Volume 26 • No 09 • 2003
ISSN 0742-468X • Since 1978
On-line Since 2000
Jack Dangermond Named Honorary Chair for World Standards Day 2003
ESRI President Jack Dangermond served as honorary chairman during a special World Standards Day exhibition, reception, and dinner on Tuesday, September 30, 2003, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C. The theme for this year’s event was 2003 World Standards Day: Building Global Security Through Standards
What is World Standards Day?
On October 14, 1946, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) which held its first meeting in London. World Standards Day began as a celebration of that event ISO began with an initial roster of 25 countries and now has 123 member nations. The Geneva Switzerland-based organization evolved into the global clearinghouse for all standards activities. ISO’s U.S. representative, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), is one of the founding organizations of World Standards Day.
Today, the people who set standards, sponsor World Standards Day: ISO; the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), which develops international standards for the electrical and electronics industries; and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), an international organization responsible for the coordination, development, regulation, and standardization of telecommunications standards.
The organizations that sponsor World Standards Day have a simple goal: to raise awareness of the importance of global standardization to the world economy and to promote its role in helping meet the needs of business, industry, government, and consumers
In the U.S., World Standards Day is a joint effort between the private and public sector. This year’s World Standards Day events are being coordinated and funded by the World Standards Day Committee, consisting of representatives from more than 50 major companies, professional and technical societies, trade associations, standards developing organizations and government agencies. The co–chairs of the World Standards Day Committee are the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Dinner with Jack
At the U.S. World Standards Day reception and dinner, held in Washington D.C., the winners of the Ronald Brown Standards Leadership Award and the World Standards Day Paper Contest are announced. Named after the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce, the Ronald Brown Standards Leadership Award recognizes demonstrated leadership in promoting the important role of standardization in eliminating global barriers to trade. The World Standards Day Paper Contest is designed to raise awareness of the importance of standards, as well as present various perspectives on national and international standards issues.
At the U.S. World Standards Day reception and dinner, held in Washington D.C., the winners of the Ronald Brown Standards Leadership Award and the World Standards Day Paper Contest are announced. Named after the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce, the Ronald Brown Standards Leadership Award recognizes demonstrated leadership in promoting the important role of standardization in eliminating global barriers to trade. The World Standards Day Paper Contest is designed to raise awareness of the importance of standards, as well as present various perspectives on national and international standards issues.
Jack Dangermond’s participation in the U.S. Celebration of World Standards Day symbolizes this year’s theme, “Building Global Security Through Standards,” and highlights ESRI’s recognition and commitment to the development and interoperability of standards in the area of Geographic Information Systems (GIS). ESRI’s technology, software development and support help perform countless vital tasks including the determination of new national boundaries during peace negotiations, the rebuilding of cities around the world, the containment of oil spills and routing of emergency vehicles.
“The U.S. World Standards Day Planning Committee, and the ICC as the Administrating Organization, is privileged to have Jack Dangermond serve as the honorary chairman,” said Pamela Suett, ANSI Education and Training manager. “He is recognized in both academia and industry as a business leader and an authority in the GIS field. His commitment to incorporating technology standards in the business practices for ESRI will help promote the role of national and international standards in enhancing security and emergency planning worldwide.”
Conclusion
About those useable, workable, useful GIS standards …
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