Upholding Integrity: Legal and Ethical Standards in the Welding Industry

Shanen Aranmór, MS, CWI/CWE, is a passionate advocate for skilled trades with over a decade of experience in promoting American manufacturing and fabrication. After transitioning from a college wellness professor to a welding and industrial technology expert, she founded Weld Like A Girl™ in 2017, offering public classes, community welding projects, and welder qualification services. Shanen's work has earned her multiple accolades, including the 2023 Dalton E. Hamilton Memorial CWI of the Year Award and the US Small Business Association Arizona Women in Business Champion Award. She also plays a vital role in Project MFG, supported by the US Department of Defense, where she helps elevate the trades and inspire the next generation of skilled workers.

Dr. W. Richard Polanin retired as Professor and Program Chair of Manufacturing Engineering Technology and Welding Technology at Illinois Central College. Although retired from full time teaching, he continues to teach locally and nationally. He is currently Co-Principal Investigator for Weld-Ed, the National Center for Welding Education and Training. Dr. Polanin has more than 35 years as a CWI providing services to clients including inspection, procedure development, welder certification, failure analysis, and education and training. He earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Illinois State University and a Doctorate from the University of Illinois. In addition to his responsibilities as a professor and with Weld-Ed, Dr. Polanin is a consultant in manufacturing engineering, and welding engineering, and inspection. He has published numerous papers and has made many technical presentations in the areas of Manufacturing, Robotics, Welding and Manufacturing Education. Dr. Polanin is a graduate of the Illinois Scholars program sponsored by the Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois Community College Board and is a Certified Manufacturing Engineer, Certified Welding Inspector, and a Certified Welding Educator. He was elected to the AWS 2014 Class of Counselors and Fellows, and was President of the American Welding Society in 2022. He is the immediate past Chair of the AWS Education and Training Committee and serves on many other AWS committees. In June 2025 during the International Institute of Welding Annual Assembly, Dr. W. Richard Polanin was elected as Chair of Commission XIV, Education and Training.

Daryl E. Peterson is a Senior Certified Welding Inspector and Nondestructive Testing Level III professional with comprehensive expertise in Quality Management, Welding Engineering, Welding Inspection, Nondestructive Testing, and Automotive Quality Engineering. He has been a dedicated member of the American Welding Society (AWS) for 30 years. Mr. Peterson currently serves as AWS District 5 Director, overseeing activities in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. He contributes to 20 AWS Committees and offers technical consultancy for both the AWS Accredited Test Facility (ATF) and Sense programs.

In his current role, Mr. Peterson delivers consulting services to the welding industry, including the development and qualification of Welding Procedures, Welder Qualifications, implementation of Quality Management systems, and general welding consultancy. In recognition of his contributions, he was honored with the AWS National CWI of the Year award in 2024.

James R. Chiles, 70, graduated from Harvard College and the University of Texas Law School. He has published over 120 articles and columns on technology since 1979.

HarperCollins published his first book, Inviting Disaster: Lessons from the Edge of Technology. Bantam Dell published his second book,The God Machine: From Boomerangs to Black Hawks, a social history of helicopters. Chiles was the featured commentator for a four-part History Channel television series based on his disaster book. He also appeared in History's Life After People and Titanic at 100, and National Geographic Channel’s Seconds from Disaster series. He has been interviewed on National Public Radio, CBS-TV, the Science Channel, NHK Japan, Coast to Coast AM, Australian Broadcasting, and Voice of America. Chiles blogs at disaster-wise.blogspot.com.

Chiles's list of lecture venues include the National Transportation Safety Board; NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Pacific Gas & Electric, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board, the National Society of Professional Engineers, the U.S. Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, Constellation Energy, Lockheed Martin Space Division, the Helicopter Association International, the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations, and the American Society of Safety Engineers.

