UL sponsors and hosts new Roundtable at IWCS 2021

On Wednesday, October 6, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. EDT, UL will lead the following Roundtable Discussion, moderated by Robert LaRocca.

How to Guard Your Brand: Mitigating Risk of Non-Compliant Product

The Roundtable Discussion will center on the issues surrounding counterfeit and non-compliant products and specifically cable which has been a continuing problem for quite some time. UL’s work with Brand Protection, as well as the work conducted by Law Enforcement has been paramount in creating awareness about the problem. OSHA administering the Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL) program highlights the importance of Independent Test Laboratories.

The session, hosted by UL, will feature key industry leaders highlighting four critical issues:

 1. “Product Quality / Brand Protection”

• Helps the consumer identify legitimate products from sub-standard or counterfeit / dangerous products. Most products require quality standards and independent certifications, that comes at a cost, to maintain consumer confidence and provide appropriate product warranties.

Topic Expert: Lisa Deere, Brand Protection Manager – UL

Lisa J. Deere, a Brand Protection Manager for UL, will join the roundtable event and speak on the topic of the UL Marks and Anti-Counterfeiting.  Lisa will provide a brief overview of UL’s brand protection program and share some important case studies with a specific focus on wire & cable.  UL’s Global Brand Protection Team (GBP) works closely with customs agencies, law enforcement and border officials worldwide, all have helped to prevent hundreds of thousands of illegal and potentially hazardous items from reaching the public.

Lisa has 20+ years of experience in intellectual property, Anti-Counterfeiting, and prosecution. Prior to joining UL (2017), Lisa spent 10+ years at a global consumer products company where she launched their Anti-Counterfeiting program, initially with just the US market, and eventually expanded the program globally. Actively involved in several Anti-Counterfeiting organizations, including the International Anti-Counterfeiting Coalition (IACC), the International Trademark Association (INTA), and the Canadian Anti-Counterfeiting Network (CACN).  Lisa is a frequent moderator and roundtable host, and often speaks on the topic of health & safety issues related to counterfeit electronics. Lisa holds a BS in Business from Concordia College and a Professional Certification in Anti-Counterfeiting & Brand Protection from Michigan State University.

2. “Law Enforcement Surveillance & Seizures”

• Law Enforcement, particularly in these pandemic realities, are observing and seizing record amounts of stolen or dangerous / counterfeit goods being sold in both brick & mortar stores or from online market platforms.

Topic Expert: Michael Rose, Section Chief – IPR Center, Homeland Security Investigations: Global Trade Investigations Division

Special Agent Rose, a special guest speaker from the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center), will join the roundtable event and speak on the topic of Combating Counterfeit Goods. Rose will provide Law Enforcement’s perspective on this important topic and share case studies.  The IPR Center stands at the forefront of the United States government’s response to combatting global intellectual property (IP) theft and enforcement of its international trade laws. The Homeland Security Investigations Global Trade Investigations Division focus is toward mitigating existing vulnerabilities within the commerce stream.

Rose is a supervisory special agent with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and joined the IPR Center in November 2020.  Mr. Rose serves as the section chief over the intellectual property and intelligence sections, with operational oversight of all HSI intellectual property investigative programs.  Mr. Rose began his career as a special agent in Detroit, focusing primarily on narcotics smuggling investigations.  Mr. Rose served for a year at the National Targeting Center – Investigations, concentrating on the fentanyl epidemic.  Prior to arriving at the IPR Center, Mr. Rose served as a group supervisor in Douglas, AZ, overseeing the Border Enforcement Security Taskforce and the narcotics smuggling groups.  Mr. Rose holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Michigan State University.

3. “Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories” (OSHA)

• Importance of independent testing laboratories adhering to precise / consistent codes and standards requirements for products. Consistent certification of products and market / manufacturer surveillance testing to verify that safety and performance requirements are being met.

Topic Expert: Tom Hannigan, Lead Auditor — US Department of Labor, OSHA NRTL

Tom Hannigan is a lead auditor and electrical engineer for the NRTL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory) program.  He is an experienced assessor and product safety engineer with an extensive background in testing and evaluating products.

Hannigan joined OSHA’s NRTL program in 2013. His expertise is in conformity assessment and he assesses the various NRTLs to determine if they meet the program requirements. He has led over 100 NRTL audits and assessments at various testing laboratories all over the world. Prior to beginning his government service Hannigan served as a Technical Lead at an NRTL. In this capacity he served as the senior technical advisor for an international product testing and certification body. His technical expertise is in hazardous location evaluation and testing as he has worked extensively with both the U.S. and international hazardous location standards. A native of Troy, New York, Hannigan graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering.

4. UL Market Surveillance Study

• What UL has observed with Communications Cable in the marketplace. Severity of impacts on fire safety and connectivity performance of non-conforming products being installed in Mission Critical applications, commercial buildings and homes.

Anthony Tassone, Principal Engineer – UL

Anthony Tassone will join the roundtable event and speak on the topic of the Importance of Certification by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and UL’s Surveillance Programs for Communications Cables.

Tassone is a Principal Engineer with UL in the Engineered Materials Operating Unit. His areas of focus include telecommunications cable categories, as well as seasonal lighting, for the North American market.
Anthony has more than 37 years of safety certification and performance testing experience at UL, across a variety of categories and functions, including engineering, operations, and conformity assessment. Anthony is the primary member of NEC Code Panel 16, IEC TC 20 Working Group 18 and ANSI TIA 42. He has a BSEE from Polytechnic University and is a New York State professional engineer.