Consultant Dr. Thomas E. Neal of Neal Associates Ltd., Bonita Springs, Fla., has been honored with the ASTM International Award of Merit and accompanying title of fellow for his work on standards for protective clothing and equipment.  The Award of Merit is the highest organizational recognition for individual contributions to ASTM standards activities.

A member of ASTM International since 1994, Neal is an active member of Committees D13 on Textiles, E54 on Homeland Security Applications, F18 on Electrical Protective Equipment for Workers and F23 on Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment, where he has served as chair since 2008.  He also chairs Subcommittee E54.04 on Personal Protective Equipment.

Neal spent much of his professional career at DuPont in Wilmington, Del., where he held various management positions in the areas of end-use research, marketing, total quality and thermal testing before founding Neal Associates Ltd. in 1999.  A recognized expert in the area of arc flash, Neal’s work focuses on the protection of workers from fires and electric arc flash through fiber and fabric technology.  He frequently contributes to the development of new test methods and specifications to better protect workers and first responders from thermal hazards, and he has written several articles and technical papers on the subject of personal protective equipment.

A graduate of the University of Michigan where he received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry, Neal holds a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from the University of North Carolina.  In addition to ASTM International, he is a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the National Fire Protection Association and the Canadian Standards Association. 

 Release #8284