The American Industrial Hygiene Association® (AIHA), honors eight new occupational and environmental health and safety professionals with the Distinguished Fellow Award. These individuals have been nominated by their peers and recognized for their exceptional contributions to the industrial hygiene profession. The new Distinguished Fellows will be introduced during the fourth annual Mark of Excellence Awards Breakfast on Wednesday, May 23, at the 2018 American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHce EXP) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

"The Fellow designation symbolizes a steadfast commitment to the industrial hygiene field and I take pride in honoring these extraordinary AIHA members," said AIHA President Deborah Imel Nelson, PhD, CIH. "We thank all of them for their outstanding contributions to the industrial hygiene profession."

Fellows are nominated either by an individual or by an AIHA local section, special interest group, committee or other formal entity for their achievements in the field of industrial hygiene. Individuals are approved as Fellows by the AIHA Board of Directors after a recommendation by the Awards Nomination Committee.

The new 2018 AIHA Fellows are as follows:

• Andrew Maier, PhD, CIH, DABT—Nominated by Jerald Ovesen, PhD, Toxicology Committee
• Charles L. Blake, CIH—Nominated by Bob Lieckfield, Jr., CIH, FAIHA, Yuma Pacific Southwest Section (YPSW)
• Eric Esswein, MSPH, CIH, CIAQP—Nominated by Bradley King, PhD, MPH, CIH, AIHA Rocky Mountain Local Section
• Julie M. Panko, CIH—Nominated by Frank, J Pokrywka, Ed.D., CIH, Pittsburgh Local Section
• Murray Lee Cohen, PhD, CIH—Nominated by Hayley Rutt, North Texas Local Section
• Philip A. Smith, PhD, CIH—Nominated by Lee Monteith, CIH, FAIHA, Real Time Detection Systems Committee
• Tuan N. Nguyen, MBA, CIH, CSP, ARM—Nominated by Bonnie L. Sander, MS, CIH, CSP and Mary O'Reilly, PhD, CIH, CPE, FAIHA
• Walter G. Rostykus, MSPH​, CIH, CSP, CPE—Nominated by Blake McGowan, CPE

The Fellow designation is limited to no more than 5 percent of the AIHA membership.

About AIHA^®

Founded in 1939, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is the premier association of occupational and environmental health and safety professionals. AIHA's 8,500 members play a crucial role on the front line of worker health and safety every day. Members represent a cross-section of industry, private business, labor, government and academia. More information is available at www.aiha.org.