CSA Group Announces Recipients of the 2015 Award of Merit

TORONTO, June 17, 2015 /CNW/ - CSA Group, a leading standards development organization and global provider of testing and certification services, today officially announces the recipients of the 2015 Award of Merit. The Award of Merit is an honour bestowed by CSA Group to individuals that have demonstrated leadership in developing voluntary standards and who, through technical, administrative, or special standards activities, have advanced the purpose of CSA Group.

The 2015 Awards of Merit were presented by Dr. Roland Hosein, Chair of the Board, CSA Group, at a special awards ceremony held during the CSA Group Annual Conference in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

"The Award of Merit recipients for 2015 are an integral part of standards development at CSA Group," says Gianluca Arcari, Executive Director, Standards and Vice President, CSA Group. "Their skills, knowledge and dedication contribute to public safety, innovation and technical advancement in a variety of fields that help make a better, safer, more sustainable world for everyone. CSA Group proudly recognizes the efforts and expertise of the recipients and thanks them for their valued contributions."

The 2015 Awards of Merit were presented to the following individuals:

• Mr. Gregg Achman of Lakeville, Minnesota receives the Award of Merit in recognition of extraordinary commitment, valued technical expertise and distinguished contributions to standards for gas appliances. Mr. Achman is Vice President, Product Engineering and Standards, Hearth Home and Technologies.
  
  
• Ms. Mary Ann Baynton of Waterdown, Ontario receives the Award of Merit in recognition of pioneering leadership, skilled collaboration and unwavering dedication to standards for workplace psychological health and safety. Ms. Baynton owns and operates Mary Ann Baynton and Associates and serves as the Program Director for the Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace.
  
  
• Mr. Phil Davis of Deep River, Ontario receives the Award of Merit in recognition of exceptional technical knowledge, dedicated leadership and valued mentorship for standards for nuclear facilities. Mr. Davis retired in 2008 from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), but continues to generously give of his personal time to standards development at CSA Group.
  
  
• Dr. Gilles Delage of Saint-Laurent, Quebec receives the Award of Merit in recognition of his outstanding leadership, dedicated involvement and passionate support for health care standards related to blood management. Highly respected in his field, Dr. Delage is Vice-President, Medical Affairs-Microbiology at Héma-Québec.
  
  
• Mr. Tim Driscoll of Calgary, Alberta receives the Award of Merit in recognition of long-standing, inspired advocacy and respected expertise in developing and advancing electrical safety standards. Mr. Driscoll is retired from Shell and now owns and operates OBIEC Consulting in Calgary.
  
  
• Mr. Kevin Ernst of Oakville, Ontario receives the Award of Merit in recognition of involvement, valued innovation and skillful leadership in developing and advancing plumbing standards. Mr. Ernst is General Manager of Oakville Stamping and Bending Company.
  
  
• Mr. Dale Friesen of Winnipeg, Manitoba receives the Award of Merit in recognition of technical expertise, influential advocacy and leadership in developing performance standards for energy efficiency of industrial equipment. Mr. Friesen is Division Manager, Industrial and Commercial Solutions at Manitoba Hydro.
  
  
• Ms. Eva A. Karpinski of Gatineau, Quebec receives the Award of Merit in recognition of dedicated involvement, exceptional knowledge and valued contributions to standards for occupational health and safety. Ms. Karpinski is Industrial Hygiene Engineer, Occupational Health and Safety Division, Employment and Social Development Canada – Labour Relations.
  
  
• Ms. Linda Kingsbury of Vancouver, British Columbia receives the Award of Merit in recognition of outstanding involvement, skillful consensus-building and exceptional commitment to the development of healthcare standards. Formerly with Health Canada and Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Ms. Kingsbury is now a consultant based in Vancouver, BC.
  
  
• Mr. Pierre L'Esperance of Ste-Foy, Quebec receives the Award of Merit in recognition of dedicated involvement, exceptional collaboration and respected advocacy for quality management and social responsibility standards. A champion of the standards system for over 20 years, Mr. L'Esperance is co-founder and principal partner of Le Groupe Qualiso.
  
  
• Ms. Anne-Marie Martel of Montreal, Quebec receives the Award of Merit in recognition of exceptional knowledge, dedicated advocacy and valued collaboration in the development of standards relating to medical laboratory practices. Ms. Martel heads up Scientific Affairs at Ordre professionnel des technologistes médicaux du Québec.
  
  
• Mr. Joe Paviglianiti of Calgary, Alberta receives the Award of Merit in recognition of outstanding leadership, unparalleled technical knowledge and highly respected professionalism in the development of oil and gas pipeline standards. Mr. Paviglianiti is Technical Leader, Engineering with the National Energy Board.
  
  
• Mr. Paul Seager of Toronto, Ontario receives the Award of Merit in recognition of inspiring leadership, valued technical expertise and unfailing dedication to the development and advancement of fuel-burning safety codes. Mr. Seager is a Principal and the Director of Technical Management of H. H. Angus & Associates Limited Consulting Engineers.
  
  
• Mr. Evangelos Spyrou of St-Laurent, Quebec receives the Award of Merit in recognition of skillful leadership, immense technical knowledge and strong commitment to excellence in safety standards for sports equipment. Mr. Spyrou is Manager of R&D/Certification at Reebok-CCM Hockey.

The CSA Award of Merit
The Award of Merit was created in 1979 to honour and recognize leadership in voluntary standards development. Nominations are open to all present or past CSA Group voting members, as well as former CSA Group employees that have: served in CSA Group committee activity or other associated standardization work; showed leadership in technical, administrative, or special committee activities; published papers, or made public addresses, which have been of special benefit to the work of the Association; and have advanced the prestige or interest of CSA Group.

About CSA Group
CSA Group is an independent, not-for-profit membership association dedicated to safety, social good and sustainability. Its knowledge and expertise encompass standards development; training and advisory solutions; global testing and certification services across key business areas including hazardous location and industrial, transportation, plumbing and construction, medical, safety and technology, automotive, appliances and gas, alternative energy, lighting and sustainability; as well as consumer product evaluation services. The CSA certification mark appears on billions of products worldwide.  For more information about CSA Group visit www.csagroup.org.

SOURCE Canadian Standards Association

Allison Hawkins, Manager, Corporate Affairs, CSA Group, 416-747-2615, [email protected]