A 2006 ASTM International Award of Merit and accompanying title of fellow have been given to Thomas J. Sliva, vice president and technical director of DL Labs, Inc., in Brooklyn, N.Y. ASTM Committee D01 on Paint and Related Coatings, Materials and Applications cited Mr. Sliva, an ASTM International member since 1984, for his standards development work and his activities in subcommittees on international standards coordination, awards, and promotion. The Award of Merit is the organization's highest honor for individual recognition for standards activities.

Mr. Sliva resides in New York City, N.Y.

In addition to D01, where he is chairman of three subcommittees and vice chairman of three other subcommittees, Sliva has been a major contributor to 28 new standards and revisions, and he has conducted numerous interlaboratory testing related to test method development. He was instrumental in the implementation of a memorandum of understanding between ASTM Committee D01 and ISO Technical Committee 35/SC 9, Paint and Varnishes, which has been a model for coordination between standards development organizations. Committee D01 has previously recognized Mr. Sliva with the D01 Leonard Schaeffer Memorial Award, the Task Group Chairman Award and a D01 Certificate of Appreciation. In addition to Committee D01, he works on ASTM Committees C09 on Concrete and Concrete Aggregates, C24 on Building Seals and Sealants, D07 on Wood and E06 on Performance of Buildings.

Sliva, outside ASTM International, is a member of the Canadian General Standards Board; the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology; the Sealant and Waterproofing Restoration Institute, where he serves as the chairman of the wall coating validation program; and the Standards Engineering Society. He holds a B.S. in chemistry from the University of North Dakota and did his graduate work at the University of Utah.

In his tenure with DL Labs, Mr. Sliva has been particularly involved with the formulation, testing and evaluation of coatings, caulk and sealants, and waterproofing materials. Before joining the DL Laboratories staff, he had been a chemist at Geigy Chemical.

Release #7402