Director of Environment, Health & Safety – Daybreak Foods Inc.
Dr. Jim Withers has been an Industrial Hygienist & Safety Professional for over 30 years. His educational background includes a B.A. in Biology from Luther College and a M.S. in Preventive Medicine & Environmental Health (emphasis in Industrial Hygiene) from the University of Iowa. Jim also holds a Ph.D. in Industrial Technology from Iowa State University where his doctoral research focused on learning and retention differences between students taking chemical safety training on a computer versus in the classroom. Jim’s research resulted in 2 published articles in peer-reviewed journals. Jim is both a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) and a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and has faculty appointments at Iowa State University and Columbia Southern University. Dr. Withers has also been a consultant to companies on activities ranging from exposure assessments to training and is a regularly invited speaker at conferences. Currently, Jim is the Director of EHS at Daybreak Foods. In his current role, he has been focusing on developing a system-based EHS Program that leverages the interrelationships between human behavior, engagement, leadership, culture and safety performance.