The U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day (WSD) is an annual event recognizing the importance of various stakeholder groups across the standards community, including business leaders, industry, academia, and government. The event features a yearly theme relevant to the broader community and its priorities, and includes presentation of the Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award.
ASTM International serves as the 2023 administrating organization of the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day. Additional details and registration will be posted here when available.
The U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day is a widely attended event that is co-sponsored and attended by federal government agencies to recognize and honor the many contributions of the U.S. standards and conformity assessment community.
In today’s global, interconnected world, collaboration furthers our shared goals. The standardization system has the greatest impact when all stakeholders work together—from the public and private sector; to national and international representatives; to consumers, industry, governments, academia, and non-governmental organizations. United, we can achieve more through standardization, developing solutions to the complex global challenges of sustainability, safety, security and climate change…and leaving a better, more resilient, and more equitable world for the next generation.
World Standards Day was initially launched in 1970, and is now recognized and celebrated by nations around the globe. U.S. activities are organized annually by a planning committee consisting of representatives from the standards and conformity assessment community, and co-chaired by ANSI and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Participation in the U.S. World Standards Day Planning Committee is open to all. If your organization is interested in joining the WSD Committee and being part of the annual U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day, please reach out to Stephanie Carroll (scarroll@ansi.org; 212-642-4890). The WSD Committee meets monthly.
In celebration of standards and their growing impact on the global economy, SES - The Society for Standards Professionals and the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day Planning Committee co-sponsor the annual WSD paper competition for individuals in the U.S. standards community. Paper competition winners are selected by the SES Publications Committee and announced at the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day.
The Ronald H. Brown Standards Leadership Award, named after the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce, recognizes demonstrated leadership in promoting the important role of standardization in eliminating global barriers to trade. This special award is presented during the U.S. World Standards Day celebration.
2022 Ed Laatsch
Director, Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) Planning, Safety, and Building Science Division
2020-2021* Ernest Grant, Ph.D., RN, FAAN
American Nurses Association
2019 Austin Freeman, Ph.D.
Segment Engineering Technical Authority, BP
2018 Arthur E. Cote
Former Executive Vice President and Chief Engineer (retired)
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
2017 Charles Sidebottom, P.E.
Managing Partner, PPO Standards LLC
2016 James A. Thomas
President, ASTM International
2015 James Williamson
Former Vice President of Technical Standards at Sony Electronics
2014 Jimmy W. Sealy
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA)
2013 Catherine (Kitty) H. Pilarz
Senior Director of Product Safety for Mattel/Fisher-Price
2012 Ronald L. Lynn
Director and Building Official, Clark County (Nevada) Department of Development Services
2011 James Shannon
President, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
2010 Marsha Mazz
Senior Accessibility Specialist and Technical Assistance Coordinator, United States Access Board
2009 Jim Sanford
Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Market Access and Industrial Competitiveness
2008 James H. Turner, Jr.
Chief Counsel, Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives
2007 Dr. James E. Hill
Former president of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air- Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
2006 Constance A. Morella
U.S. Ambassador to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and former member of the U.S. House of Representatives
2005 Richard E. Feigel
President, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)
2004 Simon Pugh
Vice President, Infrastructure and Standards, MasterCard International
2003 Jack Dangermond
President, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI)
2002 William M. Daley
President, SBC Communications Inc.
2001 Robert W. Lane
President & CEO, Deere & Company
2000 J. W. Marriott, Jr.
CEO, Marriott International, Inc.
1999 Robert L. Mallett
Deputy Secretary of Commerce, U.S. Department of Commerce
1998 Dana G. Mead
Chairman & CEO, Tenneco
1997 Philip M. Condit
Chairman & CEO, The Boeing Company
1996 Richard C. Notebaert
Chairman of the Board & CEO, Ameritech
1995 William J. Hudson
President & CEO, AMP, Incorporated
1994 Gary L. Tooker
Vice Chairman & CEO, Motorola Inc.
1993 I. Mac Allister Booth
Chairman & CEO, Polaroid Corporation
*Presented in May 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic