Category: Hot Topics in Standardization

News and Views from the World of Standards

ANSI’s efforts to make a difference in developing nations

ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, has been taking on some ambitious projects to improve the lives of those in developing nations.  First was the leadership role ANSI played in the improvement of cookstoves back in 2011.  Now, with the help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, it’s sustainable non-sewered sanitation systems.

The project was highlighted in the ANSI meetings during World Standards Week (WSW) last week.  It is intended to make a difference for a problem that results in approximately 1 million preventable deaths each year.  Unsanitary conditions from lack of sewage systems can be mitigated by the use of toilets that do not require traditional infrastructure, such as sewer, water connection, or electricity.   Additionally, they remove pathogens and cost less than 5 cents per use.

Why create standards for these non-sewered toilets?  First of all, standards will provide manufacturers with a common requirements for these “reinvented” toilets.  This in turn will allow purchasers to verify that minimal health and safety criteria are met.  And performance criteria can be compared from supplier to supplier.

What is ANSI’s role in the development of these toilets?  Like the ANSI leadership role in the development of clean cookstoves, the organization will be the secretariat for the project.  This means that ANSI will run the meetings and provide the logistics for the meetings and other work that’s involved in such standardization efforts.

What will ANSI get from this work?  In the case of the work with clean cookstoves, there’s a real benefit for much of the world’s populations (as well as the environment).  Open fires and traditional stoves are used by 40 % of the world’s population.  Net result?   4 million deaths a year, consumption of 500 million tons of non-renewable wood, and greenhouse gas emissions equal to that of 170 million passenger vehicles.  The new cookstove standards adopted by ISO provide a way to rate various options and to encourage the development of alternative fuels, etc.

Now with non-sewered toilets, the goals are much the same.  ANSI will provide leadership with the international standards community.  The deliverable will be standards for this emerging industry, promoting commerce and innovation so needed within the developing world.  And the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation?  The organization has seen that there’s a need in developing countries for such technologies.  And that a standards-based approach can lead to long-term sustainable improvements world-wide.

It’s clear that ANSI is looking for ways to make a difference in this world.  The Institute is to be commended for the forward-looking leadership that makes these types of efforts possible.

Gaming the Standards System

Standards are predominately the domain of engineers and I often find that they are not as aware of the political aspects of standardization as they might be.  So many times people are surprised to find that gaming the standards system is quite possible.  Certainly, the situation with the deisel engined automobiles from VW makes us critically aware that not only is it possible to game the system, but it can be done on a remarkably large scale.

Here’s what.  I discovered very early into my ownership of Document Center Inc. that it’s possible to rig standards for one’s own benefit.  I had a customer who as a civilian had written a military specification.  The DoD procuring officer in charge of the document didn’t feel technically capable of writing it himself.  So he asked my customer to do it for him.  And guess what?  The customer cleverly wrote the specification for this small part in such a way that it would be economically unfeasible for any competitor to bid on supplying it to the government (he wrote a particular shape into the document).  Net result?  The customer’s company was the sole supplier in the U.S. for this item.

Here’s what.  The situation with Qualcomm, Nokia, and the GSM standard for cell phones is another example of gaming the standards system.  That particular situation was complex.  But the decision by regulators to favor one standard over another in a particular region for the benefit of a local company over a foriegn one is not all that unusual.  Gaming the system?  You bet!

So the thing about the VW situation that I really notice is that (as it is being reported in my paper, the Wall Street Journal), it is a situation that leads right back to the top.  Considering the change in top management as soon as the situation became public is very suggestive, wouldn’t you agree?  Meantime, the ISO 14001 environmental standard, to which VW is certified, states that compliance needs to be championed with management first.  Not exactly…  So here is a company that says one thing and does another.  And while it was working, hey, they were gaming the standards system!

What’s the phrase, “trust but verify”?  I am surprised that it took our California regulators to find such a blatent trick that allowed these cars to pass their tests and yet not deliver on their promise on the road.  What the heck has been going on in Europe?

Let me know what you think.  Is this a standards problem or a failure of ethics?

Claudia

It’s World Standards Week!

It’s World Standards Week and I’m in Washington DC to participate in all the meetings and events hosted by ANSI.  Document Center Inc. is a sponsor of the U.S. celebration this year.  This is just one of the many ways that Document Center supports the standards community.

