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Tile Council of North America Honors Long-time Leader

CLEMSON, SC -- Tile Council of North America (TCNA) announced that Dr. John Sanders has been honored for his outstanding 22 years of service to the International Organization for Standardization’s Technical Committee 189 (ISO/TC 189) on Ceramic Tiles. TCNA presented Dr. Sanders with a custom framed version of a resolution recognizing his contributions that had been unanimously approved by the committee during its latest plenary meeting in Ílhavo, Portugal.

An accomplished ceramics engineer, Dr. Sanders began his career at Daltile Corporation before joining Clemson University’s Ceramic and Materials Engineering Department in 2000. Since 2012, he has served as Director of the National Brick Research Center (NBRC).

Since taking over as committee manager in 2002, Dr. Sanders guided the growth of ISO/TC 189 to 35 participating member nations, 25 observing member nations and 12 working groups. His efforts greatly helped in developing international consensus on a multitude of ceramic tile-related topics, all while maintaining his “day job” in the brick industry. In 2024, Dr. Sanders stepped down from the committee manager position, leaving behind a legacy of exceptional leadership.

The resolution was presented at the NBRC headquarters in Clemson University’s Advanced Materials Research Park by TCNA’s Grant Davidson–Dr. Sanders’ successor as committee manager, and Bill Griese, TCNA and convenor of the committee’s working group on embodied carbon.

“Over the past 22 years, Dr. Sanders has been a cornerstone of ISO/TC 189,” said Griese. “His tireless effort and visionary leadership have fostered collaboration and driven progress, leaving a lasting legacy on international ceramic tile standards."

Dr. Sanders’ contributions to ISO/TC 189 and his dedication to advancing the ceramics industry stand as an inspiration to the global standards community.

KEYWORDS: TCNA