ONTARIO, CA, UNITED STATES, September 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- IAPMO^® today announced that Dain Hansen, executive vice president of Government Relations, has been appointed by the U.S. Trade Representative and U.S. Secretary of Commerce to serve on the U.S. Government’s Industry Trade Advisory Committee (ITAC).

Hansen’s appointment places IAPMO at the table in a public-private advisory system that provides U.S. government policymakers with industry expertise on trade barriers, implementation of trade agreements, uniform conformity assessment programs, and other matters affecting American businesses and workers. The Industry Trade Advisory Committees are jointly managed by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), with the current four-year charter term running from July 2026 through July 2030.

“This appointment is a tremendous recognition of Dain’s expertise and the important role IAPMO plays in advancing the interests of the plumbing and mechanical industry both here in the United States and around the world,” said IAPMO CEO Dave Viola. “For more than a decade, Dain has built relationships across government and industry while advocating for sound standards, greater market access, innovation and policies that strengthen public health and economic opportunity. His appointment to ITAC gives IAPMO an important opportunity to bring the perspective of our industry directly into the federal trade-policy process.”

Hansen has led IAPMO’s Government Relations efforts since joining the organization in 2010, overseeing the association’s engagement with Congress, the White House, federal and state agencies, foreign governments and international policymakers.

A significant component of Hansen’s work has been strengthening IAPMO’s engagement on international trade and helping create opportunities for U.S. plumbing manufacturers in overseas markets. His work with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the International Trade Administration has included initiatives supporting the adoption of U.S.-developed and internationally recognized plumbing standards, conformity assessment systems and technical requirements in international markets.

That work has contributed to significant recognition for IAPMO from the U.S. government. In 2019, IAPMO received the President’s “E” Award for Export Service for its efforts to increase U.S. plumbing exports, particularly through its work in Indonesia. The U.S. Department of Commerce highlighted IAPMO’s support for the adoption of internationally recognized plumbing standards and the establishment of a testing and certification facility in Indonesia as important contributors to U.S. export expansion. In 2024, IAPMO received the President’s “E Star” Award, recognizing continued excellence in export expansion.

More recently, Hansen has represented IAPMO in international policy discussions involving standards and regulatory cooperation. In 2025, IAPMO participated in an APEC summit in South Korea focused on plumbing standardization, working with USTR and stakeholders from 11 APEC economies to advance greater alignment on standards and regulatory cooperation.

“I am honored to be appointed by the U.S. Trade Representative and the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to this important role,” Hansen said. “I look forward to providing advice on trade barriers, the negotiation of trade agreements, and the implementation of existing agreements. Global trade is vital to competitiveness, innovation, and economic opportunity, and I welcome the opportunity to help address barriers and expand access to international markets.”

The ITAC system was established to provide industry with a formal avenue for advising the U.S. government on trade policy. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, policymakers rely on trade advisors to identify barriers and provide advice on objectives and bargaining positions for multilateral, bilateral and regional trade negotiations, as well as other trade-related policy matters.

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About IAPMO

IAPMO^® is a global team of experts engaging industry and government for a safer built environment. ​We offer codes and standards including our flagship Uniform Plumbing Code^® (UPC^®) and Uniform Mechanical Code^® (UMC^®), featuring our UPC and UMC certification marks, that serve as a consistent model for building professionals, manufacturers and researchers. Our deep expertise in codes and standards is applied to our rigorous product testing, certification and inspection services, professional development offerings, policy and advocacy work. We also serve the market under specialty brands including The IAPMO Group, Construction Products Group, System Certifications Body and IWSH^®, our nonprofit foundation. For more information, visit iapmo.org.

Geoff Bilau
IAPMO
+1 909-472-4218
geoff.bilau@iapmo.org