Equipped with 30 years of professional experience, Lori Maria Tarkany Balster is well-regarded in the fields of chemistry, authorship and entrepreneurship. Since 2020, she has thrived as the chief executive officer of Knowledge Imports LLC in Dayton, Ohio, having also lent her expertise to her profession as a prolific writer and consultant since 2014. In addition to these appointments, Ms. Balster has been a proposal writing, editing and compliance consultant with Palmer Consultants LLC (now known as Strategic Growth Advisors) in Colorado since 2017, where she specializes in United States government proposals.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Balster served as a chemist at Systems Research Laboratories/Arvin/Calspan in Dayton in 1994. She continued to thrive in the same capacity at Innovative Scientific Solutions Inc. in Beaver Creek, Ohio, between 1996 and 1999. Following this period, she began her tenure with the University of Dayton Research Institute, serving as an assistant research chemist, associate research chemist and research chemist between 2000 and 2013. During this time, she notably contributed to projects as a contractor through the United States Department of Defense. Likewise, she thrived as an adjunct general chemistry laboratory instructor at the University of Dayton during the 2013-2014 academic year. Subsequently, Ms. Balster served as a science writer with Fondriest Environmental Inc. from 2014 to 2022, demonstrating her versatility in her field and solidifying her reputation as an industry expert.
Ms. Balster is a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS), serving as chair of the Dayton section from 2012 to 2014, and a life member of American Mensa, through which she was named Dayton Area Mensan of the Year in 2013 and earned the 20-Year Service Award for her contributions as the Dayton Area president, treasurer, ombudsman, recording secretary and vice president. She also enjoys giving back through volunteering with the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, supporting the Society for Improvement of Conditions of Stray Animals, and allocating time to her local church.
As a testament to her success, Ms. Balster earned the Client Ambassador Award from Palmer Consultants in 2019 for exceptional proposal compliance, writing and editing support. She also received the Publications Recognition Program Award from American Mensa, a presidential academic fitness scholarship to the University of Dayton, and the ACS Freshmen Chemistry Award. Highly educated, Ms. Balster holds a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry and English and a Master of Arts in English language and literature from the University of Dayton. Looking toward the future, Ms. Balster endeavors to continue expanding the scope of Knowledge Imports LLC to create job opportunities for fellow writers, editors and scientists.
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