winners

2026 Safety Award Winners

/ portagecsc

We’re excited to announce our 2026 Portage County Safety Award Winners!

We’ll be celebrating and honoring our winners at our next luncheon on Thursday, May 14, 2026, 11:30am-1:00pm, at the Ravenna Elks. Click here to register to attend.

2026 Safety Champion – Mike O’Connor, Global EHS Manager, Smithers-Oasis

Mike O’Connor, Global EHS Manager at Smithers-Oasis, consistently goes above and beyond his role to advance workplace safety on a global scale. Leading safety across a decentralized organization, Mike has built programs that work effectively across diverse countries and cultures.

His impact is clear in the results. Under his leadership, the three Portage County locations achieved a recordable rate of 0.3, and 15 countries reported zero lost time or recordable cases last year. Mike has also strengthened global safety communication by launching an EHS newsletter translated into 14 languages, ensuring employees everywhere can engage with critical safety information.

In addition, he developed a centralized SharePoint portal that allows locations to report safety data in their native language while generating real time dashboards in English. He is also establishing standardized EHS principles, audit protocols, and a North America regulatory compliance plan targeted for completion by 2026.

Beyond his company, Mike has shared his expertise through his involvement with the Portage County Safety Council and as a presenter at the Ohio Safety Congress 2026.

Mike’s leadership, innovation, and commitment to safety excellence make him a deserving recipient of the Safety Champion Award.

2026 Safety Improvement Award – Domenica McClintock, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, LayerZero Power Systems

Domenica McClintock, Director of Environmental Health and Safety at LayerZero Power Systems, has played a pivotal role in transforming her organization’s safety performance through strong leadership, innovation, and a people focused approach.

Domenica has led efforts to reshape the company’s safety culture by introducing new programs, enhancing training initiatives, and implementing best practices aligned with industry standards. She actively collaborates with leading safety professionals and brings forward new ideas that strengthen both awareness and performance. Her team has expanded safety engagement through hands-on and virtual training, updated equipment, and consistent safety tool talks that reinforce key practices across the organization.

What sets Domenica apart is her ability to make safety meaningful and top of mind for every employee. She has created an environment where safety is not just a requirement but a shared responsibility. Her approach encourages individuals to think critically about their actions and how they impact not only their own well-being but also the safety of those around them.

Through her leadership, Domenica has driven measurable improvements in safety awareness, engagement, and overall performance. Her commitment to continuous improvement and her ability to influence a culture where safety is a true priority make her highly deserving of the Safety Improvement Award.

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award – Bob Long, Public Affairs Producer and Chief Weather Forecaster, 88.9 WSTB Streetsboro City Schools

Bob Long, Public Affairs Producer and Chief Weather Forecaster at 88.9 WSTB, has dedicated his career to advancing public safety through accurate, timely, and trusted communication. His lifelong commitment to informing and protecting the community makes him an exceptional candidate for the Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2013, Bob played a key role in establishing Portage Prepares, helping build a coordinated approach to emergency communication. He continued to serve as a vital member of its Public Information Officer network, always ready to support disaster communication efforts. Throughout the years, he has actively strengthened emergency preparedness by involving media in disaster exercises and creating opportunities for public safety professionals to share critical information with the community.

Bob’s true impact lies in his unwavering dedication to keeping the public informed on issues that directly affect safety and well-being. From mental health and addiction awareness to disaster preparedness and public health concerns, he has consistently used his platform to deliver clear, reliable, and meaningful information. His work reflects a deep understanding that informed communities are safer communities.

He has also been instrumental in ensuring that emergency communication remains dependable and effective. Through his leadership, his station has long served as a trusted source during emergencies, and his efforts helped formalize its role in local emergency response through an official agreement supporting coordinated communication during crises.

Over the course of his career, Bob Long has earned the trust of both public safety professionals and the community. His integrity, consistency, and passion for public service have made a lasting impact on workplace and community safety. His contributions exemplify the spirit of the Lifetime Achievement Award and leave a legacy of service that will benefit Portage County for years to come.

2024 Safety Award Winners

/ portagecsc

We’re excited to announce our 2024 Portage County Safety Award Winners!

We’ll be celebrating and honoring our winners at our next luncheon on Thursday, May 9, 2024, 11:30am-1:00pm, at the Ravenna Elks. Click here to register to attend.

2024 Safety Champion – Renee Onesti, Director of Operations, Kent Elastomer Products: Renee Onesti has continually promoted workplace safety well beyond her daily tasks & job description. She has served on the Portage County Steering Committee for over 15 years helping to develop, coordinate, and facilitate literally hundreds of training events throughout Portage County, including multiple county-wide workplace health & safety expos.  She collaborates with other safety professionals to help solve safety issues beyond the four walls of her company.  She has spoken many times to improve safety, including on the main stage at the Ohio Safety Congress and Expo in Columbus, the largest free safety event in the nation.  A safety champion is one who goes above and beyond the call of duty to promote safety. Renee exemplifies what it means to be a safety champion!

2024 Safety Improvement Award – Diane Conner, Safety Manager, Miller Transfer and Rigging: Diane Conner has been instrumental in elevating the Safety Department and overall safety culture at Miller Transfer and Rigging since she arrived 2 years ago. Diane has created a collaborative and accountable safety department that has improved the company’s overall corporate culture. Last year (2023) preventable Accidents significantly decreased and overall CSA score (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Scorecard) improved by 11%. Accident frequency based on miles driven and total accidents were down 40% vs last year. As a result of Diane’s hard work, Miller Transfer and Rigging was recognized by the SC&RA for these great safety accomplishments.

2024 Safety Innovation Award – The Pyrotek Aurora Plant Safety Team: After noticing that only 5% of employees actually participated in safety or recognized risks. The local Pyrotek plant in Aurora rolled out a new safety program called Find It – Fix It. The program allows employees that find a safety issue to fix it themselves. Once a safety issue is discovered, a member of the Safety Team will verify the hazard and confirm that it was fixed by the employee. FiFI reports are reviewed monthly and the most impactful fix is recognized. In 9 months, participation rate is over 70%, they’ve seen a reduction in maintenance request & labor costs, and over 250 safety issues have been found and fixed by employees. As a result of the Aurora plant’s success, Pyrotek corporation is now in the process of rolling out their Find It – Fix It program at their other locations.

2024 Community Safety Award – The Portage County EMA: Through their Site Assisted Visit (SAV) program, the LEPC visits businesses in Portage County that report annually in compliance with EPCRA. This program has identified many chemical improvements and reporting corrections (both favorable and unfavorable to the business). It provides insight to first responders on the facility type, capabilities, the location, and potential severity of hazardous chemicals. In a typical year the LEPC visits four to eight companies within Portage County to ensure compliance, readiness and help improve the company’s own safety plans. Through this program there have been improvements in employee safety, preparedness for first responders and prevention of environmental incidents.Ryan Shackelford and his team deserve all the credit for developing this program and not only providing all the benefits listed above for Portage County, but also for developing a program that has worked so well that is has been adopted by several other counties within Ohio and a few LEPC’s from other States.