Message from Chapter Chairperson Tony Stoner.

What a fantastic National Conference!  Not only was the recent conference in New Orleans a record-setting event for the National Staff, but for Region VIII as well.  The overall conference attendance broke the 3000 mark for the first time in VPPPA’s history and we had over 200 people attend from Region VIII.  It’s great to see this continued growth in our program and association!

The Board is already gearing up for next year’s conference – we start planning early!  If you are interested in presenting a breakout session, volunteering to assist with the conference, or otherwise getting involved in the regional activities, please let me know.  Our 2011 conference was great and we plan to continue building on that momentum!

We are still encountering a high demand for Mentors within the region – many great companies have already stepped up to assist new VPPPA members in their pursuit of safety excellence.  I want to personally thank all of those companies and people for volunteering their time and expertise.  If you are not currently engaged in a mentoring match and would be interested in doing so, please contact me so I can put you on the available mentors list!!

As Brad mentioned, VPP continues to grow in Region VIII.  I think this a sign of great things to come and am excited to be part of the Association in this great part of the country (even in the winter).  Thank you again for all your support!