The celebrations will culminate with World Standards Day on Thursday October 1st.  The theme this year is “Standards – The World’s Common Language” and at the dinner event the winners of the World Standards Day paper will also be announced.

I had thought about submitting a paper, but I find that I’m more focused in on the areas where our goal of “one standard, one test, accepted everywhere” has still not been reached.  So for the next three days, I’ll be blogging on the three things I’m obsessed with this week!  You’ll get my humble opinions on Gaming the Standards System, on The New Approach – Is it working?, and on Compliance – Where do we go from here?

In the meantime, I am glad that the standards community gathers in locations around the world during this time.  I’m a big promoter of the standards system and am always thankful that we have developed such a structure to help keep us safe and to promote the free flow of beneficial goods and services.  I hope you’ll take a moment out this week to reflect on the many successes standards have had over the years and how they help make your life better!

ISO 14000 Store Launched by Document Center Inc.

Document Center has launched the ISO 14000 Store now that the new 2015 Edition of the ISO 14001 is here!  You’ll reach this new Document Center store at http://iso14000.document-center.com.  It allows you to order and download the ISO 14001 2015 Edition immediately, as well as  all the other ISO standards related to Environmental Management Systems.

Why set up a ISO 14000 Store?  We know that many standards users have specific challenges to solve when coming to our standards store.  So we’re developing a whole series of specialized stores to help you easily find and keep track of the documents that matter the most to your business.  After all, with over 800,000 standards in our catalog, that’s a lot of information that you really don’t need or want to know about.  We make it easy.  Interested in Environmental Standards?  Go direct to our ISO 14000 store!

How does the ISO 14000 store work?  It’s easy and it’s fast.

Find the standards you need one of 3 ways.  First, when you get to http://iso14000.document-center.com, use the scroll bar on the right side to see all the standards in this collection.  Second, use the ICS code classifications on the left hand side to find the Environmental standards for such groups as “bundles” (the two standards collections available for this series), transport (nested under services), and so on. Third, use the search box at the top to search for a standard included in this grouping.

Add the standards you need to your cart.  You’ll be required to log in at this point.  If you’re a regular Document Center customer, the new stores will require a separate registration, but it’s quick and easy.  The log in page has a link for registering and you’ll define your own user name and password at this point.

Another thing to note about the stores is that they use credit card payment and provide you with an immediate pdf download for the standards you need.  No need to wait, as can be the case with our main catalog and store (www.document-center.com).  However, if you prefer to use Purchase Orders (our U.S. customers only) or need delivery in paper format, you’ll want to stick with our main site.

Will there be more topic-specific stores from Document Center Inc.?  You bet!  We’re launching an ISO 9000 store now as well and I’ll give you more information on that next week.

These Document Center stores have an additional benefit for the standards community.  They include various Toolboxes, which are white papers, links, and videos that contain valuable information for people using these standards.  So if you have any collateral material that would be helpful to people using the ISO 14000 series of standards, please get in touch.  We’d love to add your material to our Toolboxes.  While it’s not an endorsement of your organization, it will provide you with valuable exposure to folks who are looking for expert advice.

Test out the ISO 14000 store from Document Center Inc. today!  You’ll find it easy to use, with the immediate satisfaction of getting your standard right as you purchase it!

What is a CB?

What is a CB?  Terms and acronyms are thrown about with abandon here in the standards world.  Take for example the term “CB.”  It stands for “Certification Body,” sometimes known as an accredited registrar.  These are organizations that have been recognized by an accreditation body like the ANAB, the EPA, SAAS and so on.  CB’s have the credentials to perform audits and reviews that lead to registration or certification for a particular standard, code or labeling requirement.

Let’s think of the process of certification in terms of a three-tier structure.  At the top is the standard or other set of requirements needed to meet the certification criteria.  In the middle are the folks who are qualified to see if an organization meets those criteria.  At the bottom are all the companies that have proved that their products and services meet the standard.

The top tier — standards developer and accreditor — may be the same or may be divided into two separate organizations.  So when the EPA sets up the WaterSense program or the EnergyStar program, it sets the criteria for compliance and determines what laboratories and other certification groups are qualified to audit to those criteria.

There is usually a slight difference when a standards developing organization (SDO) writes a standard that will be used for certification.  In order to avoid the suggestion of a conflict of interest, it is not uncommon for the SDO to hand over the accreditation part of the process to an outside party.  This is to avoid any appearance of favoritism or other mishandling of those services.  So that’s the reason the ANAB has been set up here in the U.S. as an example.

