Maria Isabel Barrios starts this week as the Latin American representative for ASTM International. Barrios brings a proven track record of partnering with ASTM and other standards development organizations. Specifically, she has developed many training courses aimed at implementing standards for the benefit of public and private sectors throughout the region.

“The demand for ASTM International’s standards and services continues to grow throughout Latin America,” says Teresa Cendrowska, ASTM vice president of global cooperation. “We are thrilled that Maria Isabel is joining us to help meet the needs of government and industry in Central and South America.”

As Latin American representative, Barrios will lead outreach activities that raise awareness of and support for ASTM among standards bodies, businesses, trade associations, environmental groups, consumer groups and other stakeholders throughout the region. She will build on the work accomplished by Luis Ordonez, ASTM’s Mexico representative, who recently passed away.

ASTM International already has members and customers in nearly every country in Latin America. In addition, ASTM has 26 signed memoranda of understanding with national standards bodies throughout the Western Hemisphere that are increasingly interested in adopting ASTM standards to drive economic growth and to meet health, safety, and environmental needs.

Barrios will maintain her position as executive director of EnginZone, a private organization she founded in 2002 that focuses on technical training for professionals.

The establishment of the Latin American representative is consistent with ASTM’s other international outreach, which includes offices in Brussels, Belgium; Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; and Beijing, China. In addition to these offices and its world headquarters in West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, ASTM also has an office in Washington, D.C.

For more information about ASTM in Latin America, contact Maria Isabel Barrios at ASTMLatinAmerica@astm.org.

ASTM welcomes participation in the development of its standards. Become a member at www.astm.org/JOIN.

Media Inquiries: Nathan Osburn, tel +1.610.832.9603; nosburn@astm.org
ASTM Staff Contact: James Olshefsky, tel +1.610.832.9714; jolshefsky@astm.org

Release #9787