United States Hosts Major Meeting of International Standardization Experts in San Diego

Innovation and sustainability to be primary topics of discussion at Open Session event on September 20

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is pleased to announce that the 2012 General Assembly of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) will take place on September 17-22 in San Diego, California.

The 2012 ISO General Assembly (GA) will bring more than 600 delegates and accompanying persons invited from ISO's 163 member countries. Together, these individuals will participate in interactive discussions that will shape the direction of ISO's future products, services, and systems.

Events to be held during the week-long gathering include:

• On September 18, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders will welcome delegates to a reception at the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier in the San Diego Harbor.

• During the September 19 opening ceremony, attendees will hear from key speakers including Dr. Boris Aleshin, ISO president; James Pauley, chairman of the ANSI Board of Directors; and keynote speaker Dr. Patrick Gallagher, Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).

• And on September 20, ANSI will host an Open Session focused on innovation and sustainability featuring keynote speakers Denise Naguib, senior director of sustainability for Marriott International, and Phil McKinney, innovation consultant. The Open Session is an opportunity for stakeholders from around the world - including business leaders and members of the media - to discuss the current issues around innovation and the economics of sustainable development, what is being done and what needs to be done better, and how standards could assist.

"The ISO 2012 General Assembly will be an exciting and dynamic gathering for everyone in the international standardization community," said S. Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO. "By hosting the 2012 ISO General Assembly, ANSI is reaffirming the U.S. commitment to international standardization, and creating opportunities for U.S. industry to participate in standards activities that promote global market access."

"This international gathering will also serve to raise awareness of ISO international standards to U.S. industry, and foster international cooperation in standardization and conformance activities."

For more information on the 2012 ISO General Assembly, visit www.isoansi2012.org. Events are open to the media; to gain press access to the world's foremost standardization experts during this exciting series of events, contact Liz Neiman (eneiman@ansi.org). Unless otherwise noted, events are held at the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina at 333 West Harbor Drive in San Diego, California.

About ISO
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world's largest developer and publisher of International Standards. ISO is a network of the national standards institutes of 163 countries, one member per country, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system.

ISO is a non-governmental organization that forms a bridge between the public and private sectors. On the one hand, many of its member institutes are part of the governmental structure of their countries, or are mandated by their government. On the other hand, other members have their roots uniquely in the private sector, having been set up by national partnerships of industry associations. Therefore, ISO enables a consensus to be reached on solutions that meet both the requirements of business and the broader needs of society.