Greetings ASSP Chesapeake Chapter Members,

I am pleased to announce that, for the fourth consecutive year, the ASSP Chesapeake Chapter has achieved Platinum status. This outstanding recognition reflects the continued commitment, leadership, and dedication of our chapter to advancing the safety profession and supporting one another as professionals.

Congratulations to everyone who contributed to this achievement. Reaching Platinum status is no small accomplishment and maintaining that level of excellence year after year speaks volumes about the strength of our chapter and the people who make it successful.

I would especially like to thank the Executive Committee members for their hard work, time, and commitment throughout the year. Your leadership, follow-through, and willingness to serve have been instrumental in helping the chapter meet its goals and continue building on its success.

I also want to express my sincere appreciation to all Chesapeake Chapter members. It has been a true pleasure and honor to serve as your Chapter President since 2024. I am grateful for the support, encouragement, participation, and professionalism each of you has brought to our chapter during that time.

Together, we have continued to strengthen the Chesapeake Chapter’s presence, provide value to our members, and support the mission of ASSP. I am proud of what we have accomplished and excited for the continued success of the chapter in the years ahead.

As we look ahead, I am pleased to share that Matt Koss, CSP, CHST, SMP will take over as Chapter President beginning July 1. Matt has my full support, and I am confident he will do a fantastic job in his new role. I look forward to seeing the chapter continue to grow and succeed under his leadership.

Thank you again for your dedication, service, and continued support. Congratulations to the ASSP Chesapeake Chapter on this well-deserved Platinum status achievement.

Sincerely,

James Woodward Sr.
President, ASSP Chesapeake Chapter

In late April, nearly members of the chapter cast their votes to select the officers that will represent the chapter in the 2026-2027 year. 

Congratulations to those elected!

PRESIDENT

Matthew Koss, MEng, CSP, ARM | LinkedIn

1^st VICE PRESIDENT

Adrian Hernandez | LinkedIn

2^nd VICE PRESIDENT 

Pete Kaplan, CSP, SMS, CHST | LinkedIn

SECRETARY

Marty Smith, SET, CFPS, GROL | LinkedIn

TREASUER

Michael Wolf, CSP | LinkedIn

1^st ADVISORY GROUP MEMBER

Ned Fitter | LinkedIn

DIRECTOR

Craig D. Lowry, CSP | LinkedIn

Now that the officers have been elected, we need volunteers to step up and fill the many committees that make up our ‘Executive Committee.’ and truly embrace the many benefits that the American Society of Safety Professionals has to offer! 

The Chesapeake Chapter is one of the most active chapters in the nation, with monthly chapter ‘hybrid’ lunch and learns, and multiple social events that take place during the day and in the evenings.  In addition, the chapter partners with the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s Chesapeake and Potomac Locals for one of the most highly attended professional development conferences in the region.  

If you are interested in volunteering to serve as a committee chair, or assist by becoming a member of any of our committees, please reach out to me or Matt Koss, directly.

Regardless of the commitment that you can make, your assistance is needed and appreciated.   Thank you for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.  I hope to hear from you soon.

James Woodward Sr.

ASSP Chesapeake Chapter

President

Thank you for taking time out of your day to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.  This month, all chapter members will receive an email regarding the upcoming chapter elections.  Elected officers include; President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director.  Each position requires the officer to volunteer between 2 and 10 hours per month, and all elected officers serve one-year terms.  In addition, the elected President appoints a chair for the following committees: Chapter Professional Development Conference, Programs, Membership, Nominations and Elections, Awards and Scholarships, Communications, Government Affairs, Professional Organizations, and WISE (Women in Safety Excellence).  The appointed committee chairs then add volunteers to their respective committees.

Now is the time to step up, get involved, and truly embrace the many benefits that the American Society of Safety Professionals has to offer!  The Chesapeake Chapter is one of the most active chapters in the nation, with monthly chapter ‘hybrid’ lunch and learns, and multiple social events that take place during the day and in the evenings.  In addition, the chapter partners with the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s Chesapeake and Potomac Locals for one of the most highly attended professional development conferences in the region.   If you are interested in running for any of the elected positions, volunteering to serve as a committee chair, or assist by becoming a member of any of our committees, please reach out to me directly.

Regardless of the commitment that you are able to make, your assistance is needed and appreciated.   Thank you for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.  I hope to hear from you soon.

James Woodward Sr.
ASSP Chesapeake Chapter
President

Thank you for taking time out of your day to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.  In the early morning hours of the second Sunday in March, we moved the clocks ahead an hour in recognition of daylight savings time.  For many, this is the unofficial start of spring.  A few weeks later, the sun’s rays shine onto the equator, while the Earth sat with its axis tilted neither toward nor away from the sun.  For those of you who are familiar with astronomy… this marked the spring equinox, which is the official start of the spring season.  Regardless of how you define the change of seasons, we can confidently state that Spring is in the air!

