The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) congratulates distinguished standards leader James E. Matthews III, formerly of Corning Incorporated, for his election at the 88th International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) General Meeting in Edinburgh as IEC president-elect. He will begin his term as IEC president-elect in January 2025 and assume the office of the president from 2026-2028, succeeding Jo Cops.
Matthews brings a unique global perspective, vast experience in electrotechnology standardization, and a notable history of leadership in international standardization activities. He has served as IEC vice-president and chair of the IEC Standardization Management Board, and sat on the IEC Council Board and the IEC Executive Committee. He also served as president of the U.S. National Committee (USNC) to the IEC, chair of the IEC Directives Maintenance Team, and as an IEC Ambassador.
As the director of worldwide standards engineering activities for Corning’s global technology and industry standards group, he was responsible for external standardization activities across Corning, where he worked for more than 42 years. He was awarded by Corning with its Once‐in‐a‐Lifetime Division People Development Award.
Throughout his career, Matthews has served in volunteer leadership roles across multiple organizations, contributing to their strategy, organizational structure, inclusive processes, and technical innovation. A longtime member of the ANSI Board of Directors, he also served on the ANSI Executive Committee, and as chair of ANSI’s Company Member Forum. He has also served on the IEEE Board of Directors, was president of the IEEE Standards Association, and was an IEEE SA Board of Governors member. He currently chairs the U.S. mirror committee for IEC Technical Committee 110, Electronic Displays.
In addition to his other accomplishments, Matthews is the recipient of numerous awards, including the ANSI’s Howard Coonley Medal, the Elihu Thomson Electrotechnology Medal, and the Astin‐Polk International Standards Medal.
“On behalf of the USNC, we’re thrilled with the selection of Jim Matthews as the next IEC president-elect,” said Veronica Lancaster, USNC president. “Jim has a wealth of experience and unparalleled insights into international electrotechnology standardization, and his leadership will be instrumental in moving the IEC’s work forward. We congratulate Jim and we look forward to continuing to work with him in the years to come.”
A totally integrated committee of ANSI, the U.S. National Committee (USNC) serves as the focal point 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 conformance to standards, undertaking work in areas such as testing, certification, and accreditation.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. Its membership is comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations.
The Institute represents and serves the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals worldwide. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). For more information, visit www.ansi.org.
The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) is a global, not-for-profit membership organization that brings together 173 countries and coordinates the work of 20,000 experts globally. IEC international standards and conformity assessment work underpins international trade in electrical and electronic goods. It facilitates electricity access and verifies the safety, performance, and interoperability of electric and electronic devices and systems, including, for example, consumer devices such as mobile phones or refrigerators, office and medical equipment, information technology, electricity generation, and much more.