Chairman’s Column
For those of you who may not know me, I’ll share a little background. I grew up on a farm in the foothills of the Green Mountains in Vermont. At one point we had 20,000 laying hens, half a dozen replacement heifers, beef cattle, several pigs, two horses, barn cats, and of course our farm dog who was a beagle. It was a family farm of four kids and lots of work! My father was born in the farmhouse in 1920 and passed away in the same farmhouse in 2016 at the age of 95. I attended a local state college receiving a BS in Business Administration in 1986. I began work with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture in 1989 with the Consumer Protection Section which included both weights and measures as well agricultural grading duties. I have fond memories as being a certified maple syrup and products inspector for over 25 years. I received training and inspected RMFDs and VTMs and was lead inspector of large capacity scales (I still have my commercial driver’s license), and all other types of scales, package weighing, firewood, price verification, unit pricing, and labeling. I’m sure I forgot something in this list…… In 2010, I attended NIST metrology training in Gaithersburg. I took a lead in establishing two NIST recognized labs, one in 2013 and then 2019. This was done with the assistance of all VT weights & measures staff including our other currently recognized metrologist for Vermont, who were of great assistance in this work. It is with this background that I enthusiastically serve in this current role with NCWM. In my address at the Annual Meeting, I announced my theme for the year: “Building a Lasting Legacy.” It has continuity with the previous chair’s theme of “Staying Relevant.” My background from the farm, work with the VT Agency of Agriculture, and now NCWM has made an impression on me of the importance of creating, growing, and building programs, and completing initiatives. We are now reaping the benefits of what past members and Chairs have built over many years. We have a responsibility to continue to work and build that legacy for our current members, and for those who will be following after us.
In my address, I also outlined many initiatives. NCWM completed a National Price Verification Survey to which I had the privilege to contribute. Related to the commitment to accuracy in pricing is my support of the NIST OWM working group which will work in collaboration with NCWM on Unit Pricing issues. This work includes updating The NIST Special Publication 1181 Unit Pricing Guide – “A Best Practice to Unit Pricing” and updating the Uniform Unit Pricing Regulation in NIST Handbook 130 to encourage its adoption and use by the 9 states and District of Columbia that have mandatory Unit Pricing Regulations. The goal for completion of this work is one year with a proposal being submitted to update the handbook.
Other initiatives of NCWM include:
• The completion of the new NTEP laboratory being constructed in Lincoln, Nebraska. Once completed and in use, this facility will enhance services to companies requesting NTEP certification. This facility will also centralize NCWM in one location providing space for NCWM administration as well as meeting space. The EVSE task group which will work to provide guidance to jurisdictions which are starting EVSE compliance programs. This is a recently formed group responding to the needs of those jurisdictions working with EVSE. • • Planning for a first ever NCWM training school for compliance officials, registered service agents, and industry representatives with the subject of EVSE. Full support for the newly established Metrology Subcommittee. This subcommittee is dedicated to ensuring • accuracy, fairness, and transparency in weights and measures. Under the guidance of the NCWM Board of Directors, the subcommittee will provide ongoing support for the Professional Development Committee related to raisingawareness about the importance of metrology in weight and measures programs.
2 NCWM-News
2024 Issue 3
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