How can you find a certified body when you’re ready?  First of all, you’ll want to use the schema for your certification as the jumping-off point.  If you want to be certified for an EPA program, you’ll check in with that program to see who’s qualified to audit and approve you.  So for WaterSense, there’s a list of both accreditation bodies and certified bodies at http://www.epa.gov/watersense/about_us/cert_bodies.html.  A similar site for the EnergyStar program is at https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=recognized_bodies_list.show_RCB_search_form.

In some instances the source for this information is based on your jurisdiction (location).  So for ISO 9001 certification, for example, U.S. companies would go to the ANAB, European companies would choose the NAB (National Accreditation Body) for their country, and Australia/New Zealand rely on JAS ANZ.  If you’re not sure what accreditation bodies exist in your area, check in with the listing for the membership of the  International Accreditation Forum.  It’s arranged by country for your convenience.

One thing that you’re sure to notice is that accreditators often will be able to authorize CB’s for a range of certification programs.  So if you have more than one certification scheme in your business, this is an opportunity to see if one CB can handle them all for you.

Last question.  Why use a Certified Body?  Unless you have official registration for a certification scheme, you are not authorized to use a label, mark or other promotion for that program.  Like all things, you are buying a service when you use a Certification Body.  So make sure that you’re confident of the organizations credentials before you sign on for your audit and registration!

Many times, your certification will require you to have and use specific standards.  If so, consider using Document Center Inc. as your source for your compliance documentation.  We’ve been selling standards since 1982 and you can review and order from our catalog at any time at www.document-center.com.  Make us your standards experts!

Replacements for Elsmar Cove

It’s been a few weeks since Elsmar Cove closed and folks are starting to regroup to continue the work that Marc Timothy Smith started.  Face it, pursuing quality within your organization can only benefit from open discussion with others, particularly in today’s global economic environment.  So you’re probably looking for replacements for Elsmar Cove and here’s my suggestions so far:

As I noted in my comments to my blog on the closing of Elsmar Cove, the first place that the moderators congregated was Ohio Bay Specialists at LinkedIn.  This remains a great first go-to site to get in touch with the moderators you “knew” in the past.  You have two choices to find them.  You can log into your account at LinkedIn and search for Ohio Bay Specialists.  Or you can go directly to their public LinkedIn Page at https://www.linkedin.com/grp/home?gid=8333501.

Now, it’s no easy task to operate a forum.  It takes time, expertise, and a topic that folks are interested in.  And all of the “replacements for Elsmar Cove” are in the early stages which means that there is not the depth of information that the long history of Elsmar Cove had generated.  However, each of the following forums has a good number of participants already.  One or more of them should be able to provide you with access to others interested in quality and quality issues!

QualityForumOnline was an early entry into the replacements for Elsmar Cove group of forums.  It’s located at http://www.qualityforumonline.com/ and uses the tag “Continuing in the Spirit of People Helping People” that resonates with Elsmar Cove users.  Here you’ll find your areas of interest divided up by specific standards and specific organizational topics.  So there’s sections for Quality and Environment Standards, Automotive Quality Standards, Aerospace Standards, Medical Device Standards and Regulations, and so on.  Since it’s been online since early July, there’s about 300 participants.  With the nice layout, good membership and thoughtful organization, it’s sure to be an easy forum to use.

QualityRecord started up in mid-July.  It’s located at http://qualityrecord.com/ and has a variety of sections of interest.  You can check out the topical interest items, daily questions or a selection of quality management standards and other topics like statistics.  A library of non-copyright information is provided.  And there is a section for off-topic discussions as well.  A section for lean manufacturing has been set up, but no activity there as of this review.  And if you’re interested, there’s a promotion area for book reviews, consultant listings and so on.  There are over 200 registered users, with about 25% of them posting so far.  There’s about 75 threads that have been generated in the month that the forum has been operational.  It is a forum for all types of quality issues, with no specific area of specialization at this point.

Next on our list is The Quality Connection.  It’s URL is http://www.batrich.com/ and is more limited in scope than the previous two suggestions.  You’ll find sections on 4 quality standards, general discussion, management, CMM programming and funny pictures.  Participation is limited at the moment as the forum was only recently begun.

