Richard S Hunter joined the National Bureau of Standards in 1927 in the colorimetry lab. In 1952, he founded the Hunter Associates Laboratory in Farifax, Virginia. Over the years ,the lab has high-profile customers, including Procter and Gamble. He is best known for inventing the Hunter L.a,b color scale and the Colorimeter. He was widely recognized for his work, and received the 1970 OSA David Richardson Medal.

He passed away in 1991.