ANSI Announces Recipients of the 2010 Leadership and Service Awards

NEW YORK, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) announced today the recipients of its 2010 Leadership and Service Awards. Recipients have been recognized for their significant contributions to national and international standardization activities, as well as an ongoing commitment to their industry,  their nation, and the enhancement of the global voluntary consensus standards system. ANSI will honor these twenty-four distinguished award recipients during a September 22 ceremony held in conjunction with World Standards Week 2010.

Ileana Martinez, standards specialist, global standards and information group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, has been awarded the Astin-Polk International Standards Medal, which honors distinguished service in promoting trade and understanding among nations through the advancement, development, or administration of international standardization, measurements, or certification.

Frank K. Kitzantides, senior technology advisor at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, will receive the Howard Coonley Medal, which recognizes an executive who has benefited the national economy through voluntary standardization and conformity assessment and has given outstanding support to standardization as a management tool.

Albert (Chip) Pudims, retired manager, codes and standards and product liability at Bryant Electric/Hubbell Inc, will receive the Finegan Standards Medal, which honors an individual who has shown extraordinary leadership in the development and application of voluntary standards.

David K. Michael, retired manager, Apple software standards at Apple, Inc, will receive the Edward Lohse Information Technology Medal, which recognizes outstanding efforts to foster cooperation among the bodies involved in global IT standardization.

Gerald H. Ritterbusch, retired director of standards and regulations at Caterpillar, will receive the first-ever Gerald H. Ritterbusch Conformity Assessment Medal, which bears his name and honors distinguished service in promoting the understanding and application of conformity assessment methods as a means of providing confidence in standards compliance for the marketplace.

Charles C. Packard, chairman emeritus at the Electronic Components Certification Corporation, has been awarded the Elihu Thomson Electrotechnology Medal, which honors an individual who has contributed in an exceptional, dedicated way to the field of electrotechnology standardization, conformity assessment, and related activities at the national and international levels.

George Arnold, national coordinator for Smart Grid Interoperability at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, will receive the George S. Wham Leadership Medal, which honors an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the voluntary standardization community and provided long-term direction and visionary qualities in support of the ANSI Federation.

Scott Adams, creator of the Dilbert cartoon, was chosen as the recipient of the President's Award for Journalism, which recognizes a journalist whose work helps to illuminate the role that standardization and conformity assessment activities play in improving the health and safety of Americans and in strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. business in a global marketplace.

Members of the APEC Toy Safety Initiative, a group formed to improve the alignment of international toy safety standards and conformity assessment practices while reducing technical barriers to trade, were selected as the recipients of the Chairman's Award, which honors outstanding accomplishments by any group or individual on behalf of ANSI or the ANSI Federation.

The group consists of: Inez Tenenbaum, chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission; Rich O'Brien, director of the Office of International Programs for the Consumer Product Safety Commission; Jamie Ferman, international trade specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce; Julia Doherty, senior director of non-tariff measures for the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; Jennifer Stradtman, international trade specialist for the U.S. Department of Commerce; Kitty Pilarz, director of worldwide product safety for Mattel; Joan Lawrence, vice president of standards and regulatory affairs for the Toy Industry Association; and Carter Keithley, president of the Toy Industry Association.

Kristin Collette and Megan A. Hayes will both receive the Next Generation Award, which honors individuals who have been engaged in standardization or conformity assessment activities for less than eight years and who have, during this time, demonstrated vision, leadership, dedication, and significant contributions to their chosen field of activity. Ms. Collette is a fire protection engineer for the National Fire Protection Association. Ms. Hayes is senior manager of technology and standards for the Consumer Electronics Association.

Meritorious Service Awards

Six individuals will receive the Meritorious Service Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the U.S. voluntary standardization system. Each has demonstrated outstanding service in enabling ANSI to attain the objectives for which it was founded. The awardees are:

• Kenneth E. Gettman, director of international standards at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association
• William G. Lawrence, Jr., senior engineering specialist at FM Approvals
• Louis Santamaria, commercial officer and standards attache for the European Union at the U.S. Department of Commerce
• Ronald F. Silletti, retired corporate director of standards for IBM
• Don Snyder, director of U.S. Standards for Underwriters Laboratories
• David E. Soffrin, manager of downstream standards at the American Petroleum Institute

These twenty-four individuals will be honored at the 2010 ANSI Leadership and Service Awards, a banquet and ceremony to be held on Wednesday evening, September 22, at the Sheraton National Hotel in Arlington, VA. For more information, visit www.ansi.org/wsweek.

About ANSI

ANSI is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.  

The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 125,000 companies and organizations and 3.5 million professionals worldwide.  

The Institute is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and is a U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF). ANSI currently has offices in New York City and Washington, DC.  For more information about ANSI, see www.ansi.org.

SOURCE American National Standards Institute