Executive Vice President’s Message

During recent discussions about what makes NCCLS/Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) unique, it occurred to me that many of us commonly use the words “culture” and “values” interchangeably.  But these words are actually quite different.  The culture of NCCLS will inevitably change when we officially become CLSI, but this can be a positive thing. 

At his recent retirement party at NCCLS/CLSI, former Executive Vice President, Dr. John V. Bergen, discussed the impact that each of our 17 past volunteer presidents have had on our organization.  I was impressed by the impact each one had in changing and evolving the culture of NCCLS/CLSI to make us who we are today. 

While our culture has changed, our values have remained the same, and they should never change.  Values of NCCLS/CLSI, such as integrity, objectivity, and responsiveness and commitment to the consensus process, are the pillars of our past success and define who we are as an organization. If we achieve great reputational and financial success in the future, but we stray from the values that are the foundation of who we are today, we will not consider ourselves successful.

During my brief tenure at NCCLS/CLSI, I’ve come to realize that our staff and volunteer leadership are fully committed to carrying on what our values promise to our stakeholders.

Sincerely,
Glen    [ return to top ]