Lights. Music. Elvis. It must be Vegas. Attendees were dazzled with a bit of entertainment at the beginning of Safety 2013's Opening General Session, which began with the UNLV marching band's rendition of "Viva Las Vegas" accompanying Vegas showgirls and an Elvis impersonator. Thomas Kramer, P.E., CSP, Professional Development Conference Planning Committee chair welcomed attendees to the conference and ASSE 2012-13 President Rick Pollock, CSP, thanked attendees for the opportunity he had to serve them and the Society this past year, saying it has ". . . given me a new insight as to what a great organization ASSE is." Pollock touched on the Society's global growth, sustainability efforts, new proposed governance and new initiatives, which include the Risk Assessment Institute that will officially launch on Wednesday, June 26, at Safety 2013.
Former Assistant Secretary of Labor John Henshaw also addressed the crowd and revealed a new program that the ASSE Foundation (ASSEF) has created. The ASSEF Family Scholarship fund supports spouses and children of grieving families who have lost a loved one to a workplace fatality. "We cannot bring the lives lost back, but we can do our part to ease the loss," he said. He encouraged attendees to join the initiative by donating funds to help honor those lost by helping their loved ones.
A Blog From the American Society of Safety Engineers