To round up our list of replacements for Elsmar Cove, there is the more focused Medical Devices Expert Forums.  It’s at http://www.medicaldevices.expert/ and stays true to it’s name — medical devices and their standards rule the day.  There’s a section on essentials, then the site is organized by Medical Device regs, standards, health informatics, other meddev topics and miscellaneous topics.  Nicely organized, you’ll find it a breeze to use.  It’s another early contender, having been started at the beginning of July, and was the first of the replacement forums I was alerted to.  Again, you’ll find that the moderators are from Elsmar Cove so there’s that sense of continuity you’re looking for.

Of course, there’s no true replacement for Elsmar Cove.  The history of information that it contained has now been removed and is unlikely to ever be reposted.  However, you’ll be glad to know that the folks who worked behind the scenes to make it so valuable are continuing to have an active role within the community at large through these new forums.  I hope that you’ll soon find one or more that appeal to you and make use of them on a regular basis.

Meantime, when you need standards, be sure to obey the rules of copyright and purchase your publications from an authorized distributor like Document Center Inc.  You can order your paper format or pdf copies of over 500,000 different titles from our webstore, www.document-center.com.  Or check in with our staff about starting a multi-user Standards Online subscription service for a complete standards solution for your business.  You’ll reach them by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com.)  We’re your Standards Experts!

What is the ANAB?

What is the ANAB?  This is a question that comes up when our Document Center  customers are getting ready for management system certification.  If you’re interested in certification and want to know about the ANAB, today I’m posting an overview of the organization.  If you’ve been ISO certified and want to know what happened to the old RAB (Registrar Accreditation Board), I’ll answer that question too.

ANAB is a jointly owned non-profit NGO co-owned by ANSI and ASQ.  There are three main “brands” that have recently been integrated into one service.  They are ACLASS for medical laboratories, ANAB for management systems, and FQS for forensic test labs.  The services of the former RAB (Registration Accreditiation Board) now fall under the umbrella of the rebranded ANAB.

The organization began with the establishment of the RAB in 1989.  Run by ASQ (American Society for Quality), it provided auditor certification for such programs as the ISO 9000 quality and the ISO 14000 environmental management systems.  In 2005, the RAB was transferred to a joint ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (called the ANAB) which included both certification and training.

During the last few years, the joint board acquired a number of other certification accreditors.  With so many different types of accreditation available, ANSI and ASQ decided to consolidate their services this year under the umbrella designation ANAB, American National Accreditation Board.  This means that a wide range of registration services are now covered by the ANAB.  Included in the ANAB portfolio are the following types of certificiations:

  • ISO 9001 quality management systems
  • ISO 14001 environmental management systems
  • ISO 13485 medical device quality management systems
  • ISO/IEC 20000-1 information technology service management systems
  • ISO 22000 food safety management systems
  • ISO/IEC 27001 information security management systems
  • ISO 28000 supply chain security management systems
  • ISO 50001 energy management systems
  • ISO 55001 asset management systems
  • ISO 20121 event sustainability management systems
  • ANSI/AIHA Z10, CSA Z1000, and BS OHSAS 18001 occupational health and safety management systems
  • Aerospace ICOP
  • TL 9000 quality management systems
  • Recycling Industry Operating Standard
  • e-Stewards Standard
  • Responsible Recycling
  • AS5553 and AS6081 for avoidance of counterfeits
  • IECQ QC 08000 hazardous substance process management
  • ASIS SPC.1, ASIS/BSI BCM.01, BS 25999-2, and NFPA 1600 PS-Prep and preparedness
  • Sustainable Forestry Initiation
  • American Tree Farms System
  • BA 9001 body armor quality management systems
  • SQFI Ethical Sourcing
  • Private security company management systems

And services for DoD Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program (ELAP) and IFS Food Store Inspection Accreditation have just been added.

The ANAB itself is accredited to ISO/IEC 17011.  This means that every 4 years the processes and practices of the NGO are reviewed and certified.  Additionally, ANAB has links to the International Accreditation Bodies ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) and APLAC (Asia Pacific Laboratory Acceditation Cooperation.)  So many times your certification by a U.S. organization that is ANAB registered will be recognized in other jurisdictions.

Why might ANAB registration be important to you?  With ANAB registration, your certification provider shows you that they can meet their requirements in just the same way that you’ll be expected to.  It’s like knowing that your doctor is board certified!  Also, by using the list of organizations that have the ANAB registration, you may be able to get competing quotes for your certification in order to find the organization that will work best for you.

