SIA Names New Director of Standards and Technology

“I look forward to bringing value to our members through tackling current challenges and exploring new opportunities through standards.” – Edison Shen, Director of Standards and Technology, SIA

The Security Industry Association (SIA) has appointed a new director of standards and technology. In his new position, Edison Shen will play an important role in shaping standards to which many in the overarching security industry will adhere, including those in the biometrics segment.

Shen brings a wealth of uniquely relevant experience to the role. He previously served as the program manager for the National Electrical Manufacturer Association’s Building Infrastructure and Transportation Systems divisions, where his duties included overseeing the development of standards and specifications through the American National Standards Institute and IEC approval processes, as well as the development of a Department of Homeland Security-accepted standard pertaining to the National Electrical Code and International Building Code procurement processes.

Prior to that, Shen oversaw 15 certification programs as manager of the applied sector at the Air-conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, where he was also responsible for the development of more than 35 HVAC performance standards.

In his new role with the SIA, Shen will have a number of responsibilities revolving around the development of security standards. For example, he will be tasked with spearheading the SIA Open Supervised Device Protocol and the related OSDP Boot Camp and OSDP Verified programs. He will also liaise with the SIA Cybersecurity Advisory Board and the SIA standards committee, subcommittees, and working groups; and he will be tasked with coordinating with other standards organizations that affect the SIA’s activities.

In a statement announcing his appointment, SIA CEO Don Erickson expressed enthusiasm about what Shen can bring to the SIA and its overarching mission. “With his deep knowledge of standards and technology, he will help to implement the SIA Standards Roadmap, accelerate growth of existing SIA’s programs such as OSDP Verified, introduce new content and committee opportunities for members in the areas of AI and video and add additional technical expertise to SIA’s advocacy efforts before government agencies such as NIST and CISA,” he said.

For his part, Shen displayed his familiarity with the SIA and the importance of its work in expressing his excitement about taking the new position.

“SIA’s Standards Committee has been very active in obtaining the adoption of the OSDP standard by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) as IEC 60839-11-5 and launching the OSDP Verified program,” he said. “I look forward to bringing value to our members through tackling current challenges and exploring new opportunities through standards.”

Shen’s efforts are likely to have an impact on the overall biometrics industry, especially after the SIA’s establishment of an Identity and Biometric Technology Advisory Board earlier this year.

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November 15, 2021 – by Alex Perala