ISA announces 2026 class of Fellows honoring excellence in automation and standards leadership

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The International Society of Automation, a professional society for automation, has congratulated eight individuals who have been elevated to the distinguished grade of ISA Fellow in 2026 in recognition of their sustained and exceptional contributions to the field. The esteemed Fellow member grade is one of ISA’s highest honors, recognizing only those Senior Members who have made exceptional contributions to the automation profession, in practice or in academia.

“ISA is honored to recognize these outstanding achievers whose remarkable contributions have advanced the automation industry,” said Ashley Weckwerth, ISA president. “We thank everyone who submitted nominations and congratulate those being elevated to Fellow. It is a privilege to recognize their accomplishments.”

John Cusimano of Armexa was recognized for pioneering the integration of cybersecurity into industrial automation, leading ISA and IEC 62443 standards efforts, and advancing education and best practices in control systems and cybersecurity through strong community leadership.

Sarah Fluchs of Admeritia GmbH was honored for her pioneering work in embedding cybersecurity into industrial automation engineering, her leadership in influential standards initiatives, and her role in bridging control engineering and cybersecurity through research, tools, and international community engagement.

Ramachandra Kerur of Sunlux Technovations Pvt Ltd was cited for his work in high-reliability automation and fault-tolerant control systems across defense, space, metro, and industrial sectors, enabling safe and uninterrupted operations in critical environments and impacting more than 100 space and industrial missions.

Rao Mannepalli of Leidos was recognized for pioneering leadership and long-standing contributions to advanced aerospace technologies and systems, including missiles, launch vehicles, and weapons platforms, significantly advancing national defense and space exploration capabilities.

Andrew McDonald of FutureofManufacturing LLC was honored for pioneering a standard communication language for packaging machinery and for championing standards and innovation in manufacturing digitalization through the application of advanced technologies.

Glenn Anthony Merrell of Industrial Control Systems Security received recognition for exceptional contributions and global leadership in industrial control systems security, training, automation, critical infrastructure protection, standards advancement, and security workforce development.

Eloise L. Roche of SIS-TECH Solutions, LP was cited for her significant contributions to functional safety in the process industries, particularly in safety instrumented system technology, through the development of guidance, standards, training programs, publications, and presentations.Constantino Seixas Filho of Accenture was recognized for pioneering control and automation engineering education and advancing the implementation of remote operations centers across Brazil, helping to shape the growth and professionalization of the automation field throughout Latin America.

Industrial Cyber News Desk