PARK RIDGE, Illinois — The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), the world’s oldest professional safety organization, is bestowing the honor of Fellow on four longtime members who have made significant contributions to the occupational safety and health profession. Earl Blair, Richard Nugent, James Ramsay and Treasa Turnbeaugh are the 2019 recipients of the Society’s highest honor.

“ASSP Fellows are the heart of our profession and deserve significant credit for their dedicated work to advance occupational safety and health performance as well as the profession itself,” said ASSP President Rixio Medina, CSP, CPP. “Their career achievements in preventing workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities are an inspiration, helping to improve business outcomes worldwide.”

•  Earl Blair, Ed.D., CSP, of Lexington, Kentucky, is associate professor in the department of safety and security at Eastern Kentucky University. An ASSP member since 1982, Blair has over 35 years of experience in safety management. He has educated safety professionals in Bahrain, China, India, Nigeria, Thailand and other nations.

Blair worked for four Fortune 500 companies, developing permit systems to improve worker safety while dramatically reducing workers’ compensation costs. His writings have been frequently published in peer-reviewed journals and have focused on safety management, safety culture development and effective safety leadership.

•  Richard Nugent, CSP, of Tullahoma, Tennessee, is safety, health and environmental manager for Bechtel Corporation, currently assigned to National Aerospace Solutions. His 41-year career includes various leadership positions in high-risk industries. An ASSP member since 1982, Nugent has served as vice president of finance on the Society’s Board of Directors. He has worked domestically and abroad in implementing safety cultures.

Nugent completed a master’s thesis that studied the effects of safety program element implementation on safety performance, tracking injury rate progression. His findings have assisted many workplace safety professionals.

•  James Ramsay, Ph.D., M.A., CSP, of Bow, New Hampshire, is professor of security studies and chair of the department of business, politics and security studies at the University of New Hampshire. He was a founding member of ASSP’s Academic Practice Specialty and the Journal of Safety, Health and Environmental Research.

An ASSP member since 1999, Ramsay has more than 20 years of experience in occupational safety, public health, emergency management, environmental health and security studies. His vast research findings, journal articles and conference presentations have advanced education standards and the occupational safety and health field.

•  Treasa Turnbeaugh, Ph.D., M.P.H., M.B.A., CSP, CAE, of Indianapolis, Indiana, is chief executive officer at the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. Under her leadership, the number of certified safety practitioners has doubled, helping to protect millions of workers by ensuring a base level of competency in the safety profession.

An ASSP member since 1985, Turnbeaugh has over 30 years in safety, health and environmental practice. She is working with the Pentagon to increase the number of military personnel who hold occupational safety and health certifications. Her keynotes on the value of certification, accreditation and training have led her around the world.

The four Fellows will be honored at ASSP’s Safety 2019 Professional Development Conference and Exposition, held June 9-12 in New Orleans. The global event will bring together more than 5,000 safety professionals to learn about best practices, industry trends and the latest product innovations in the occupational safety and health field.

The honor of Fellow recognizes an ASSP member’s lifetime commitment to worker safety and health. Nominees must have a history of significant contributions to the occupational safety and health profession for at least 20 years. To see the Society’s list of Fellows dating back more than 50 years, visit ASSP Fellow recipients.

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