Deitchman, Cowen Named to Board of Operation Lifesaver, Inc.
WASHINGTON, November 30, 2010 – Roy Deitchman, Amtrak’s vice president for Environmental Health and Safety, has been named to the Board of Directors for Operation Lifesaver Inc. (OLI, www.oli.org), the nonprofit rail safety organization. Janice Cowen, state coordinator for South Carolina Operation Lifesaver, was also named to the Board as chair-elect of OLI’s National Advisory Council (NAC). The changes came about at the November meeting of the OLI Board.
“Roy Deitchman’s expertise and passion for safety will be of great benefit to Operation Lifesaver’s Board,” said OLI Board Chair Reilly McCarren. “His support of the recent OLI Common Sense trespass prevention campaign was instrumental in establishing Amtrak’s role as a leading partner. He also championed this year’s successful Montana Operation Lifesaver safety train,” McCarren continued.
“Operation Lifesaver’s efforts over nearly four decades have contributed to the reduction of deaths and injuries at crossings and along train tracks,” said Deitchman. “I look forward to collaborating with Chairman McCarren, President Helen M. Sramek and our Operation Lifesaver partners to further these gains,” he said.
OLI President Sramek added, “Janice Cowen is skilled as an OL program director and at forming new partnerships for rail crossing safety and pedestrian rail trespass prevention. We welcome the contributions of both Roy and Janice as we fulfill our mission to save lives.”
Deitchman will fill the board position being vacated in January, 2011, by Alvin Richardson, Sr., Senior Safety Coordinator at Amtrak, who is retiring. Cowen will serve as chair-elect of the NAC, the main advisory body for developing Operation Lifesaver’s educational materials and programs, for 2011 and then move into the chair position in 2012.
About Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver, Inc. is a national, non-profit safety education group whose goal is to eliminate deaths and injuries at railroad crossings and along railroad rights of way. Operation Lifesaver has programs in all 50 states, with trained and certified presenters who provide free safety talks to community groups, school bus drivers, professional truck drivers and student drivers to raise awareness around railroad tracks and trains. To learn more about Operation Lifesaver, visit our redesigned website (www.oli.org).
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