James Messick

• Company Overview: Merck Animal Health
• Spearheaded cross-functional safety initiatives, integrating input from multiple departments
• Developed comprehensive safety policies through collaborative team approach
• Led diverse team in implementing strategic safety improvements
• Reduced incident rates by 25% through innovative leadership and team engagement strategies
• Designed scalable training programs that enhanced interdepartmental communication and safety awareness
• Merck Animal Health

• Mentored and coached supervisors, foremen, and project managers across multiple teams
• Established collaborative safety culture, reducing total incident rate from 0.97 to 0.52
• Developed cross-functional safety policies integrating input from HR, operations, and quality assurance
• Managed relationships with external vendors and internal stakeholders to optimize safety standards
• Collaborated with HR on workers' compensation and return-to-work coordination

• Managed logistics and resource allocation for seven Delaware National Guard facilities, developing innovative staffing plans that saved over $190,000 in equipment maintenance costs
• Served as primary OSHA trainer, achieving operations inspection ratings exceeding 90% for eleven consecutive years through comprehensive safety protocols and training programs
• Led radiological emergency preparedness coordination between military, state, and local agencies, developing critical communication strategies and emergency response protocols
• Coordinated interdisciplinary teams in complex safety and logistics operations, demonstrating exceptional leadership in high-stakes military environments
• Implemented strategic safety and logistics management systems, ensuring operational efficiency, personnel safety, and resource optimization across multiple military sites

• Delivered comprehensive OSHA safety training, certifying 135 personnel across 9 locations and engaging over 1,245 employees, significantly elevating organizational safety awareness and compliance
• Managed safety and construction oversight for high-value solar projects ($5M-$22M), implementing rigorous safety standards and developing Hazardous Communication Program to enhance chemical safety protocols
• Maintained open communication channels between management and staff, addressing concerns promptly to maintain a culture of trust around safety matters.
• Conducted in-depth accident and incident investigations, identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions that reduced workplace safety risks and mitigated potential claims, generating over $200,000 in cost avoidance
• Developed and enforced comprehensive safety policies aligned with OSHA regulations, collaborating strategically with project managers to integrate proactive safety measures into project planning and execution

• magna cum laude graduate
• Sigma Beta Delta Member
• SALUTE Member
• WITI Member

in progress