Nominees and recipients of this award are not necessarily safety and health professionals, but are individuals who champion occupational safety and health excellence in their workplaces. Whether they have volunteered to spearhead safety and health initiatives or provided mentoring or support to co-workers, these individuals have truly earned the title of Everyday Safety Hero.
Jennifer Gurtner
Channel Technician with Cardinal Glass, Fremont, Indiana
Jennifer began as a bender operator with Cardinal Glass in 2015 in the Mezzanine Department as a bender operator. After training in multiple duties and becoming a trainer herself, Jennifer joined the Safety Committee in 2016 and was a crucial member of the committee. She was selected by management to become a Safe Start trainer.
Jennifer re-joined the Safety Committee for 2019-2021 and she shared her Safe Start stories at the Safety Day event Cardinal Glass held for its employees and their families in 2019. Jennifer leads by example and demonstrates the core values of Cardinal Glass, which they call FRITOS: Family, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Ownership and Safety.
John Sanders
Group Leader with Subaru of Indiana Automotive Inc, Lafayette, Indiana
John volunteers as the President of the Greater Lafayette Area Safety Council. Under John's leadership the council has grown its membership to over 40 companies with approximately 25 attendees at each monthly meeting.
In addition to monthly lunch meetings, the council provided a full-day Safety Expo in September 2022 with multiple speakers and vendor booths. In December 2022, the council held its annual banquet with an educational speaker, vendor booths and a hearty meal.
John's leadership and promotion of teamwork are truly making a difference in safety and health across the greater Lafayette area.
Brandy Marsh
EHS Leader with GE Aerospace Lafayette Engine Facility, Lafayette, Indiana
Brandy Marsh has been instrumental in developing GE Aerospace's Environmental Health and Safety program. Brandy has worked hard to keep safety a top priority in a demanding field. She has invested the time to gain the trust and confidence of technicians, the EHS team, and other staff on site.
In 2022, Brandy led a team to the Ergo Cup. This experience allowed her and a team of technicians to continue to learn and grow, bringing with them new ideas and initiatives to help improve site safety and health.
Brandy's passion inspires others at the site, draws people into supporting the ergo committee and EHS council, and makes the whole site a safer and healthier place to work.
Mary Schrock
Laboratory Technician with CountryMark Refining, Mt. Vernon, Indiana
(Roy Fleenor on behalf of Mary Schrock)
One of the processes at CountryMark utilizes hydrofluoric acid as a catalyst to produce high octane gasoline. Due to the unique health effects of exposure, specialized medical treatment and response protocols are required internally and externally
In 2022, Mary was instrumental in improving the readiness of CountryMark’s designated emergency room regarding treatment of hydroflouric acid exposure. She worked to establish a medical director for the company who also works at the designated emergency room.
Mary was highly involved in a mock drill involving a hydrofluoric acid exposure where patients were transported to the emergency room. Mary's involvement and her training of local EMS personnel ensures they have proper response protocols in place for hydroflouric acid exposure.
Larry Guitierrez
Site Manager/HSE Committee Chair with The Skillman Corporation, Merrillville, Indiana
Larry is a site manager with the Skillman Corporation, but he eagerly takes on the role of so much more. Larry facilitates the annual corporate safety training, has his train the trainer certification for the OSHA 10 and OSHA 30, and jumped into the role of Health, Safety and Environment Committee chair when the position became vacant.
He has been instrumental in the overhaul of the company safety manual and is the first person to aid anyone that needs extra help, training, or understanding of a process or procedure.
Larry also sits on numerous community boards which include being a board member for everything from his local water treatment facility to little league, and it is not uncommon to see him assisting local organizations and promoting health and safety protocols.
Josh Beckedahl
Machine Team Lead with Major Tool & Machine, Indianapolis, Indiana
Team leaders at MTM have tremendous influence over employee health and safety, and none demonstrate this more than Josh Beckedahl. Josh's leadership philosophy revolves around an unwavering determination to serve everyone around him despite any personal hardship. It's common for him to roll up his sleeves and work side-by-side with his employees whenever they're in need.
In 2022, Josh challenged his team to focus on a healthier lifestyle. He and his team met at the gym during lunch to work-out together, ultimately losing weight and improving overall health habits. Their dedication grew and resulted in the team travelling to Pittsburgh to participate in a Tough Mudder race, with plans to attend more races in the future.
Josh has built a community where employees feel accepted in both their personal and professional lives and they understand how important they are in MTM's mission.