To look for an organization that has been accredited by the ANAB, check out this Link to the Certified Bodies Directory.  Need an accredited Test Lab?  Here’s the Link to the Accredited Companies.  Once you’ve determined that you’re interested in certifying to a specific management system or testing lab specification, you’re going to need standards in order to support your process.  Turn to Document Center Inc. for the compliance documents you’ll need.  You’ll find us on the web at www.document-center.com.  We’re your Standards Experts!

What’s the difference between ISO 10012 and ANSI Z540.3?

“What’s the difference between ISO 10012 and ANSI Z540.3?”  This is a question that gets raised when folks are trying to determine which calibration standard is best for them.  And it’s also generated by those of you trying to decide what standard is your best replacement for the old MIL-STD-45662.  Let’s take a look at each of these important calibration standards to see how they’re similar and different from each other.

First of all, let’s review the ISO 10012, “Measurement Management Systems – Requirements for Measurement Processes and Measuring Equipment.”  This standard provides “generic requirements and … guidance for the management of measurement processes and metrological confirmation of measuring equipment…”  You’ll use it to show that your equipment complies with specific tolerances (metrological requirements) and that your management system supports your calibration system.

The ISO 10012 covers the topics of management responsibility, resource management, metrological confirmation and realization of measurement processes and the analysis and improvement of your measurement management system.  There’s also an informative Annex A that gives you an overview of the metrological confirmation process.  The 26-page document also includes specific guidance throughout the body of the text, boxed information that clarifies various procedures.

The ANSI Z540.3, “Requirements for the Calibration of Measuring and Test Equipment,” is much more focused on calibration itself rather than the management of the same.  So your sections (apart from the usual scope, referenced documents and definitions that both standards have) include information on:

  • General Requirements
  • Calibration system implementation
  • Calibration system assessment and improvement

Detailed information is provided on such topics as records and data control, competence and training, calibration equipment and personnel, and so on.  And as a final note on the document, the ANSI Z540.3 is the successor document to the old ANSI Z540.1.

Now we’ve taken a look at both the ISO 10012 and ANSI Z540.3.  To wrap the discussion up, the ISO 10012 standard is more of a management overview of one’s calibration system whereas the ANSI Z540.3 is a focused document with specific requirements for the control of accuracy for calibrating measuring and test equipment.  Either or both will make suitable replacements for the MIL-STD-45662, the old Mil Standard on calibration.  You’ll want to choose between them based on your specific needs.

And where can you get your copies of either of these standards?  From Document Center Inc., of course!  We’re an authorized standards distributor based in Silicon Valley with over 30 years of  experience in working with this type of conformance information.  Use our online webstore, www.document-center.com, to order your standards publications when you need them.  And here’s a link to the order page for ISO 10012 and the order page for ANSI Z540.3.  Or contact our staff by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com) when you need assistance.  We’re your Standards Experts!

 

What is a Notified Body?

When our customers are working on exporting products to Europe, a common question is “What is a Notified Body?”  Similar to the U.S. system for registered Certification Bodies, Notified Bodies are accredited by a given European Union member state to certify that a product meets a particular Directive and Standards.  Let’s take a look at what that means.

Under the New Approach for using standardization to support legislative mandates of the Directives system, the need for certification of certain critical products was apparent.  While it was deemed appropriate for any number of imports and domestic goods to be self-certified, there are some things that have a significant impact on public health and safety.  The Harmonized Standards system of the New Approach is complemented by the certification program of the Notified Bodies.

Since as yet there is no “United States of Europe,” the member states of the EU still have an essential role to play in many enforcement activities.  So when it comes to insuring that goods covered by such directives as the Medical Device Directive and the like, each member state can authorize one or more certification organizations to review the specifics of product conformance to various New Approach legislation.

When you have a product that’s covered by a Directive that has a Harmonized List of Standards, one way to import that product into the European Union is to have it certified by a Notified Body or it’s affiliates.  This allows for the use of the CE mark which you’ll include along with the appropriate paperwork when your product is transported into the EU jurisdiction.

What companies are Notified Bodies?  There’s quite a list of them!  One easy way to check this out is to go to the NANDO database.  Here you can locate any of the currently authorized certification organizations, along with those organizations outside the EU that are authorized by way of MRA’s (Mutual Recognition Agreements).

One important aspect of the New Approach, the Harmonized Standards, and their Directives, is that meeting the requirements of specific Harmonized EN Standards can allow for what’s called the “Presumption of Conformity.”  This means that by using standards on the Harmonized List of Standards for specific Directives, you can meet specific clauses in that Directive itself.