James Gravley has 25 years of welding experience and 19 years of inspection experience. He has served in a number of positions in Pittsburgh, PA including Senior Steel Inspector at Bureau Veritas and at KTA Tator first as a Steel Inspector and currently as the inspection supervisor. His credentials and certifications include the AWS: Certified Welding Inspector with endorsements in D1.2 Structural Aluminum, D1.5 Bridge Welding, and D1.1 Structural Steel as well as the AWS Certified Welding Supervisor and Certified Radiographic Interpreter. He is an ICC Certified Structural Steel and Bolting Inspector and Structural Welding Inspector. He is a NACE CIP Level 2 Coating Inspector, a CWB Certified Welding Inspector, and an certified in ASNT Nondestructive testing. Mr. Gravley serves on a number of AWS Committees including:

• B1 Committee on Methods of Inspection
• B1A Subcommittee on Nondestructive Examinations of Welds
• B1B Subcommittee on Visual Examination of Welds
• B1C Task Group on Welding Inspection Handbook
• D1J Subcommittee on Bridge Welding (AWS/AASHTO)
• D1K Subcommittee on Stainless Steel Welding
• D1TG3 Task Group on Fabricatio

Tim started his welding journey 51 years ago as an apprentice shipyard welder for structural and piping applications. He is currently self-employed as an inspector, educator / instructor, industry consultant, and sometime welder / fabricator for various clients in the New England area. Areas of work are primarily in the shipbuilding, (ABS and NAVSEA), power generation (ASME), pressure equipment (ASME, API), building and bridge construction / repair (AWS, AISC), light steel and aluminum manufacturing (AWS), rail and highway transportation (FRA, AWS, USDOT, RIDOT), and a technical college program adjunct instructor. He holds an undergraduate ATS degree, AWS CWI /CWE, ASNT Level II VT/PE, and QC Level III qualifications, a state of RI welding license holder, RI CDL Class A License holder, an authorized NAVSEA WWT instructor, and an approved AWS CWI Exam supervisor / proctor. He is vice chair of the AWS PWC committee, the QCTE subcommittee, the AWS national nominating committee, AWS Constitution and Bylaws committee, Districts Council, Professional Development council, Education committee advisor, and has served as an AWS CWI disciplinary hearing panel member. He is a member of the AWS BOD as District one Director, Central Mass./R.I. and Boston section member, a member of the ASNT and the ASNT Narraganset Bay and Connecticut Yankee sections.

Involved in welding engineering applications and consulting in the nuclear & fossil electric power, petro-chemical and heavy industrial arenas for over 50 years, both domestic and internationally. A member on national and international code bodies, a Life Member, Counselor, and Director At Large in the American Welding Society, Former Chair of the AWS Technical Activities Committee, Chair of the AWS Conference Committee, Former Chair of AWS D10 Piping and Tubing, a Member of ISAC and ISO/TC 44, International Committee on Welding and Allied Processes, plus a member of ASME Standards Committee IX – Welding, Brazing and Fusing Qualifications, ASME Post Construction Issues – Subcommittee on Materials and Repair, former Chair of ASME SCII/IX Subgroup on Strength of Weldments, a member on the ASME SCII Working Group on Creep Strength-Enhanced Ferritic Steels, plus recently awarded the 2025 ASME IX Distinguished Service Award. Holds a Bachelor of Science in Welding Engineering from The Ohio State University and earned the International Welding Engineer diploma from the International Institute of Welding. He is the President of W. F. Newell & Associates, Inc., and Co-Founder/ President of Euroweld, Ltd.

David currently serves as Mechanical Technologies Department Chairman and Welding Program Coordinator at Moraine Valley Communitee College. Outside of teaching he is a CWI, CWE,and CW with Techno-Weld Welding Consultants. Dave has extensive knowledge of welding processes, code applications, and interpretation. In the last five years, has taught several D17.1 Aerospace code clinics at FabTech, privately held military contractors, and aerospace firms. Dave is the past chairman of the AWS Chicago Section and incoming District 13 Director.