Steven (Steve) Margis, director of conformity assessment programs and accreditation at UL Solutions, was recently elected by the International Electrotechnical Commission General Assembly to serve as IEC vice president and chair of the IEC Conformity Assessment Board (CAB). Margis—whose three-year term will begin on January 1, 2024—is the first individual from the United States to undertake this role in IEC’s conformity assessment leadership.
The IEC Board delegates the management of the commission’s conformity assessment activities, including operational and financial management, to the CAB. The CAB is responsible for setting the IEC’s conformity assessment policy; promoting and maintaining relations with international organizations on conformity assessment matters; creating, modifying and disbanding CA Systems; monitoring the operation of conformity assessment activities; and examining the continued relevance of the IEC’s conformity assessment activities in general.
Margis is a global conformity assessment professional with more than 30 years of experience in the field, and a subject matter expert with international governmental officials, regulators, and scheme owners. He began his career at UL Solutions, for which he has served in numerous capacities related to global market access initiatives. He is responsible for the program and policy management of UL Solutions-operated conformity assessment schemes globally.
As reflected throughout his career, Margis has been an influencer in his field via his participation and leadership in the IEC; the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Committee for Conformity Assessment (CASCO); the U.S. National Committee to the IEC (USNC); and the Testing, Inspection, and Certification (TIC) Council. He is currently serving internationally as chair of the IEC System for Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components (IECEE), and previously served as USNC/IECEE vice chair. In 2022, he was the chair of the USNC Host Planning Committee for the IEC General Meeting held in San Francisco.
Last month at the ANSI Leadership and Service Awards Ceremony held in conjunction with World Standards Week, Margis received the Elihu Thomson Electrotechnology Medal, which honors an individual who has contributed in an exceptional, dedicated way to the field of electrotechnology standardization, conformity assessment, and related activities at the national and international levels.
“I am truly honored to have been elected to the position of IEC vice president and chair of the IEC Conformity Assessment Board,” Margis said in a statement. “Through this work with a balanced set of stakeholders from around the world, the conformity assessment community has demonstrated how working together drives harmonization and serves to drive efficiencies in facilitating global trade. I look forward to working within this community to drive and inspire the continued evolution and advancement of the global conformity assessment landscape to help create a safer, more secure, and sustainable world.”
Margis was elected at the 87th IEC General Meeting held on October 26, 2023. While undertaking these new roles with the IEC, he will continue his work at UL Solutions.
About the IEC
The IEC is a global, not-for-profit membership organization whose work underpins quality infrastructure and international trade in electrical and electronic goods.
The IEC brings together more than 170 countries and provides a global, neutral, and independent standardization platform to 20,000 experts globally. It administers four conformity assessment systems whose members certify that devices, systems, installations, services, and people work as required.
About the United States National Committee (USNC) of the IEC
A committee of ANSI, the USNC serves as the as the U.S. representative to the IEC, and the conduit for U.S. parties who are interested in the development, promulgation, and use of globally-relevant standards for the electrotechnical industry. The USNC is also engaged in the assessment of compliance to standards, undertaking work in areas such as testing, certification, and accreditation. Strong U.S. participation in the IEC is critical to national competitiveness and the continued growth and innovation in U.S. electrotechnical industries.