Oct 16, 2018

James A. Thomas, former ASTM International president, received the organization’s prestigious William T. Cavanaugh Memorial Award at the ASTM International board of directors meeting in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

The Cavanaugh Memorial Award honors W.T. Cavanaugh, CEO of ASTM International from 1970 to 1985, who established ASTM International as the world leader in developing and disseminating voluntary standards. 

The nomination submitted by ASTM International staff said that Thomas should be honored for his leadership and extraordinary contributions as president and for his passionate and articulate advocacy of the multiple-path approach to international standards. 

“Jim has had a major positive impact on the standards community through his relentless support for voluntary consensus standards that are high-quality and market-relevant,” according to Dale Bohn, ASTM International’s board chairman. “He has traveled the world: raising awareness of the value of standards; working across borders, disciplines, and industries; and forging collaborative relationships to serve the industries, governments, and consumers that rely on standards.”

“When a leader retires, the most significant legacy left behind is actually not their accomplishments but rather the many accomplishments that have yet to be achieved by those who they’ve taught, mentored and inspired,” says Katharine Morgan, ASTM International president. “In my first two years as President, I’ve seen so many people at ASTM step up and make decisions that remind me of Jim’s character and vision and I realize how important and powerful the legacy of Jim Thomas is.”

Thomas served as president of ASTM International from 1992 until his retirement in 2017. He began his career at the organization in 1972 and served in a variety of positions of increasing responsibility until 1983 when he was promoted to vice president of standards development. In 1987, Thomas was appointed executive vice president, guiding the implementation of operating policies and positioning the organization for future growth. 

Thomas holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial relations and a master’s degree in organization and management, both from La Salle University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA). 

Media Inquiries: Dan Bergels, tel +1.610.832.9602; dbergels@astm.org 

Release #10659