27 Distinguished Awardees to Be Honored During ANSI Innovation Summit in Denver

NEW YORK, June 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) today announced the twenty-seven recipients of its 2026 Leadership and Service Awards. The awards recognize significant contributions to national and international standardization activities and sustained commitment to industry advancement, the nation, and the global voluntary consensus standards system.

Awardees will be honored at the ANSI Leadership and Service Awards Ceremony, held during the 2026 ANSI Innovation Summit on July 29 at the Grand Hyatt Denver.

ANSI congratulates this year's honorees:

CHAIRMAN'S AWARD

Tim Klein, retired, U.S. Department of Transportation, will receive the Chairman's Award, which honors outstanding accomplishments on behalf of ANSI or the ANSI Federation. As an advocate for the U.S. private-sector-led system, Klein has benefited and enhanced the broad U.S. standardization community.

ASTIN-POLK INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS MEDAL

Robert Sherwin, ARESCA, 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

Austin Lin, head of the U.S. delegation to ISO/IEC JTC 3 on Quantum Technologies, will receive the Edward Lohse Information Technology Medal, which recognizes outstanding efforts to foster cooperation among bodies involved in global IT standardization.

ELIHU THOMSON ELECTROTECHNOLOGY MEDAL

David Osburn, Philips, 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 at the national and international levels.

FINEGAN STANDARDS MEDAL

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

GEORGE S. WHAM LEADERSHIP MEDAL

Richard Forselius, Lockheed Martin, will receive the George S. Wham Leadership Medal, which honors outstanding contributions by an individual who has provided direction and long-range planning to the ANSI Federation in commitment to and support of the national and/or international standards system.

GERALD H. RITTERBUSCH CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT MEDAL

George Kelly, ARESCA, 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

Jason Matusow, Microsoft, will receive the Howard Coonley Medal, which recognizes an executive who has benefited the national economy through voluntary standardization, and who has given outstanding support to standardization as a management tool.

MAUREEN BREITENBERG CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT RESEARCH MEDAL

Ramona Saar, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), will receive the Maureen Breitenberg Conformity Assessment Research Medal, which honors work that advances the principles of the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (NTTAA) through outstanding contributions toward reducing redundancy and complexity in conformity assessment.

STEPHEN CRAWFORD WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION MEDAL

Healthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) will receive the Stephen Crawford Workforce Development and Innovation Medal, which recognizes an accredited credentialing body, or an individual associated with an accredited certification body, that has significantly impacted workforce development in the United States.

MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD

The following nine individuals will receive the Meritorious Service Award in recognition of their significant 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.

Hugo Aguilar, International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO)

Valara Davis, UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE)

Bruce Desmond, Phoenix Contact USA

Vincent Ferretti, Corning Incorporated

Salvatore Francomacaro, NIST

Katy Holdredge, UL Solutions

Lee Luft, U.S. Coast Guard

Robert Rouse, A300 Committee, Tree Care Industry Association (TCIA)

Dr. Fred Zemke, Oracle

NEXT GENERATION AWARD

Six individuals will receive the Next Generation Award, presented to professionals who have been engaged in standardization or conformity assessment activities for fewer than eight years and who have demonstrated vision, leadership, and dedication, and made significant contributions to their chosen field.

Diana Hajali, U.S. Department of Commerce

Mason Hines, RESOLVE

Dr. Sumona Sarkar, NIST

Thelina Smith, Quality Catalyst

Zijun Tong, National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)

Cassie Williams, Ohmium International, Inc.

PRESIDENT'S AWARD FOR COMMUNICATIONS

Grace Roh of ULSE and the "Don't Chance Safety" Team at NFPA will each receive the President's Award for Communications, which honors an individual or team 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.

ANSI congratulates these awardees on their contributions to and accomplishments in the standards and conformity assessment community.

About ANSI

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of 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 comprises 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 and access the latest news and content on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.

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SOURCE American National Standards Institute