Keeny Retires; Kimball New ACA Director

Spurgeon M. Keeny, Jr. retired September 1 as executive director of the Arms Control Association, a position he had held since 1985. He is succeeded by Daryl G. Kimball, who joins ACA after serving as executive director of the Coalition to Reduce Nuclear Dangers, an umbrella organization for non-profit groups focusing on arms control.

Before coming to ACA, Spurgeon had a long and distinguished career in government, working on national security issues for six presidents and becoming one of the most prominent figures in the arms control community. From 1969 to 1973, Spurgeon served as an assistant director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA), where he was responsible for backstopping the negotiation of the ABM Treaty, and from 1977 to 1981 he was deputy director of ACDA. Spurgeon plans to continue his work on arms control at the National Academy of Sciences and the University of Maryland.

Daryl led the Coalition for four years, coordinating the efforts of diverse organizations in supporting ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and counseling more prudent policies on missile defenses. Previously, he worked for eight years at Physicians for Social Responsibility, first as associate director for policy and later as director of security programs. He has testified before Congress on arms control issues and regularly serves as a valuable resource for the media.

Spurgeon’s experience, intellect, and never-ending supply of stories will be greatly missed at ACA, but we eagerly welcome Daryl to the organization and look forward to his leadership at this challenging time for arms control.