With the change in season comes some unique hazards that may affect workers in all employment settings.  While it is estimated that about 25% of Americans are still working remotely, at least for a portion of their work week, there are still a large percentage of the workforce who commute on a daily basis.  With the time change comes an increase in auto accidents, heart attacks, and strokes.  In addition, there is an increase in fatigue, lack of focus, and complacency.  Please be sure to take the time necessary to allow your body to adjust to the time change.

The spring season also means that it is election season for the Chesapeake Chapter of ASSP!  All chapter members will receive an email regarding the upcoming chapter elections.  Elected officers include; President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director.  Each position requires the officer to volunteer between 2 and 10 hours per month, and all elected officers serve one year terms.  In addition, the elected President appoints a chair for the following committees; Chapter Professional Development Conference, Programs, Membership, Nominations and Elections, Awards and Scholarships, Communications, Government Affairs, Professional Organizations, and WISE (Women in Safety Excellence).  The appointed committee chairs then add volunteers to their respective committee.

Regardless of the commitment that you are able to make, your assistance is needed and appreciated.   Thank you for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.  I hope to hear from you soon.

James A. Woodward Sr.

ASSP Chesapeake Chapter

President

Thank you for being a member of the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals. While several weeks ago, the ball dropped on New Year’s Eve and we rang in 2026, for the governing body of the American Society of Safety Professionals, we are more than 2/3 of the way through our chapter year and it is time to start planning for the 2026-2027 year! We need your help!

In the next few weeks, all chapter members will receive an email regarding the upcoming chapter elections. Elected officers include President, 1st Vice President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director. Each position requires the officer to volunteer between 2 and 10 hours per month, and all elected officers serve one-year terms. In addition, the elected President appoints a chair for the following committees: Chapter Professional Development Conference, Programs, Membership, Nominations and Elections, Awards and Scholarships, Communications, Government Affairs, Professional Organizations, and WISE (Women in Safety Excellence). The appointed committee chairs then add volunteers to their respective committee.

Now is the time to step up, get involved, and truly embrace the many benefits that the American Society of Safety Professionals has to offer! The Chesapeake Chapter is one of the most active chapters in the nation, with monthly chapter ‘hybrid’ lunch and learns, and multiple social events that take place during the day and in the evenings. In addition, the chapter partners with the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s Chesapeake and Potomac Locals for one of the most highly attended professional development conferences in the region. This year’s conference will take place on March 26- please check out our events page for a link to register! If you are interested in running for any of the elected positions, volunteering to serve as a committee chair, or assist by becoming a member of any of our committees, please reach out to me directly.

Regardless of the commitment that you are able to make, your assistance is needed and appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals. I hope to hear from you soon.

James A. Woodward Sr.
ASSP Chesapeake Chapter
President

Thank you for taking time out of your day to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.  I hope that everyone had a great holiday and enjoyed some much-needed time with family and friends.  With the holidays behind us, it is a great time to ‘Re-Focus’

With all of the challenges and distractions that we face in today’s world, it is often difficult to be truly present in the moment. It is important to recognize, and adjust, when our minds are not fully focused or present on the task at hand. All too often, we are physically present somewhere, but our focus and attention are not. We have all been in this position.  For example, when driving, we may zone out for a few moments, only to realize that we have driven several miles, yet have no recollection of the drive. This kind of disconnect from the present moment can be extremely dangerous when at work or at home.  Consider the following tips to help you re-focus:

• Take note of how well you are focusing and where your mind is at. From there, make the conscious choice to improve your focus and attention, if needed.
• When you are part of a discussion or receiving directions, make sure you are actively listening to the person speaking.
• Eliminate distractions 
• Take a deep breath, before you
• Identify any personal concerns that are causing your mind to wander and not be fully present at work. If it is not possible to eliminate them, talk about them with your supervisor so they can help you address them accordingly.

It can be challenging to truly be present in the moment. Distractions such as; family obligations, politics, long hours, family, and overall stress may plague our ability to be fully engaged in the task at hand. Being present and focused is only possible when we take a step back and consider all of the steps necessary to complete that task. 

Also… every 30 minutes, take 30 seconds, and look 30 feet around you to improve your focus and situational awareness.

Lastly…

2026 elections will be taking place in the coming months, and we are hoping to see some new names on the ballot!  Don’t let the many benefits that ASSP has to offer pass you by!  The Chesapeake Chapter is one of the most active chapters in the nation, with monthly chapter ‘hybrid’ lunch and learns and multiple social events that take place during the day and in the evenings.  In addition, we are actively recruiting members to serve on many committees.  Regardless of the commitment that you can make, your assistance is needed and appreciated.   If you are interested in being more active in the chapter, please reach out to me directly. Thank for taking the time to visit the website for the Chesapeake Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals.

James Woodward Sr.

ASSP Chesapeake Chapter

President