Frederick G. Parsons Honored by ASME for Standards Development and Promotion

NEW YORK, July 2, 2012 – Frederick G. Parsons, a resident of Cranston, R.I., and consultant, will be honored by ASME for outstanding dedication and effectiveness in developing and promoting a broad range of standards spanning dimensional metrology, surface metrology and engineering specifications; and for consensus building leadership in working to align national and international standards development in these areas.  He will receive ASME's Patrick J. Higgins Medal.

The medal recognizes an individual who has contributed to the enhancement of standardization through contributions to the development and promotion of ASME codes and standards or Conformity Assessment Programs.  It was established in 2007 in remembrance of ASME's past vice president of the standardization department.  The award will be presented to Mr. Parsons at Mahr Federal Inc., Providence, R.I., on July 13.

Parsons has over 50 years of experience in designing, producing and marketing dimensional metrology products.  He began his career as a physicist with Avco Corporation (Wilmington, Mass.), doing research, and designing and testing telemetry transducers for use on the Able, Titan and Minuteman re-entry vehicles.  He continued his working years at Mahr Federal Inc., doing broad research in the field of dimensional metrology.  He holds six patents for metrology instruments.

Now an independent consultant, Parsons provides services through F.G. Parsons Consulting (Cranston, R.I.).  Recently he was a consultant to Mahr Federal Inc.

Parsons has been very active in establishing national and international dimensional standards.  He has developed a network of enduring international relationships, both personal and professional, which has helped to build consensus among members in other countries and to move U.S. positions forward in the standards community.  He served as the head of the U.S. delegation to the International Organization for Standardization's Technical Committee 213–Dimensional and Geometrical Product Specifications and Verification (ISO/TC 213) for 10 years, only recently relinquishing that position.

An ASME member, Parsons currently serves on the Society's Board on Standardization and Testing, and is a member of the Committee on Engineering Drawings and Related Documentation Practices/Subcommittee on Dimensioning and Tolerancing–Size (Y14/SC 5.3).  He is past vice chair of the B89 Committee on Dimensional Metrology; and past chair of 89.3–Geometry, B89.3.3–Flatness and B89.3.5–Straightness.  He is also past vice chair of the H213 Special Committee on Harmonization of Dimensional and Geometrical Product Specifications and Verifications.  Parsons received the ASME Dedicated Service Award in 2007.

He is a founding father (1986) of the American Society for Precision Engineering.  Among his honors, Parsons received an I-R 100 award (1964); it is now the R&D 100 Award from R&D Magazine, which was originally named Industrial Research.

Parsons earned his bachelor's degree in physics and master's degree in engineering management at Northeastern University, Boston, in 1962 and 1968, respectively.

About ASME ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world.