From One Brand to Two
During King's tenure as president, the ANAB brand came to
encompass accreditation for additional standards, including the
chemical industry's RC14001, ISO 22000 for food safety management
systems, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative standard, ISO 13485
for medical devices, and ISO 27001 for information security
management systems. The ANAB mark also spread globally in response
to demand, especially in Southeast Asia.
In spite of the proliferation of management systems standards
and interest in the ANAB mark among certification bodies outside
the United States, the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board began
to experience slower growth. There was also interest in expanding
the scope of conformity assessment offerings, and the company began
exploring potential acquisitions.
Other national bodies offered accreditation for the full array
of third-party conformity assessment - not just management systems
certifiers but also product and personnel certifiers and
laboratories. ANSI already had programs for product and personnel
certifiers, so laboratory accreditation was the single service
missing from the ANSI-ASQ-ANAB family of conformity assessment
activities.
In October 2007, the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board
acquired Assured Calibration and Laboratory Accreditation Select
Services (ACLASS), completing the family's conformity assessment
offerings. The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board continued to
accredit management systems certification bodies under the ANAB
brand and began accrediting ISO/IEC 17025 testing and calibration
labs under the ACLASS brand. ISO/IEC 17020 inspection bodies,
ISO Guide 34 reference material producers, and ISO/IEC 17043
proficiency test providers are also accredited under the
ACLASS brand.
Since the acquisition of ACLASS, the ANSI-ASQ National
Accreditation Board has maintained an office in suburban
Washington, DC, in addition to its Milwaukee headquarters.
At IAF, King pushed for a stronger focus on customers as a means
of strengthening conformity assessment worldwide. When he retired,
King said, "I like to think that I've helped the international
community focus more on the wishes of customers, satisfying
customers, listening to the user community."
King's successor was no stranger to the ANSI-ASQ National
Accreditation Board. John Knappenberger had been involved with the
organization almost continuously since the early RAB days. When ASQ
hired Lofgren, Knappenberger was treasurer of ASQ and was a strong
advocate for establishing RAB. He served on the RAB board of
directors starting in 1994 and succeeded Peach as chair in April
1996, serving in that capacity until 2005, when he moved to the new
RABQSA board of directors.
In spite of his insider's knowledge of the ANSI-ASQ National
Accreditation Board, Knappenberger found being president and CEO
was not the same as being chair of the board of directors. "It's a
whole lot different sitting on the other side of the fence," he
said.
Since he joined the company in November 2007, Knappenberger has
worked to strengthen family ties with ASQ and ANSI, improve
cross-selling of the family of brands, establish relationships with
government agencies, and always ensure the focus on customers.
The newest programs accredited under the ANAB mark include the
American Tree Farm System, ISO 28000 for supply chain security
management, ISO/IEC 20000-1 for information technology service
management, the Recycling Industry Operating Standard, the
e-Stewards standards, Responsible Recycling, QC 080000 for
hazardous substance process management, and PS-Prep, the Department
of Homeland Security's business continuity and preparedness
voluntary certification program.
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