On Thursday, July 31, 2025, the Long Beach Chapter of ASSP gathered for a memorable evening at The Boathouse, right on the water. The scenic waterfront setting provided the perfect backdrop for networking, laughter, and great conversation among our community of safety professionals.

Members and guests enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere, beautiful views, and the chance to connect outside of our usual technical sessions. It was an evening of shared stories, new connections, and a celebration of the camaraderie that makes our chapter so strong.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this night a success. We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming educational events and future mixers as we continue to build relationships and advance safety excellence together!

The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) is proud to recognize the Long Beach Chapter for achieving Platinum Level Recognition for the 2024–2025 year.

This prestigious designation reflects the chapter’s commitment to excellence in leadership, member engagement, and advancing the safety profession. The recognition is based on the chapter’s performance and accomplishments as reported in the Chapter Operations Management Tool (COMT) submitted by June 30, 2025, and thoroughly reviewed by the Regional Vice President and Area Director.

Members of the Long Beach Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) recently came together for two lively networking events that blended professional connection with good food and fun.

On August 28, members gathered at Tantalum in Long Beach, followed by another well-attended outing at Jade Sushi on September 3. Both events offered a relaxed environment for safety professionals to meet, share experiences, and strengthen ties within the chapter. The evenings were filled with conversation, collaboration, and of course—delicious food.

Networking events like these are a vital part of the Long Beach Chapter’s commitment to building community. They provide members with a chance to connect outside of formal meetings, forge new professional relationships, and deepen existing ones.

A special thanks goes to Chapter President Allyson Haines (previously Clark) for organizing these successful gatherings and helping foster a welcoming environment for all.

Stay tuned for details on upcoming networking opportunities and events by visiting the Long Beach ASSP Chapter website.

The Long Beach Chapter was honored to host San Diego Chapter President Lee Donahue, SMP, CHST, CUSP, OST, CIT, at the August Education and Networking Event held at CSUDH. Lee presented a fun and engaging review of the standard and discussed the importance of electrical safety in general. Like all Education and Networking events, the presentation was presented in a hybrid format allowing safety professionals who could not attend in person the benefit of Lee’s experience. Those who attended in person were provided a lunch (courtesy of Safety First Management) and enjoyed the opportunity to network with their colleagues.

The next Education and Networking event is scheduled for Thursday, 18 September on the topic “Risk Less, Save More: The Workers’ Comp Advantage.” We are honored to have Rocio Luna, a trusted advisor with nearly a decade of experience in insurance and claims management. She currently serves as a Client Adviser at Acrisure LLC and is the owner of Rocio Insurance Services. Rocio began her career in 2016 as a claims assistant and advanced to spend seven years as a claims manager, gaining deep expertise in workers’ compensation claims handling and strategy.

Her passion for risk management was born out of witnessing firsthand the costly consequences of poor claims practices. Today, she specializes in helping businesses improve compliance, reduce claims exposure, and optimize insurance outcomes. Rocio’s approach combines data analysis, safety strategy, and practical claims management to help employers reduce premiums and protect their workforce.

You can register for the event here: Long Beach ASSP Educational / Networking Event – ASSP Long Beach Chapter

The Long Beach Chapter has once again been recognized by ASSP as a Platinum Chapter for the 24/25 term (1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025). Platinum status is a remarkable achievement indicating that the leadership of the Long Beach Chapter is working tirelessly to ensure that its members truly receive their money’s worth (and then some) in supporting their work as safety professionals. In the last term, there were nearly twenty events with more than 700 participants, and, on average, almost 25% of the chapter’s members attended each event. Special thanks to Past-President Luis Ortiz and his amazing team for all the incredible work they put in to make sure the Long Beach Chapter is not only the premier chapter in Region 1 but one of the top chapters in the nation!

On Thursday, January 23, 2025, the Long Beach Chapter of the ASSP hosted a special celebration to mark two significant achievements: the chapter’s membership in the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce and its first-time designation as a Platinum Chapter for the 2023/2024 term.

31 Long Beach Chapter members and guests enjoyed a fun and festive Holiday Gathering on 13 December 2024. This was the second annual holiday event and, like last year, was held at the amazing La Traviata Italian Restaurant. Everyone enjoyed some great food and drink, tons of laughter, and door prizes. Three Past-Presidents (Chris Rainwater, Karen Townsend, and Jed Douglas) joined current Chapter President, Luis Ortiz, as the chapter once again celebrated this wonderful time of year. For those who missed the event, there’s always next year!

The November edition of the Newsletter of the Long Beach Chapter of the ASSP is now available here. The edition includes a discussion on the use of AI as well as announcements about upcoming events. 

If you have suggestions for future newsletter features, or if you would like to submit an article for publication in the newsletter, simply contact Past-President Chris Rainwater.

There’s no doubt about it—safety professionals save lives every single day. Although the exact number of lives saved or injuries prevented by these dedicated individuals is impossible to calculate with precision, the inescapable truth is that their work makes a profound difference. From identifying potential hazards to implementing critical controls and ensuring the effectiveness of safety management systems, safety professionals are at the forefront of protecting workers across various industries.

The Long Beach Chapter of the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) is committed to advancing the safety profession by providing education, resources, and support to safety professionals in our community. Through your generous donations, we can continue to make strides in ensuring that every worker returns home safe at the end of the day.

Members who turned out for the boat tour of the Port of Los Angeles were in for a treat on 17 September 2024 as the weather was Southern California perfection. On a beautiful morning, the Port of Los Angeles team, including our very generous and kind host, Mr. John Martinez, boarded a boat and, for the next hour and a half, enjoyed a guided tour of the amazing Port of Los Angeles. Following the tour, members enjoyed lunch at Gladstones.

If you missed this event, keep your eyes open for other upcoming events in the chapter via email announcements, LinkedIn posts, and updates to this web site.