is Vice President of ECS Operations, overseeing the company’s extensive Environmental Certification Services division. He also serves on the company’s Executive Team. Stowe joined SCS in 2006, advancing rapidly from auditing to leadership roles in program management and expansion, new technology, standards development, divisional management, and corporate business development. Stowe has represented SCS on several standards development committees and stakeholder bodies, as well as at major industry conferences.
Prior to joining SCS, Stowe was a field biology educator, working in a number of diverse environments, including the Coastal Southeast, Rocky Mountains, and Pacific Northwest. He is also an accomplished whitewater kayak instructor.
Linda Brown is co-founder and Senior Vice President of SCS. Linda has actively participated in the development and implementation of the company's strategic initiatives and certification programs, serving in a multitude of capacities as well as on the company Board of Directors. Linda is a strong advocate for environmental literacy and transparency in ecolabeling.
Before joining SCS, Linda worked as a grants writer for municipalities across the United States, and a publications editor. Active in social justice and environmental issues, she obtained her Master's degree in Journalism. Shortly afterward, she met and joined Dr. Rhodes in launching the business. Since then, Linda has held many positions, including Director of SCS' Environmental Claims Certification Program, Director of Sustainable Agriculture, and Director of Communications. She has also served as chief technical editor on many major company reports. She has spearheaded or participated in numerous food quality, environmental and sustainability standards development activities on a company, national and international basis.
Linda has participated in the international ISO 14000 standards setting process, focused on Environmental Labeling, Life-Cycle Assessment and Environmental Aspects in Product Standards, and has worked on national sustainable agriculture standards (ANSI/LEO-4000) and update life cycle assessment metrics (LEO-SCS-002). She has authored numerous articles on environmental certification, life-cycle assessment and food safety issues, and has presented details of SCS programs and methods to diverse audiences around the globe.
Nicole Muñoz is the Managing Director of SCS’s Environmental Certification Services division. In this role, she supervises environmental and sustainability performance spanning a broad range of industries, from green building and apparel to mining and jewelry.
Before joining the company, Nicole conducted environmental testing as an analytical chemist, and served as an environmental health regulator for the Monterey County Public Health Department in California. During her tenure at SCS, Nicole has been promoted into roles of increasing technical responsibility, including auditing, standards development and program development. She has extensive international and domestic auditing experience, and has been instrumental in developing sustainability metrics for material use, energy and atmosphere impacts, human and ecosystem health, and corporate social responsibility.
Nicole is a regular participant in technical working groups for the maintenance and development of product sustainability standards and indoor air quality standards, such as Sustainable Apparel Coalition Higg Index, Textile Exchange Global Recycle Standard, ANSI/BIFMA e.3 Furniture Sustainability Standard, NSF/ULe 440 Health Based Indoor Air Quality Standard and ANSI/BIFMA M7.1/X7.1-2011 Furniture Emissions Standard and Health Product Declaration Open Standard.
