AIHA President's Message to the Membership

Dear AIHA Members,

I'm writing to update you on a few important developments that have occurred over the past several weeks, which I think you’ll find of interest. At the July meeting, the AIHA Board of Directors did approve an increase in membership dues rates that will take effect on January 1, 2023. The new rates, which are listed below, are intended to help the Association keep pace with the rising Consumer Price Index (CPI) and AIHA’s increased costs of providing member services and benefits.

• Full Membership: $240/year (from the current rate of $223/year.)
• Early Career Professional: $120/year (from $111/year)
• Emeritus: $120/year (from $111/year)
  

AIHA remains committed to delivering the highest value while saving where we can by cutting overhead and internal expenses. For example, we are relocating our headquarters to a smaller and more affordable office space in a more modern building in the coming month.

The Association is also offering two new membership categories:

• Organizational group membership, which offers tiered discounted individual rates based on group bundles;
• Military membership, offered to U.S. active-duty personnel at 50 percent off the regular membership rate.

To learn more about how your dues help make workplaces healthier, I invite you to read the post I recently wrote for the SynergistNOW blog. As always, if you are experiencing economic hardship and are unable to renew your membership, please reach out at infonet@aiha.org and let us know how we can help.

I want to take a moment to thank the AIHA Fellows Grand Challenges for Worker Health, Safety, and Well-Being (GCWHSW-B) Working Group for their foresight and tenacity in their work. This past Wednesday at the members-only, virtual Townhall meeting, they announced AIHA’s Four Grand Challenges. As you might be aware, earlier this year we conducted a member survey where we identified four aspirational goals that can serve as AIHA’s Grand Challenges in the future. During the Townhall, the GCWHSW-B presented a summary of these four goals and announced the formation of new project teams. Volunteers will be tasked with drafting concept papers that further articulate these grand challenges over the coming year. I highly encourage you to volunteer to help us tackle these aspirational goals.

In conclusion, I want to remind you about AIHA’s commitment to diversity and inclusion of all people within our membership and to a diversity policy built around respect for individuals regardless of where they are on life's journey. As Larry summarized in his August SynergistNOW blog post, we have taken a series of steps to infuse diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our Association’s leadership roles, including modifications to the Board Nominating Committee, and the establishment of the new PR(IH)DE Special Interest Group (LGBTQ+). I strongly believe that if we want to promote the health, safety, and well-being of America’s workers, we need to promulgate a visible and inclusive environment, one that allows for open and supportive dialogues at the association level and in our day-to-day work as OEHS professionals. We trust that you agree and join us in these efforts.

Since the holiday season will be here before we know it, AIHA would like to wish you and yours a happy and healthy season. We are grateful for your dedication to AIHA and the profession.

Best regards,
Donna Heidel, MS, CIH, FAIHA
AIHA President, 2022-2023

P.S. This is move week for AIHA. The downsized new offices will be located at: 3120 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 360, Falls Church, VA 22042. To learn more check this out.