Name: Robert O. Martinez, PhD, WSO-CSS
Company Name: Big J Enterprises, LLC
City: Albuquerque, NM
Number of Employees: 250

Nomination Essay

I hereby submit Robert O. Martinez, PhD, WSO-CSS for Safety Hero of the Year award for the following reasons: Robert, as he likes to be called, has been my immediate supervisor since January 2004 and he is by far the most committed safety professional I have had the honor of knowing. Since his arrival at Big J there has been an incredible transformation of employee attitude and acceptance of safety as a value within the company. To note; incident rates have been below 1.0 for the past 5 years, lost workday rates and EMR's have been drastically reduced; for example: incident rate for CY08 was 0.8 or 83% below the national average rate of 6.3; lost workday rate for CY08 was 0.5 or 86% below the national average rate of 3.5, and the e-mod rate of 0.67.

Sadly, in August 2004 Robert was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and in January 2006 was placed on long-term disability. However, after 16 months of therapy and mediation he was right back doing what he does best, safety. While his work has been modified to accommodate his disability, everyone at Big J was thrilled to have him back. His positive attitude, determination, courage, perseverance and discipline has been an inspiration to many. Robert is like a Timex watch, "takes a licking, but keeps on ticking."

In May 2004 Robert came to the rescue of a fellow employee who was having a heart attack. For his heroic action, Robert was awarded the Associated General Contractor's (AGC) Value of Life Award. He was the first recipient to receive this prestigious award from AGC. He was further recognized for this effort by the National Association of Safety Professionals (NASP) with the Outstanding Service Award. The employee saved said, "I owe my life to Robert. If he hadn't been there to help me, I probably would not be here today."

Robert has been involved with the Parkinson's Action Network (PAN) as a former State Congressional Coordinator and supports the New Mexico Chapter of American Parkinson's Disease Association (APDA). He was nominated for the NM State Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. He has been a key figure in Big J receiving numerous safety awards such as AB Nomination 2C STEP Platinum Safety Award, ABC National Safety Excellence Award, AGC "Blue-level" Safety Award, AGC Construction Safety Excellence Award, Manufacturer and Fabricators Safety Award, Construction Users Round Table Safety Excellence Award, and Intel's Supplier Safety Leadership and Excellence Award.

Robert, as part of Big J's innovative systems, identified four major strategic safety goals that define the purpose of the safety department's core functions while reflecting the vision and priorities of Big J.

Robert is an outstanding leader, a professional in every way and a good friend. I highly recommend he be considered for this prestigious award of Safety Hero of the Year