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President's Message from Don Westbrook

July 31, 2008

We only have a few weeks left of Summer. You know what that means… Fall is approaching and with it much appreciated cooler weather, school, and of course, football!  Did I forget to mention the 2008 Fall Conference & PDC on October 22-24 at the Fox Den Country Club in Knoxville: "Extreme Makeover: Industrial Hygiene Edition"!?

This is a good time to not only look back on the first part of 2008 but to look forward to next year and anticipate what can be done to move ourselves and our organization forward.  So far, we have accomplished much as a local section.  We have continued to provide excellent telewebs and PDCs such as Machine Safeguarding that Mark Smith coordinated.

 Community outreach has been an area where the local section has been involved in the past but the opportunities have been difficult to find and limited in their impact. Outreach is important to not only provide service to the community but also to promote Industrial Hygiene as a profession.  Recently we have been contacted by the Knoxville Chamber of Commerce requesting assistance in recruiting and educating more students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). The program is entitled Vols4STEM and they are looking for volunteers to assist in grades K-12 for education outreach activities.  We hope to participate and educate this group about Industrial Hygiene.  More information about this program will follow later in the year.

Another area of outreach that I believe is important for our local section to participate is a sustained student scholarship program.  The local section has contributed to the American Industrial Hygiene Foundation in the past but it has been inconsistent.  Our Advisory Board has decided to establish our own scholarship program this year.  We are focusing on the student section we sponsor, West Virginia University, as well as East Tennessee State University, and the University of Tennessee.  All students enrolled this fall with coursework in industrial hygiene or safety are eligible to apply. Investing in the future is essential if Industrial Hygiene is to flourish.

 Financially the local section is doing well.  We have built our assets to approximately $25,000.  With our membership dues, the annual conference and Spring and Fall PDCs, our assets should continue to increase.  I believe that even though we are a not-for-profit organization, increasing our account balances are important to insure financial solvency and our ability to provide the best programs and services to our membership.

We can all be proud of what we have accomplished so far.  Moving the section and the Industrial Hygiene profession ahead next year will be our goal.  May everyone enjoy success in their personal and professional lives and rededicate ourselves to our profession and community.