Greetings.
Hope you are doing well and staying safe and busy. In the past two months the chapter has been able to conduct three in person events and rewarded five deserving students from the chapter scholarships to help them with their expenses. See the winners in the Newsletter. We continued to visit our student chapter schools and invited students to our chapter meetings.
In February we met with our newest student chapter Thiel College. Seventeen new members have joined ASSP as part of this student chapter lead by Melissa Heike, MS, CSP, Assistant Professor of Environmental Safety Management and member of the WPA Chapter. Thanks to Melissa we have been able to welcome these future safety professionals into the chapter. At Thiel we met with incoming President of the Society, Ms. Christine Sullivan (virtually) and Mr. Pat Karol Area Director for Region 8 who spoke to the students about the importance of being a safety professional. Our speakers included Consultant Mr. Tom Blank IH, Ms. Bobbie Myers, CSP, Safety and Environmental Manager for Elwood Group and Mr. Wayne Vanderhoof CSP, CIT, our own Newsletter and Web Editor. They each discussed the many aspects of interviewing, resume writing and proper conduct with a prospective employer. They did a great job and were able to interact with the students during the lunch meeting. I was the piano player and MC.
In April we held our 12th Annual PDC attended (virtually) by professional members and students. It included over ten speakers who provided insight to a variety of technical topics to benefit the attendees. I thank the PDC Committee for their time and efforts for this event.
Also in April Jason Timmerman, VP of Environmental and Safety for the Allegheny County Airport Authority and his staff of professionals conducted a presentation and tour of the Revitalization Project at Pittsburgh International Airport. Chapter members including students from IUP and SRU were able to attend this very interesting meeting. They heard about the safety culture at the site and how the airport will become a model for the aviation industry. Pretty cool if I do say so.
May 12th the chapter is hosting Mr. Chris Robinson, Area Director and Mr. Bob Carroll, Outreach Coordinator for the Pittsburgh office of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The meeting will be at noon at Rivers Casino and the chapter will subsidize 50% of the cost. Free parking is provided. Please plan to attend and get a chance to meet OSHA up close and personal.
We also would be remiss if we did not congratulate Ms. Pam Walaski of our chapter on winning election as Senior Vice President of ASSP. Pam will be President of ASSP in 2024-2025 Chapter year. Congratulations.
If I am able to answer any questions about the chapter please feel free to contact me at fpsehn@gmail.com.
Be safe
Yours in safety
Fran Sehn President
WPA Chapter, American Society of Safety Professionals
president@westernpa.assp.org