LISA Closes Its Operations

While attending Open Standards Summit put on by LISA (Localization Industry Standards Association) in Boston this week, I was surprised to receive the following letter from LISA’s Managing Director, Michael Anobile:

“It is with sincere regret I inform you that the Localization Industry Standards Association (LISA) is insolvent and will close its operations effective 28 February 2011. The Supervisory committee is presently investigating other means of meeting the association’s obligations to staff, members and the industry.”

Mr. Anobile continues: “In spite of our efforts to restructure the operation, the association’s insolvency is the result of LISA’s and the Supervisory committee’s inability to find alternative funding sources. This decision was taken due to the recommendations of the LISA’s attorneys as well as a fiduciary expert’s report commissioned by the Supervisory Committee. “

This leaves something of a void for the buyers of localization services as LISA was one of the few industry organizations that counted large organizations such as Cisco, HP, IBM, and others among its members. Read an assessment of the situation made by Don DePalma of Common Sense Advisory here

Jiri Stejskal, CETRA Language Solutions