Our Team

ARS relies on the knowledge and experience of John Atwater, PhD, a former United States Pharmacopeia (USP) director with 25 years of experience working with over 60 manufacturing companies globally, in a wide range of industries including foods, dietary supplements, herbal medicines, and pharmaceuticals, from ingredients to finished consumer products.

As the principal consultant, Dr. Atwater specializes in all 6 quality systems for good manufacturing practices for health products, including quality management, facilities and equipment, materials, production, packaging and labeling and laboratory controls. ARS offers a list of services for companies to choose from, depending on their particular business needs, including auditing, training and consulting.

Dr. Atwater is personally involved in every client project undertaken by the firm. Large projects are accommodated through the support of a number of independent contractors of the firm. These individuals are all highly seasoned consultants with specific expertise in key areas.

Executive Team
  • John B Atwater, PhD, Principal Consultant
  • Mary Atwater, PsyD, Chief Executive Officer
John B Atwater

John B. Atwater, Ph.D. has over 25 years of experience in analytical chemistry, quality assurance program development, and drug development project management. Dr. Atwater had been with USP for 19 years and was the senior director of USP’s verification programs. Dr. Atwater helped develop and implement the most stringent national/international verification program for dietary supplements, dietary ingredients, active pharmaceutical ingredients and excipients. He has worked with over 60 different companies verifying the quality of their products. Dr. Atwater joined USP, in July 2001, after serving as Director of the Natural Products Analytical Group at Hauser Technical Services, in Boulder, CO, where he worked with staff chemists to isolate (extract, fractionate, and purify) natural drug actives; and develop, validate, and perform analytical test procedures for natural products analyses. 

Education:

  • PhD, Analytical Chemistry, Colorado State University
  • BA, Chemistry, Colorado College

Certifications and Professional Associations:

  • Regulatory Affairs Certified (RAC) Professional, Regulatory Affairs Professional Society (RAPS)
  • Certified Quality Auditor (CQA), American Society for Quality (ASQ)


Mary Atwater

Mary Atwater, PsyD is a licensed psychologist and mediator practicing in Maryland and the greater Washington DC area. Dr. Atwater provides mediation and trial consultation services.  For more than thirty years she has provided training in health education and enjoys presenting both locally and nationally on topics from mediation and conflict resolution to health and wellness. As a proud veteran of the United States Air Force she distinguished herself by meritorious service as NCO in Charge of Food Safety, Environmental Sanitation, and Occupational Health.

Education:

  • Psy.D, Clinical Psychology, University of Denver
  • BA, Magna cum Laude, Psychology, University of Colorado, Boulder
  • BS, Biological Science, Environmental Health, Colorado State University

Professional Associations:

  • Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
  • Maryland Program for Mediator Excellence
  • Association of Contextual Behavioral Science
  • Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution

Citation to Accompany the Award of the Air Force Commendation Medal to Mary Atwater Sergeant Mary Atwater distinguished herself by meritorious service as Airman in Charge, Food Safety Environmental Sanitation, and Noncommissioned Officer in Charge, Occupational Health, United States Air Force Hospital Mather, Mather Air Force Base, California, from 4 June 1982 to 10 January 1986. During this period, the outstanding professional skill, leadership ability, and driving self-initiative of Sergeant Atwater had a direct impact on the smooth transition of a changing career field. The enthusiastic application of her knowledge and experience aided immeasurably in the assumption of occupational health and communicable disease related programs by the new Environmental Health Services. The distinctive accomplishment of Sergeant Atwater while serving her country reflect credit upon herself and the United States Air Force.