ANSI Announces Recipients of the 2020-2021 Leadership and Service Awards

NEW YORK, April 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) announced today the recipients of its 2020-2021 Leadership and Service Awards. Recipients have been recognized for their significant contributions to national and international standardization activities, as well as ongoing commitment to their industry, their nation, and the enhancement of the global voluntary consensus standards system.

In light of the unique circumstances imposed by COVID-19 and the postponement of the 2020 ceremony to 2021, the ANSI Awards Committee has recognized multiple recipients in three award categories typically presented to only one recipient in a given year: the Finegan Standards Medal, Edward Lohse Information Technology Medal, and George S. Wham Medal. Additionally, a greater number of Meritorious Service and Next Generation awards were bestowed this year in order to recognize additional candidates over the course of 2020-2021.

Awardees will be recognized at the ANSI Leadership and Service Awards Ceremony in conjunction with World Standards Week, on October 27, 2021. Due to ongoing uncertainties surrounding COVID-19, ANSI is currently evaluating whether the celebration will be held virtually, or in-person at the Fairmont Hotel in Washington, DC. Additional details will be posted on ANSI's World Standards Week webpage, as soon as they become available.

ANSI congratulates the following distinguished recipients:

Astin-Polk International Standards Medal

Sylvia Mohr, standards liaison to Europe (retired July 2020), ASME, will receive 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.

Edward Lohse Information Technology Medal

Two recipients will receive the Edward Lohse Information Technology Medal, which recognizes outstanding efforts to foster cooperation among bodies involved in global IT standardization.

Brian Celella, principal electrical engineer, The Siemon Company

Wo Chang, computer scientist, Information Technology Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

Elihu Thomson Electrotechnology Medal

Timothy Duffy, senior manager, conformity assessment, Rockwell Automation, will receive 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.

Finegan Standards Medal

Two recipients will receive the Finegan Standards Medal, which honors individuals who have shown extraordinary leadership in the actual development and application of voluntary standards.

Michael Carano, vice president, technology and business development, RBP Chemical Technology

David Osborn, manager, international standards, Philips Medical Systems

George S. Wham Leadership Medal

Two recipients will receive the George S. Wham Leadership Medal, which honors individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the voluntary standardization community and provided long-term direction and visionary qualities in support of the ANSI Federation.

Ajit Jillavenkatesa, Ph.D., senior standards policy legal advisor, Apple Inc., former senior policy advisor, standards and digitalization, NIST

Paris Stavrianidis, chief executive officer, FM Approvals

Gerald H. Ritterbusch Conformity Assessment Medal

Warren Merkel, chief, standards services, NIST, will receive the Gerald H. Ritterbusch Conformity Assessment Medal, which 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.

Howard Coonley Medal

Sonya Bird, director, international standards, UL, will receive the Howard Coonley Medal, which recognizes an executive who has benefitted the national economy through voluntary standardization and conformity assessment and has given outstanding support to standardization as a management tool.

President's Award for Journalism

Elaina Finger, global standards process coordinator, Corning Inc., will receive the President's Award for Journalism, which honors a journalist(s) whose work helps to illuminate the role that standardization and conformity assessment activities play in the global marketplace.

Meritorious Service Award

The following 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 12 awardees are:

Todd Arnold, senior technical staff member, IBM

Ethan Biery, technical leader, system sales engineering team, Lutron Electronics Co.

Julie Cairns, senior project manager, CSA Group

Bob Czarnecki, chairman, standards committee, (retired), International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration

Mary Jo DiBernardo, program manager, standards coordination office, NIST

Ritesh Ghimire, engineer, AUS-420 technical support branch custodian of ANSI UASSC Roadmap, Federal Aviation Administration, (FAA)

Bruce Hopkins, vice president, standards, (retired), Recreation Vehicle Industry Association

Sharon Lappalainen, deputy director, standards and conformity assessment program, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Devices and Radiological Health

Stephen Oksala, president, Oksala Consulting

Bob Sherwin, chief executive officer/president and founder of Vermont Windpower International, LLC, and managing partner of EAPC Wind Energy Services, LLC

Paula Watkins, manager, midstream standards, American Petroleum Institute (API)

John Weritz, vice president, standards and technology, The Aluminum Association

Next Generation Award

Several individuals will receive the Next Generation Award, presented to professionals 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. The four awardees are:

Carolyn Hull, manager, global regulatory standards, Medical Imaging and Technology Alliance (MITA)

Greg Knott, vice president, standards and regulatory affairs, Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI)

Nathan Tom, Ph.D., researcher III, mechanical engineering, National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL)

Judy Zakreski, vice president, global services, International Code Council (ICC)

Workforce Development and Innovation Award

Marya Ryan, Ph.D., program director, Board of Certified Safety Professionals, will receive the ANSI Workforce Development and Innovation Award, which recognizes accredited credentialing bodies that significantly impact workforce development in the United States.

For more information, visit www.ansi.org/awards and www.ansi.org/wsweek.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.

The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI 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). For more information, visit www.ansi.org.

SOURCE American National Standards Institute

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