To learn more about the standards that can support your products and the sale of your goods in Europe, contact Document Center Inc.  EN standards can all be purchased at our web store, www.document-center.com.  These standards are all provided under license agreement with the source organization per copyright requirements.  And if you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our staff by phone (650-591-7600), fax (650-591-7617) or email (info@document-center.com).  We’re your Standards Experts!

Elsmar Cove is closed!

Elsmar Cove, a discussion forum for both professionals and novices in the business of quality assurance and industry standards, is closed.  It is clear that the site is already missed by thousands of users.  And folks who’ve come to rely on the “people helping people” Elsmar ethic are scrambling for venues to replace the information-sharing service the site provided.

Since both Document Center and Elsmar Cove have (had) a mission to help people understand standards and use them effectively, founder Marc Timothy Smith and I had a phone conversation on Monday to discuss Elsmar and it’s closing.

What happened to Elsmar Cove?  As noted on the website’s homepage (and only page now), it’s has been closed as part of a settlement that stemmed from a civil lawsuit filed in Florida. Mr. Smith, who founded the site in the mid 1990’s, is not allowed to reveal any details of the settlement that resulted in the closure of the Elsmar Cove.

What made Elsmar Cove special?  First and foremost, the site was a free resource for anyone with a question about quality assurance, national and international standards, regulations, or compliance.  Elsmar Cove was originally started as a informational website and evolved over the years into a discussion forum specifically geared to the questions folks have when dealing with many specialized niches.  It gave you a place to ask if anyone has faced a particular quality assurance related problem and find out what solutions have proved to be effective.

Elsmar Cove was a moderated site, with perhaps 10 moderators active at any given time but a stable of 25 to 30 in total.  Why moderated?  Like it’s founder, Elsmar was interested in providing an environment for sharing rather than self-promotion.  So folks with strong quality backgrounds monitored the forum to make sure that interchanges were on topic and focused on the mantra of “People helping People.”

Who is Marc Timothy Smith?  Mr. Smith is an “old quality hand” with extensive experience stemming from work with military quality systems back in the 1980’s.  His background in biology and chemistry from his college years made him particular strong in processes, using flow charts for both business analysis and quality control.   Since he’s from the Ohio area, his defense gig soon morphed into consulting work in the automotive and aerospace industries and beyond.  Stints included work for such companies as Harley Davidson, Motorola, Ford, Borg-Warner and Boeing.

As a side-line, Mr. Smith started a quality assurance information website in January, 1996.  Over time, this became the Elsmar.com discussion forum we’ve come to know and love.  With the gradual expansion of the forum, Marc found himself concentrating on the service and it’s software backbone by 2003/2004.  Only after early 2004 did Marc turn to Adsense and other advertising for the financial support that’s needed to operate such an extensive site.

Will Elsmar Cove be back?  No, the Elsmar Cove you’ve known will not be returning.  However you will find a number of niche forums cropping up as various moderators create venues based on their areas of expertise.  For example, those of you in the medical device field should now check out www.medicaldevices.expert.

What’s next for Marc Smith?  You can bet that Mr. Smith is looking for the next opportunity to make a contribution to the quality assurance and standards community.  His extensive consulting background is only one of the assets he possesses.  From his unique perspective watching and monitoring the landscape of the quality field, he offers a wealth of experience in understanding the compliance challenges many companies and industries face.

Never much of a self-promoter, he’s always relied on recommendations to generate business for himself.  But he still has an on-going interest in the quality community, in the requirements for compliance that face many businesses, and in participating in helping others achieve success.  Of course, his CV is lengthy displaying a familiarity with the quality concerns of a broad range of industries.  And his experience with Elsmar has only further expanded his grasp of the continuing concerns around which most quality issues revolve.  Check him out at http://www.linkedin.com/in/elsmarmarc or reach out to him at marcsmith102@cinci.rr.com.

As our conversation wrapped up, I ask Marc what legacy he hoped Elsmar Cove would have.  Of course, he replied “People helping people.”  There’s no question that he achieved that goal.  I’m looking forward to seeing what door opens for him in the next phase of his fascinating career!

As for me, there’s still a lot of questions about what happened.  It looks like I’m going to have to do some sleuthing on my own to get any answers, if they’re out there at all.  If I find them, you’ll be the first to know!