USNC/IEC Elects Veronica A. Lancaster of CTA as President

The U.S. National Committee (USNC) of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has announced that Veronica A. Lancaster, vice president of standards programs at the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), has been elected as the new USNC president. Lancaster succeeds Kevin Lippert of UL Standards & Engagement, who served as USNC President since 2019.

The USNC is the U.S. member body to the IEC and serves as the focal point for U.S. stakeholders interested in the development, promulgation, and use of globally relevant standards for the electrotechnical industry. The committee is also engaged in the assessment of conformance to standards, undertaking work in areas such as testing, certification, and accreditation. The responsibility for the USNC is exclusively exercised by the USNC Council, a committee of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

A long-time member of the USNC, Lancaster is the vice president of standards programs in the technology and standards department at CTA, where she is responsible for the development, management, and growth of CTA’s standards program. As part of her responsibilities as USNC President, Lancaster will also serve as the USNC Member of the IEC Board and leader of the USNC delegation at all IEC meetings and events. For her work on the USNC to the IEC she has won two 1906 Awards for her contribution to the standardization of wireless power transfer and wearable technologies. She recently served as the vice chair of the 2022 Planning Committee, which organized the U.S.-hosted IEC General Meeting in 2022.

Lancaster also serves as president of the Board of Directors for Women in Standards, which is focused on elevating and educating the standardization community on the importance of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. She is currently serving on the ANSI Board of Directors as a director-at-large and, as USNC President, will continue to serve on ANSI’s Board in her new role as chair of the USNC Council. She is the secretary/treasurer of the CTA Foundation, which provides grants to support programs that empower and improve the lives of seniors and people living with disabilities through the use of technology. Lancaster proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1989 until honorably discharged in 1994.

“On behalf of ANSI and the USNC, we thank Kevin for his years of dedicated service and leadership,” said Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO. “We congratulate Veronica on her appointment and look forward to working with her to build on the USNC’s tremendous record of accomplishment.”

“CTA is proud to support Veronica in this role as the first woman president in the history of the U.S. National Committee,” said Gary Shapiro, CEO and president, CTA. “Her experience and leadership have served CTA well and I’m excited to see her push USNC to new heights.”

As the U.S. representative to the IEC and many related regional standardization bodies, the USNC serves as a conduit to the global standards-setting community for technical and policy positions arising in the U.S. and brings issues from the global arena to the U.S. for review, consideration, and response. The USNC is a totally integrated committee of ANSI.

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). For more information, visit www.ansi.org.

The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) is a global, not-for-profit membership organization that brings together 173 countries and coordinates the work of 20 000 experts globally. IEC International Standards and conformity assessment work underpins international trade in electrical and electronic goods. It facilitates electricity access and verifies the safety, performance and interoperability of electric and electronic devices and systems, including, for example, consumer devices such as mobile phones or refrigerators, office and medical equipment, information technology, electricity generation, and much more.