Live from Safety 2008: ASSE Announces New President for 2008-09
Although he does not officially assume office until July 1, Warren K. Brown, CSP, ARM, CSHM, was introduced this morning as ASSE’s next president for the 2008-09 year. Passing the reins, and the ASSE medallion, current president Michael W. Thompson, CSP, recapped his year in office, noted the society has more work to do, and encouraged the audience of about 2,500 SH&E members to “consider the possibilities when we adopt the mantra ‘Service above self.’” The ceremony took place in the Las Vegas Hilton’s Barron Ballroom as part of the general session of day three of ASSE’s Professional Development Conference and Exposition.
”It’s our actions, remember, not our words, that will make a difference,” Thompson said, exhorting society members to avoid having a “business as usual” mentality. Noting that the society is on the right track in its efforts to reach out globally for membership and emphasize new technologies, he said he had confidence the “journey” of development would continue under Brown’s leadership.
Brown, supervisor of safety at DMAX Ltd. in Moraine, Ohio, has served on many ASSE committees and as the vice president for the council on professional development. He also served as Region VII vice president for two terms and is the recipient of the Culbertson Outstanding Volunteer Service award and the Region VII Safety Professional of the Year award. In 1988, he was named a General Motors Safety Fellow, the highest of the company’s individual safety awards. He holds a B.S. in industrial technology from Ohio University and an MBA from the University of Dayton.
As ASSE’s 94th president, Brown said he will seek to simplify the delivery of the society’s resources and improve leadership skills throughout the organization. He noted that the society’s chapter model is working well in many areas, with meeting attendance at some local events not being what it should. “Improving communication is our goal,” he said, adding that focusing on the society’s “virtual services” would also be on his agenda, seeking new ways to exchange information and reach members. Echoing Thompson, Brown said the society must be proactive in business, recognizing the global economy and the current domestic economic conditions.
Succeeding Brown as president-elect is C. Christopher Patton, CSP, of St. Louis. Patton is a principal SH&E engineer for Covidien and serves as ASSE senior vice president. He co-chaired a committee to improve safety among Missouri wastewater workers, has twice received the Water Environment Federation Safety Award, served as the ASSE Region V vice president, and chaired the annual ASSE Student Leadership Conference.