By Cicely Enright

Jul 26, 2016

Staff connects ASTM information with governments and organizations globally.

You develop and use ASTM standards and our related services. But how do you raise awareness of these standards and services among businesses, trade associations and relevant government entities around the world that need to know about them?

You have a resource in ASTM's Washington, D.C., office.

D.C. staffers meet with policymakers, industry and trade organizations about standards and technical information, which help make commerce and legislation more effective.

If you need information or have a question, you can call the Washington office. If you have an issue with using an ASTM standard in a market where a standard is accepted or should be accepted, the D.C. office wants to hear from you (contact info below).

"The ASTM Washington office is on the front lines of helping companies achieve their global business objectives," says Jeff Grove, vice president of global policy and industry affairs, who heads up the Washington office. "We connect the work of our technical committees with those in the U.S. Congress, the administration, federal agencies, business and trade associations here and abroad, and other organizations that seek ASTM's assistance and expertise on regulatory, trade and manufacturing issues."

Also in the D.C. office are Anthony Quinn, director of public policy and international trade, and Sarah Shoemaker, manager of government and industry affairs. In addition, Grove oversees the ASTM office in Brussels, Belgium, where Sara Gobbi, ASTM's director of European Union affairs, is based.

Grove notes, "Some governments and regions of the world have perceptions or policies that can act as barriers to the acceptance and use of ASTM standards." He adds that some countries have policies creating preferences for standards from specific regional and international standards bodies, while a common misperception is that ASTM standards are American. The D.C. office has ongoing educational efforts to remove such barriers and to ensure that everyone knows that ASTM standards are in fact international, developed by a globally recognized process that meets the principles from the World Trade Organization for international standards. ASTM is known for being open and transparent, and its standards are referenced thousands of times in countries around the world.

The staff also monitors topics of interest to ASTM and its members, responds to calls about ASTM standards in various industries and engages in projects such as the following.

To contact the ASTM office in Washington, D.C., call or email Sarah Shoemaker (phone: +1.202.223.8399).