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| Assistant Secretary Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., presenting
SGE award to Michael Pendergrass |
The Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) National Special Government Employee
(SGE) Award recognizes an SGE who epitomizes and exhibits exceptional support,
time, effort, and action in VPP, setting him/her apart from other SGEs. The
person selected is actively involved in volunteer activities that benefit the
VPP and its stakeholders, and demonstrates outstanding commitment to the
partnership ideals of the VPP. The first annual SGE of the Year was awarded by
Assistant Secretary Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. at the 2005 National Conference of the
Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association (VPPPA). The award will
be given on an annual basis.
Winner: Michael Pendergrass, Superior Industries
 |
Michael Pendergrass is the Corporate Safety Director for Superior
Industries located in the Pittsburg, Kansas. Mike has been an active Special Government Employee
(SGE) since 2000, assisting in more 10 VPP onsite evaluations. In 2006 alone, Mike participated in
four audits as an SGE.
Mike has a great deal of technical expertise. He possesses excellent hazard recognition skills
especially in the areas of machine guarding and ergonomics. As a participant on VPP audits, Mike
brings an excellent private sector perspective to the audit. He excels in assisting employers with
improving employee involvement programs and in improving their safety and health training. Mike
willingly offers to share Superior’s safety and health programs with the site being audited if it
will assist the site in bolstering their own programs.
As the Corporate Safety Director, Mike mandates that each of his site safety managers become an SGE
and conduct at least two SGE audits with OSHA each year. Seven of Mike’s staff members are active
SGEs. Together, they have assisted on 15 VPP onsite evaluations in 2006. Under Mike’s direction,
four of Superior’s six domestic locations have achieved STAR status. Their location in Mexico is
participating in Mexico’s equivalent of VPP.
Mike was recently selected by Assistant Secretary Foulke to be an SGE for the Pearl Harbor Naval
Shipyard VPP onsite in Hawaii. Mike assisted on this audit and was a valuable addition to the onsite
team. Mike is actively involved in the DOL VPP as a mentor for Region VII OASAM. Mike is also
serving as a mentor for the Fort Riley Army Base (Ft. Riley, Kansas) to assist them in their VPP
endeavor under the Army/OSHA Partnership.
Mike was an instructor for a VPP Application Workshop during the past year and also serves as a
member of the Communication Committee and the Mentoring Committee of the Region VII VPPPA. He also
conducted a workshop on VPP at a local university and at a state safety and health conference.
| FINALISTS: |
Paul Kniskern, Curtis Lumber -
Nominated by Region II |
Larry Shaffer, International Paper -
Nominated by Region III |
Wayne Punch, Milliken & Company -
Nominated by Region IV
|
George Hall, AmerGen Energy, LLC -
Nominated by Region V |
Paul Savage, United Space Alliance -
Nominated by Region VI |
Jimmy Jacquez, Morton Salt -
Nominated by Region VIII
|
Robert Hafner, Rohm & Haas -
Nominated by Region IX |
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