Bobby Baker.

I am excited about the future of the National Environmental Health Association and honored to be a candidate for the office of Second Vice President of such a great organization. For the past 10 years, I have been very active on the local and national level in the environmental health profession. I have attended and been a part of most of the mid-year and annual conferences. I am very familiar with the operations of NEHA. I have seen changes that have been made toward improving the quality of service provided by NEHA.I see the challenges that are facing an organization that needs to diversify in order to become stronger and more effective for its members. As environmental health becomes more professional, it is imperative that NEHA be operated as a business.With my diverse administrative and management background (24 years in administration) and accomplishments in environmental health, I feel I will be an asset to the Executive Committee and members of NEHA.I made my decision to seek the office of Second Vice President of the National Environmental Health Association after deciding that I had capabilities that make me uniquely qualified to help lead this organization.Before my career in environmental health started, I had a background in administration, in law enforcement, private industry and politics.I attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa majoring in business management. Graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy and from the police management courses offered by the FBI Academy.My present position is Director of the Central Iowa Inspections Environmental Health Division in Des Moines, Iowa which entails eight counties in central Iowa, including the largest metropolitan area in the state.As an executive board member of the Iowa Environmental Health Association I was elected to the office of President of the association. Then, as today I am very active in getting legislation passed that would be a benefit to our profession.* I served as a member of the board of NEHA and was instrumental in getting the mid-year conference held in Des Moines, Iowa in 1991. I was coordinator for that successful conference.* In 1990 I was awarded the certificate of merit from NEHA.* In 1992 I was awarded the sanitarian of the year award by the Iowa Environmental Health Association.* In 1992 I was awarded the presidential citation award from NEHA.* I am on the Advisory Committee for the State of Iowa in regard to environmental health issues.* A member of the Public Health Administration for the State of Iowa.My entire staff are members of NEHA and are either registered sanitarians or registered environmental health specialists.When I became a member of NEHA it was at its low performance as there had been a steady decline in membership. Through new leadership of the Executive Director and the Executive Committee, the association was rejuvenated and directed toward the path it is on today. The membership has increased each year and a greater degree of professionalism has been established in the current NEHA organization.Today, more than ever, it is essential that this organization be recognized and become more visible in state and national governments. We need an active voice in Washington, D.C., to become recognized as the authoritative environmental organization. We need to continue in the direction that this association has taken in the past few years in order to implement new programs to maintain professionalism. It is my belief that we can accomplish these goals by continuing our focus on membership and maintaining close association and communication with the affiliates, making them feel more a part of NEHA.It is vital that we help our members maintain the professional status that they now have. We need to continue to improve our educational conferences for our members to update them on the current rules and regulations, new scientific developments, and new equipment.I agree with the report on the Future of Environmental Health which was a product of the prestigious committee appointed by Past President Leonard Rice. "There are many agencies which administrate environmental health programs at all levels of government, but there is no standard model for environmental health and protection programs." NEHA needs to diversify and to join forces with all the various environmental groups and agencies and work toward a common goal.I would like to be a part of the executive committee, in a leadership role helping to guide the progress and direction that the National Environmental Health Association needs to take in the future. I appreciate and request your support in my campaign for the office of Second Vice President of NEHA.I assure you I will do everything in my power to accomplish the goals set forth by the membership of this great organization.