New York — Former International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO®) CEO GP Russ Chaney has been named the recipient of the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Chairman’s Award, which recognizes “exemplary contributions to the voluntary consensus standardization community and efforts to increase the critical voice of consumers in standardization activities.”
Chaney and 25 other recipients of ANSI’s 2024 Leadership and Service Awards will be honored at the ANSI Leadership and Service Awards Ceremony, Nov. 13, in Washington, D.C., held in conjunction with World Standards Week.
Throughout his tenure at IAPMO, Chaney was a strong advocate for high quality standards, product certification and testing, and working with all stakeholders, including the local community, to ensure people everywhere benefited from IAPMO’s work. He passionately led IAPMO to work with numerous global entities to bring codes and standards, product certification, or product testing to places such as Vietnam, Kuwait, Jordan, Philippines, Indonesia, India, China, and Australia, in addition to IAPMO’s work in North America. Chaney retired in 2020.
“I am frankly stunned to receive this humbling and significant personal honor,” Chaney said. “I’ve enjoyed working at various levels within the ANSI federation and have enjoyed every minute of it, especially the relationships with ANSI staff and other volunteers. I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t share this honor with all of the IAPMO staff members who perform much of the great work that makes our relationship with ANSI so beneficial.”
A 50-year veteran of the plumbing trades, prior to joining IAPMO Chaney served as director of Technical Services for the National Association of Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors (NAPHCC), which included secretariat responsibilities for the ANSI A40 Safety Requirements of Plumbing standard.
After joining IAPMO as executive director in 1995, Chaney initiated measures leading IAPMO to develop the UPC using a transparent consensus process, achieving ANSI accreditation in 2000. The resulting 2003 UPC was the first plumbing code to be designated as an American National Standard. Under Chaney’s leadership, IAPMO achieved ANSI Audited Designator status in 2011, and in 2018 ANSI accredited IAPMO to act as the U.S. Technical Advisory Group administrator to develop an international water efficiency standard.
In 2018, Chaney was elected chair of the ANSI Board of Directors. He joined ANSI’s board in 2009 as a director-at-large and served two three-year terms from 2009 to 2014 before becoming an officer/vice chair in 2015. Chaney also served on numerous ANSI committees and board task groups, including three years as chairman of the Finance Committee. He also has served on the Presidential Advisory Committee; ANSI’s three Regional Standing Committees; the National and International Policy Committees; and the Nominating Committee.
“Russ Chaney more than laid the groundwork for IAPMO’s numerous achievements in the international standards community, he powered every significant milestone through his unrivaled expertise and vision for how ANSI and IAPMO could create positive outcomes in communities the world over,” said IAPMO CEO Dave Viola. “We join ANSI in recognizing Russ’ incalculable contributions to standards and the betterment of life they create.”
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.
The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Founded in 1926, IAPMO focuses its comprehensive services on the technical aspects of the plumbing and mechanical industries. Its membership includes trained labor and contractors, engineers, domestic and non-domestic product manufacturers, suppliers, plumbing and mechanical inspectors, and building officials. IAPMO has assisted with code and standard development, educational programs, and/or conformity assessment services in regions around the world. IAPMO has also assisted international aid organizations to help bring sound, efficient water/sanitation systems to developing nations.
