b'ASSOCIATION NEWS ISTA Executive Committee 20252028 Ernest L. AllenPresidentERNEST L. ALLEN IS DIRECTOR OFdegree in biological sciences from Winthrop THE SEED REGULATORY AND TESTINGUniversity, South Carolina, USA.DIVISION (SRTD) at the Agricultural Marketing Service of the United StatesErnest is deeply engaged in the seed community. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In this role,His division represents the USDA at major he provides executive leadership for criticaldomestic seed functions, including meetings national and international programmes,of the Association of Official Seed Analysts including the U.S. Seed Schemes for the(AOSA) and the Society of Commercial Seed Organisation for Economic Co-operationTechnologists (SCST), where he previously served and Development (OECD), the Federal Seedon the AOSA Rules Committee. He began his Laboratory, the USDA Seed Regulatoryinvolvement with ISTA in 2014, where he would programme, and other key seed-related industryeventually bring his experience to the highest outreach initiatives. technical level by chairing the ISTA Rules Committee from 20192025. Europe and North America, by forging stronger A dedicated seed scientist, Ernest began hispartnerships with international bodies like the career with USDAs National Science LaboratoryAs President of ISTA, Ernest is committed toUN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in 2003 as a microbiologist and later served as aadvancing the Associations global mission.the OECD Seed Schemes, and the International botanist and seed analyst within the SRTD. HeHis strategic vision focuses on expandingSeed Federation (ISF), promoting seed quality holds both a Bachelors degree and a MastersISTAs footprint beyond its traditional bases inand fostering food security worldwide.Sergio PasquiniVice-PresidentSERGIO PASQUINI IS THE QUALITYCairo in 2022, he was elected as a Member-at-MANAGER of the National Center CarabinieriLarge of the ISTA Executive Committee. He is Biodiversity (CNCB) in Italy. This institute iscurrently Chair of the Tetrazolium Committee responsible for conservation, protection andand a member of the Moisture, Proficiency seed lot certification under the framework of theTest and Wild Species Committees. He is also national biodiversity of trees and shrubs. a method validation reviewer for ISTA and a reviewer of the ISTA international journal Seed He is an agronomist and has been workingScience and Technology.with seeds for about 35 years. He started work in the 1990s at a plant physiology laboratory,In May this year, he was elected as ISTA Vice-dedicating himself to the study of an enzymePresident during the 34th ISTA Congress in in the plasma membrane of soybeans. He laterChristchurch, New Zealand. In this new role earned a PhD in biotechnical science dealingSergio will support the expansion of the ISTA with the understanding of storage behaviour in acommunity around the world, especially recalcitrant forest species, the holm oak tree. involving the younger generation.and increasingly evident climate change. This Sergio became active with ISTA in 2005. He hasSergio believes that safeguarding ourambitious objective can also be pursued by been involved in ISTA Technical Committees forenvironment will become a priority for our besthighlighting new technologies to be applied many years; during the ISTA Annual Meeting insurvival in this alarming situation of ongoingtogether with already known practices.SEED TESTING INTERNATIONAL OCTOBER 2025 15'