John L. Henshaw, U.S. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, will be the speaker at the University of Michigan School of Public Health convocation April 26, 7:30 p.m. at the Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St., Ann Arbor. Tickets are required to attend the ceremony.

About John L. Henshaw

As Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health, John L. Henshaw heads the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Henshaw has more than 26 years' experience directing environmental, safety and health programs in the chemical industry. Most recently he served as director of environment, safety and health for Astaris LLC, a joint venture between Solutia and FMC Corporation. Previously, he held a similar position for Solutia and Monsanto.

Henshaw received his master's degree in environmental health administration and industrial health from the University of Michigan in 1974 and his undergraduate degree from Appalachian State University. He served as president of the 12,000-member American Industrial Hygiene Association from 1990 to 1991 and chaired the AIHA Foundation's endowment campaign in 1996.

He has served on the EPA National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Advisory Board, on the University of Michigan and St. Louis University advisory boards, the Registrar's Accreditation Board and the joint RAB-ANSI (American National Standards Institute) board for environmental programs. Henshaw is a Certified Industrial Hygienist and a Registered Occupational Hygienist. Henshaw has authored articles on safety and health management as well as chapters in industrial hygiene and management textbooks. He also served three and a half years in the Air National Guard as a bio-environmental engineer with the rank of Captain and was honorably discharged in 2000.

Named by President George W. Bush to head OSHA on June 13, 2001, Henshaw was confirmed by the Senate on August 3, 2001. He and his wife have four grown children and four grandchildren. Henshaw enjoys sailing, golf and other outdoor activities.

Henshaw's Ties to UM SPH

John Henshaw is -- and has always been -- an active graduate of the School of Public Health. He served on the Alumni Society Board of Governors for two terms (six years) and during that time was also vice chair of the Alumni Board. He served on the Dean's Advisory Committee and has been an advisor to the Department of Environmental Health Sciences on all manner of topics. He has been a frequent speaker at the school, in industrial hygiene classes, at school-sponsored conferences and career panels, and at student-sponsored programs, including the Michigan American Industrial Hygiene Student Association's meetings.  

While working at Monsanto, Henshaw supervised University of Michigan School of Public Health interns and students employed during the summer. He also assisted in securing a Monsanto scholarship for Industrial Hygiene. Through the American Industrical Hygiene Association Foundation, he raised money to endow a scholarship in memory of a former teacher. That scholarship is given to a UM IH student. During 2002 convocation, he will be making time to to meet with faculty and students in the afternoon.

Contact: Terri Mellow, Director, Office of Communications
Phone: (734) 764-8094
E-mail: twm@umich.edu

© 2002 The Regents of the University of Michigan
Updated August 21, 2002