William Henry Merrill Society Welcomes 2026 Inductees

The William Henry Merrill Society (WHMS), has welcomed its 2026 class of inductees, recognizing leaders from UL Research Institutes, UL Standards & Engagement and UL Solutions for their significant contributions to advancing safety science.

Established in 2006 and named for founder William Henry Merrill Jr., the society honors members of the technical staff across the UL enterprise who demonstrate excellence in engineering, research, and scientific leadership. This year’s class of Corporate Fellows and Distinguished Members of Technical Staff reflects the depth of expertise and collaboration across the UL enterprise.

UL Research Institutes inductees

Corporate Fellow
- Kelly Keena, vice president and executive director, Institute for Research Experiences & Education
Distinguished Member of Technical Staff
- Migo Szeman Ng, principal research scientist, Electrochemical Safety Research Institute

Additional inductees

Corporate Fellows
- Colleen O’Brien, principal engineer, Energy and Industrial Automation, ULS
- Susan Stene, principal engineer, Engineered Materials, ULS
- Timothy Zgonena, principal engineer, Energy and Industrial Automation, ULS
- Dr. Kai Zhou, director of global product management, Engineered Materials, ULS
Distinguished Member of Technical Staff
- George Borlase, senior vice president, standards development, ULSE
- Megan Van Heirseele, lead standards project manager, ULSE
- Wilbert Fletcher, principal standards engineer, ULSE

Corporate Fellows represent the highest level of membership within the society, while the Distinguished Member of Technical Staff designation recognizes individuals who have made meaningful contributions to advancing scientific and technical knowledge.

This latest class builds on the 2025 inductees, which also recognized colleagues from ULRI and ULSE for their continued impact and leadership across the organization.