The Beginning
Jan
4
Written by:
1/4/2012
Let me give you some back ground on the following string of thoughts. Eleven years ago I was inspired by the speech given by the President of the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE). It was then that I decided that I would like to be in his shoes or rather in his place wearing my own shoes.
At the time, I was already involved in my ASSE chapter, the Orange County Chapter, and was serving as its President-Elect. I was inspired but didn’t have a map of how to attain my dream. Being an adventurer at heart and having a hopeful personality, I didn’t let a little thing, like the lack of a map, deter me. I just started the journey – one step at a time.
Luck was with me and provided me with a couple of mentors who would guide me through the initial steps. The first, told me I could do it, but that I needed to become a “professional member” of ASSE to serve on its Board of Directors. So I upgraded my ASSE membership from member to professional member. The other told me I would need some experience in service to the Society above the chapter level, and suggested that I run for the position of Deputy Regional Vice President during my term as Orange County Chapter President. Suddenly, I was on my way.
Over the course of eleven years, I gained experience and was sculpted into a leader. Have you ever wondered if it is painful for the stone when a sculptor renders a statue from its rough form? Trust me, begin sculpted can be painful at times, but it is so worth it. And now here I am, serving as ASSE’s first president of its second century. I still get goose bumps and a smile breaks across my face when I realize that I made it. I am living my dream – I’m the President of the American Society of Safety Engineers.
And the journey continues……