"2019 was a transformational year for us at VPPPA. We rebranded and unveiled our stunning new logo. We brought to market a new format for your Safety+ Symposium to include live streaming, podcasts, a power-hour general session, and a newly redesigned exhibition hall complete with interactive activities. We launched a brand new app, the VPPPA Body of Knowledge, the first of its kind in our industry where anyone, anywhere can have access to a myriad of information, training programs and other content from regulatory agencies, a multitude of industries and others. We celebrated our 35th year of service to our local and national membership. We partnered with the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) and joined forces in the protection of every worker everywhere.
Looking forward throughout 2020, your Association is committed to continuous improvement and innovation. We recognize that our member sites and companies are in a period of rapid transition and are highly influencing the direction VPPPA takes in 2020. Growing our reputation as a trusted partner in this regard is at the top of our list. We are reimagining and enhancing Safety+ for Orlando, Florida with a focus on attendee experience, benchmarking, and knowledge transfer. Our determination is on designing a different breed of safety and health event with a forum for attendees to capture the best of the best practices from our industry's safest organizations. Registration opens February 25. We'll see you there!
We are excited to announce that 2020 is the year we will start a VPPPA Young Professionals Committee with two objectives in mind: 1) to harness the innovations offered by early career professionals; and 2) to provide a platform for early career professionals to lead, be mentored, and have an influential voice into the future of VPPPA. We are committed to our youth and their professional development. Join us in supporting our young professionals and in developing our future leaders.
We are also thrilled to announce that VPPPA is teaming up with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to raise awareness about mental health and the resources that are available to those in need. The winter issue of VPPPA's award-winning magazine, the Leader, focuses on mental health in the workplace and shines a big spotlight on a topic that often affects every worker, everywhere. We are making this issue available for purchase on its own, at a special rate of $5. All proceeds will be matched by VPPPA, up to $5,000, and donated to NAMI. Copies will be distributed in February 2020. With your help, we can all be part of the solution.
We have embarked on Vision 2020 and are destined to deliver value at every opportunity. We aim to keep growing strategic partnerships, enhancing global presence and being the resource for safety management system excellence.
As always, if you have any thoughts, comments, questions, concerns, ideas, please reach out to me, the VPPPA National Office Staff, the National Board of Directors or anyone on your Regional Board of Directors. Everything we do is for you - our members.
We are truly transforming tomorrow together."
J.A. Rodriguez, Jr., CSP, SGE