ANAB Announces Seventh Annual Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award Recipient

ANAB awarded Rena’ Bass as the Seventh Annual Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award recipient. Bass began working with ANAB when we were Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB), joining our organization when we launched our second ISO program for Management Systems Accreditation, ISO 14001, in 1996. Before joining ANAB, Bass graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry, and worked as an analytical laboratory assistant, a toxicologist assistant, a scientist, and a consultant in the environmental engineering industry. Embracing ESG, before ESG was cool.

Bass has been instrumental in the growth and development of ANAB through the years. Dedicating many hours to help our accreditation programs improve and become more efficient and effective. She has worked with new assessors educating and sharing personal tools and knowledge gained throughout the years. Bass is one of the most organized and disciplined assessors we have. The skillset and knowledge she brings to each assignment is truly something to be admired.

Today, Bass works within the Management Systems, Validation & Verification, and Product Certification (MVP) Strategic Business Unit (SBU). She works as an assessor, an Executive Assessment Team Leader (EATL), a member on the Management Systems Accreditation Committee, and in the past few years, has become an assessor for our Validation and Verification programs. For years, Bass has provided a consistent high level of service and value.

Bass has many similar qualities to Terry Burgess; vast technical knowledge, years of facing challenges and persevering in what was a very male dominated industry in the 90s and early 2000s. She is hardworking, dependable, loyal, and someone anyone would be privileged to call a friend of colleague. She has been a teacher to all and a friend to many. ANAB is very grateful for her contributions.

Rena’s nominations included comments such as:

“She was inclusive of all opinions and observations”

“Her attention to time and risk level of certain topics was spot on”

“Always adds to the assessments with additional information about what is coming up and any areas we need to focus on”

“Always open to other opinions and viewpoints”

“She goes the extra mile in many instances, including her willingness to answer questions, educate, and reassure”

The award was presented to Bass during ANAB’s 2024 Annual Assessment Development Session in Denver, CO. As Bass accepted the award, she looked out to the other attendees and said “This is for all of us.” She graciously accepted the award and thanked her other assessors for all of their contributions as well.

Please join ANAB in congratulating Rena’ Bass on receiving our 7th Annual Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award.