Acclaimed author and entrepreneur John Spence will give the keynote presentation at the 2016 American Industrial Hygiene Association^® (AIHA) Fall Conference, which will be held Oct. 24 and 25 at the Grand Hyatt in San Antonio, Texas.  

"We are excited to be able to share the experiences, expertise, and perspective of each of our speakers at the 2016 Fall Conference, especially John Spence (pictured at right)," said AIHA President Steven Lacey PhD, CIH, CSP. "John will provide us with insight on the future of leadership, presenting the latest thinking on the characteristics of the leaders that people want to follow."

Spence, an international keynote speaker and management consultant, became an international business executive at the age of 26. Today, he is recognized as a top business thought leader and leadership development expert. Spence is also an accomplished author of five books on life success and business, including Excellence by Design: Leadership and Strategies for Success. He has guest lectured at more than 90 distinguished institutions of higher learning, including Harvard University and Stanford University. Spence, who has been the owner or CEO of ten companies and advisor or board member to several others, is currently a special instructor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) Entrepreneurial Masters Program.

Other distinguished speakers include L. Casey Chosewood, MD, MPH, of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), who will discuss Total Worker Health during the luncheon on Monday, Oct. 24, and Capt. Joselito Ignacio, MA, MPH, CIH, CSP, REHS, AIHA Director and Deputy Program Director of Chemical Defense at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, who will present on the importance of pre-emergency planning that afternoon.

On Tuesday, Oct. 25, Andrew Maynard, director of the Risk Innovation Lab and a professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University, will close out the conference with a presentation titled "Risk Innovation and the Workplace of the Future."

New this year, attendees will learn practical and innovative solutions to everyday challenges with short, invigorating 20-minute presentations on both days of the conference. Presentations will cover a range of topics including:  new manufacturing technology, professional volunteering, and emergency response and preparedness. There will also be pre- and post- conference Professional Development Courses (PDC) offered on Oct.22, 23, and 26.

For the complete conference schedule and more information on sessions, tracks, and PDCs visit the AIHA Fall Conference website.