ATSSA welcomes Tennessee to the chapter network

ATSSA welcomes Tennessee to chapter network

Board approves formation of Kentucky-Tennessee ATSSA Chapter

ATSSA welcomes Tennessee to its chapter network with official approval by the ATSSA Board of Directors by unanimous vote.

Tennessee joins Kentucky to form the newly named Kentucky-Tennessee ATSSA Chapter, bringing to fruition a process that started in 2023.

“We are overjoyed to have Tennessee now as part of the ATSSA chapter family,” said ATSSA Vice President of Member Engagement Pamala Bouchard. “We are excited about the synergy this will bring and the mutual asset this is for Tennessee and Kentucky members as well as for roadway safety overall.”

Clay Culwell, director of the Occupational Health & Safety Division for the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT), was one of the key people interested in seeing Tennessee become part of the ATSSA chapter network.

As someone with a safety focus, Culwell said learning about ATSSA’s Roadway Worker Protection Council played an integral role in his desire to see his state develop a chapter.

With the addition of Tennessee, ATSSA’s chapter network now includes 45 states and Washington, D.C.

David Hynes, chapter president of the Kentucky-Tennessee ATSSA Chapter, was enthusiastic about adding Tennessee to create a joint chapter.

He said expanding to a two-state chapter brings the obvious benefit of additional participants but also means closer collaboration among people from both states. He noted there is a lot of “crossover work” as far as contractors and businesses that operate in both Kentucky and Tennessee and said the combined chapter will give it a “bigger voice” for roadway safety.

As part of the process, the Kentucky ATSSA Chapter went through steps such as updating its bylaws and articles of incorporation.

Rita Rose is the ATSSA liaison for the Kentucky-Tennessee ATSSA Chapter and can be reached at rita.rose@atssa.com.