LOS ALAMITOS, Calif., 12 February 2019 – IEEE Computer Society (IEEE CS) 2012 President and Senior IEEE Member John W. Walz has been selected to receive the 2019 Richard E. Merwin Award for Distinguished Service.
Walz was recognized “for service to the Computer Society with dedication and strong leadership aligned with a visionary strategic plan.”
Walz retired from Lucent Technologies/AT&T with more than 20 years of management/coaching experience, covering positions in hardware and software engineering, quality planning and auditing, standards development and implementation, and strategic planning.
"I am deeply honored to be recognized with this important service award,” said Walz. “The prior awardees are leaders who moved the Society ahead and also mentored me to recognize the diverse talent in our volunteers. I have enjoyed partnering with others to make many contributions to strengthen the Society and thus benefit the Institute."
As a longtime volunteer leader, Walz has worked with many talented individuals, including the current and past eleven IEEE presidents, and the current and past eight TAB VPs. As senior volunteer leader, past chair of two board committees, former IEEE CS president, and technical manager for AT&T’s Lucent Technologies for 25 years, he developed the ability to understand, recruit, and position volunteer talent for best impact.
Walz has co-authored three books covering the use of IEEE Software Engineering Standards to support CMMI, ISO 9001, and Lean Six Sigma. He is also a contributor to IEEE CS ReadyNotes, industry webinar programs, and draft standards IEEE 90003:2017 and IEEE 730:2015.
His past leadership positions in national and international industry and professional organizations include U.S. Technical Advisory Group on Quality Management ISO 9001 and Risk Management ISO 31000; American Society for Quality (ASQ) Electronics and Communications Division and its Sarbanes-Oxley Forum; the Quality Excellence for Suppliers of Telecommunications Forum, which developed and deployed TL 9000 Quality Management System requirements and measurements; and the Information Integrity Coalition.
Walz received his BS and MS in electrical engineering from Ohio State University.
The Merwin Award is given to individuals for outstanding volunteer service to the profession at large, including significant service to the Computer Society. The Merwin Award is the IEEE-CS’s highest level volunteer service award, and consists of a bronze medal and a $5,000 honorarium.
The award will be presented at a location to be determined.
Further information about the award, including past participants, may be found here.
The IEEE Computer Society is the world’s home for computer science, engineering, and technology. A global leader in providing access to computer science research, analysis, and information, the IEEE Computer Society offers a comprehensive array of unmatched products, services, and opportunities for individuals at all stages of their professional career. Known as the premier organization that empowers the people who drive technology, its unparalleled resources include membership, international conferences, peer-reviewed publications, a unique digital library, standards, and training programs. Visit for more information.
