Florida’s William Masur named 2023 National Inspector of the Year

Octogenarian state weights and measures inspector lauded by National Conference on Weights and Measures during first annual award ceremony.

Every state in the nation benefits from the scores of weights and measures inspectors who work to protect manufacturers and customers by enforcing the standards by which every product is sold.?

There are several thousand city, county, or state weights and measures inspectors nationwide. They verify the accuracy of virtually every weighing or measuring device used in commerce. They also verify the accuracy of net quantity statements on packaged goods, price scanner accuracy at retail stores, and even motor fuel quality in many states. Their work provides confidence that businesses enjoy fair competition and that consumers get what they pay for.

However, even by the high standards held by the thousands of state and local inspectors in states around the nation, Florida’s Bill Masur stands out.

The 88-year-old Masur, a weights and measures inspector for the past 30 years, was chosen for his commitment to excellence over the course of a long career. That career has included five years serving in the U.S. Navy, followed by 20 years as a mechanic in the petroleum industry, eight years as a volunteer firefighter, and a second job for the past 36 years as a driver for One Blood, a local blood donation organization.

Each year, he brings his two worlds together at the Annual Inspector Workshop by

organizing a blood drive so his fellow inspectors can donate.

He was honored by colleagues from around the country this year with the first-ever Inspector of the Year Award from the National Counsel on Weights and Measures.

At the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Standards, Masur is an Agriculture and Consumer Protection Specialist – Inspector. He has an established reputation for raising the bar in professionalism and a strong work ethic. He designed testing equipment to make inspections more efficient and safer and provided training and mentoring for countless inspectors. He has earned the respect and admiration of the entire inspection staff through his dedication and eagerness to help.

Masur’s supervisor, Christine Wood, nominated him for the award. “This is such a great honor for Bill and everyone here in Florida,” said Wood. “His community service doesn’t end there. He spends his free time helping his neighbors, fixing leaks, replacing a kitchen cabinet or sink, trimming and removing trees, mowing yards, and more for those on a fixed income who cannot afford to hire it done. He’s always lending a helping hand to those in need”.

NCWM Executive Director Don Onwiler explained the award's significance for the recipient. “Imagine that you are out there every day doing your work, with few people understanding or appreciating the service you provide, he said. Then, one day, you get the call that you have been singled out from among your peers across the nation to receive this award. How gratifying that must be. You aren’t invisible, and you are to be honored”.

The NCWM created the National Inspector of the Year Award to draw attention to the profession's importance to society by calling out exceptional individuals who go above and beyond for the communities they serve.

Masur will retire from the department on September 8.

“I could not ask for a greater retirement gift than this award,” Masur said.

The National Conference on Weights and Measures is a professional nonprofit association of state and local weights and measures officials, federal agencies, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, which has served as a forum for developing the national weights and measures standards since 1905. The NCWM focuses on creating new standards to accommodate innovation in the marketplace and to promote uniformity in net content regulation.

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