Walter "Wally" R. Quanstrom

Walter R. (Wally) Quanstrom (11/20/42-7/19/25) was born in Gary, Indiana, graduated from Southeast High School, Kansas City, Missouri, Southern Nazarene University (B.A. 1964), and the University of Oklahoma (Ph.D. 1968), Northwestern University Executive Development Program, and Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program.

Dr. Quanstrom began his career as biological science professor at Olivet Nazarene University, Northwest Nazarene University, and Northwestern University Kellogg School of Business Management, as well as working for the US Forest Service and US Fish and Wildlife Service, participating in development of The Youth Conservation Corps program.

In 1974 Wally joined Standard Oil Company (Indiana), where he held various environmental, health, and safety positions, developing corporate policies in those areas. He was elected Vice President and Officer of the Board of Directors in 1987. He served on the Management Committee of Amoco Chemical Company, the Chemical Industry Institute of Toxicology (CIIT), Clean Air Act Advisory Committee of the US Environmental Protection Agency, American Petroleum Institute (API), and chaired the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA), the Keystone Center and Bp Solarex. As VYSIS Board of Directors Chairman, he oversaw growth of the disease diagnostics company until its sale to Abbott Laboratories. He was also President of Mostardi Platt Environmental Company and Advisory Committee of 3E, Carlsbad, CA.

In 1998 He was appointed Group Vice President—Health, Safety and Environment for BPAmoco (now BP plc), London, where he merged health, environment and safety practices of the combined corporations, including Arco, into the “Getting HSE Right” management system. From Heresy to Dogma: an Institutional History of Corporate Environmentalism (Andrew Hoffman, New Lexington Press,1997), recounts Wally’s career. Prelude to Merger: A History of Amoco Corporation, 1973-1998 (Joseph A. Pratt, Hart Publications, 2000) highlights his influence on corporate policy.

Mr. Quanstrom was elected Trustee, Big Rock Township, Kane County, Illinois. He was a serious Bible student and teacher, a faithful church member serving on various local and wider-church leadership roles, most recently at Gold Canyon UMC, Gold Canyon, AZ. His hobby was woodworking with hand tools, CNC, and laser equipment.

He and Fay (Sheldon), an ordained minister, were married in 1963, have two grown children, Erik Quanstrom and Anna Bradshaw and five grandchildren: Sigourney, Graham and Beckett Bradshaw, Carmen and Isabella Quanstrom.