Past SPY Winners
• 2006 - Randy Fellhoelter
• 2004 - Frank Perez
• 2003 - Bob Roehm
New Mexico Chapter Safety Professional of the Year Award
Margo Maher accepts the 2007 SPY Award from New Mexico Chapter President, Bob Edgar at the 2007 Professional Development Conference.
Meet Margo A. Maher
We are proud to have Margo as our 2007 Safety Professional of the Year. She is the consummate professional. She has done so much for the safety and health of all New Mexico by training and educating people in both the private and public sectors. Always willing to share her expertise and help others, Margo is at the forefront of any new issues. When she sees a need or a problem, she gets organized and brings the resources to get it done. County jail a safety and health hazard?...get it closed. New terrorist threats from WMD?....get certified to present the Homeland Security training locally. Margo has a true can-do attitude.
Her Service to ASSE and Professional Groups
Margo served six years on the ASSE Professional Development Committee at a time when the committee developed the National Professional Safety Academy. She was also the liaison to the Publishing task force. She served two years on the ASSE Financial Committee and received the National Culbertson Award for meritorious service.
Margo’s 8-hour workshop entitled, “The Safety Professional’s Role in Corporate Disaster Preparedness” is very popular and she taught it at several National ASSE Professional Development Conferences to sold-out attendance.
At the local New Mexico Chapter, she is a Past Chapter President. Margo has served on most of the Professional Development Conference planning committees and organized numerous training sessions on various topics throughout the state. She always knows of a resource we can use….no matter what the topic or need. With her involvement in the contractor community, Margo always heads up the exhibits and manages the hotel arrangements. She is a valuable resource for suggestions to make operations more efficient. Our Professional Development Conferences are high quality because of Margo.
Margo has been active on the Bernalillo County/City of Albuquerque Local Emergency Planning Committee and the New Mexico Society of Hazardous Material Managers.
Her Professional Career
Margo has worked in both the public and private sectors.
- Five years with the New Mexico Association of Counties as a Loss Prevention Specialist
- Thirteen years with Rinchem Company, Inc. as a Major Account Rep and the Manager, Training and Consulting Center
- Four years with Safety Flare, Inc. as a Sales Representative and concurrently,
- Four years with Central New Mexico Community College as an Instructor/Trainer for the Workforce Training Center
- Currently, as the Workforce Development Director with the Associated General Contractors, New Mexico Building Branch, Margo works closely with New Mexico construction contractors in providing professional development training.
Her Education
Margo has twenty-nine years of experience in the safety and environmental arena. Starting with her formal education in Michigan and Ohio in journalism and marketing from Michigan Sate University and Cleveland Community College, she followed up with professional EH&S courses at various institutions and continually pursues her life long passion of learning.
Her Hobbies and Interests
She is a passionate instructor for the Federal Highway Watch training program and Office of Homeland Security’s Weapons of Mass Destruction course as well as FEMA’s USA Freedom Corps Community Emergency Response Team.
In her spare time, Margo loves to write, fly fish (not at the same time though), participate in the New Mexico Enchanted Lens Camera Club activities and is most proud of her graduation as Valedictorian from the Old Town Optimists Clown School where she developed her clown skills and frequently performs as “Tootsie”, “Flash” the fire clown and “Maddie” the hazmat clown. As a 16-year cancer survivor, Margo is always prepared to support and counsel others facing cancer challenges.
Margo is a humble individual and a lot of fun to work with. Thanks Margo, for all that you do to advance the safety profession.