Warren Merkel Named Interim Executive Director of ANAB

The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) today announced that Warren Merkel, currently vice president of engagement and strategy, will serve as interim executive director effective October 1, 2026. Merkel succeeds R. Douglas Leonard Jr., who has been named chief of strategic initiatives at the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Read the ANSI announcement.

During this transition, ANAB’s accreditation operations and client services will continue without interruption. Merkel will lead ANAB in providing accreditation services that build trust, confidence, and value for stakeholders worldwide.

Merkel joined ANAB in November 2021 following a career at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), where he served as chief of standards services in the Standards Coordination Office. At ANAB, he leads the Engagement and Strategy Department, which unites the organization’s policy and conformity assessment strategy functions to strengthen ties with government agencies, regulators, scheme owners, standards developers, and the broader conformity assessment community. He has represented ANAB in international forums, including the TIC Council’s roundtable on the future of quality infrastructure.

“Accreditation has never mattered more. As industries evolve and new technologies reshape global markets, ANAB’s work is essential to building the trust and confidence that enable innovation and commerce worldwide,” said Merkel. “I look forward to serving ANAB’s clients and the broader conformity assessment community with the same commitment to excellence, impartiality, and service that has always defined this organization.”