In 2013 the Chapter members and board announced that the Chapter’s President’s Award would be renamed in honor of Sam Cahan, Member Emeritus and Past President. Sam clearly was a dedicated safety professional, a tremendous practitioner, and represented the San Diego Chapter and ASSP on-the-whole in outstanding fashion. Although we lost Sam in April of 2017, his passion and spirit continue and we remain honored to have an award named for him. We announce and recognize our President’s Award recipient each July at the monthly Chapter meeting, along with inducting our incoming Executive Committee Officers for the year.
Though the award is determined solely by our Chapter’s President, several guidelines for consideration have been determined, but most importantly:
“The member to be recognized must embody the spirit of safety, be a sound and respected practitioner and be a person capable of respectfully representing our profession, chapter and ASSP.”
In July 2023, Chapter President Toby Hammett wished to acknowledge long-time Chapter member and Executive Committee leader Isaac Szmuilowicz by presenting him with the 2022-2023 President’s Award:
Isaac has been a dedicated member of our community and a valuable asset to safety and risk professionals in the greater San Diego area for many years. He is a true leader who is always willing to go the extra mile to help others.
I have been impressed by his leadership, availability, and steady and impressive efforts towards improving conditions for all people. His dedication to the San Diego chapter of ASSP is noteworthy and He has reminded me that there are so many ways to contribute and different ways to be a leader.
Thank you Isaac for all that you have done on behalf of safety professionals and your people in our communities and please accept this award on behalf of your chapter members.
Criteria for the Sam Cahan Memorial President’s Award:
- Recipients must be a current ASSP member and member of the San Diego Chapter in good standing.
- It is possible that in a specific Board year a Chapter President may choose not to recognize anyone with the Sam Cahan President’s Award.
- Recognition review will be stimulated by the Recognition and Awards Chair for the Chapter at the same time other recognition review efforts are underway (other than for the Safety Professional of the Year which is awarded during the December Holiday luncheon on an annual basis).
- Activities are chapter–specific, but may be those connected to Region or Society-level initiatives in which a member is engaged.
- Contributions to be considered are within a Board year such that a sitting President can determine whom he or she wishes to recognize within their term.
- Though the intent is for the award to be used to recognize an individual, it is conceivable that a Chapter President may choose to recognize more than one individual for joint efforts and contributions.
- Contributions, efforts, or activities that can be utilized to recognize a member with the President’s Award include those that span a Board year or are very specific in nature, such as undertaking a special project, successful management of a local Professional Development Conference, committee work, chapter contributions to the Society, and the like.
- Efforts need to be distinct, distinguishable from other typical Board and Chapter functions, and make a difference toward advancing the cause of our profession and the mission or the operations of our chapter and/or the Association.
- Recognition will be provided during the course of the Chapter’s July transition and recognition meetings.