Donovan Seeber


Currently Vice President of Corporate Safe- ty at ACCO Engi- neered Systems, Donovan Seeber brings 20 years of


experience in safety management and leadership in a variety of fields to his role as Chair of the SHC. Cham- pioning a “culture of care” at ACCO, he works with company leadership to strengthen the foundation of their safety program and to drive contin- uous improvement in the office and jobsite working conditions. Seeber said he discovered his safe-


ty professional career “by accident,” while working as a medic in an oil refinery project where he met safety professionals who introduced him to what a safety pro does. “I quickly embraced the proactive aspect of the job,” he said. “Te idea of focusing on preventing injuries from happening, instead of just treating them after- ward, was a game changer.” Why did he get involved in SHC? “I


take satisfaction in having a positive impact on worker safety and collabo- rating with others that have the same passion,” he said. “Te SHC is a great platform to connect with other safety professionals in the industry to share lessons learned and success stories.” His major goals for SHC in the year ahead: “Continue to partner with industry leadership and other factions of AGC to identify the issues at hand, look ahead to potential future safety issues and collaborate on solutions. Additionally, we want to continue to grow membership and participation on the SHC.”


Chris Jones


As the current Director of Safe- ty (Southern Re- gion) at ACCO Engineered Sys- tems, Jones has 22 years’ experi-


ence working as an environmental health and safety (EHS) professional with responsibility for delivering effective environmental health and safety programs for construction and hazardous waste companies. He provides regulatory oversight, com- pliance functions, training, accident investigation, audits, and more. “Being an EHS professional pro- vides me an opportunity to lend my experience as well as glean from other professionals,” he said of his involvement with SHC. “One of my goals is to transform the industries and arenas I have influence in, by imparting proven principles that uplift everyone in the industry/arena.” Jones said the most rewarding


thing about his career is “the high po- tential to collaborate with like-mind- ed people to make things better for those who depend on construction for a living. From safety regulations to diversity, equity & inclusion, we are able to positively influence in- dividuals and families.” What does he hope SHC achieves in 2022? “I’m hoping that we can continue to identify challenges for our members and bring viable solu- tions that elevate the construction industry,” he said. “I am also hopeful that we can engage thought-leaders to create systems of general contrac- tor-subcontractor relationships that shift and change historical incorrect positions.”


Justin Wheaton


Currently an Environmen- tal Health and Safety Direc- tor at Skanska USA Civil West, Wheaton spent


the first 14 years of his career as a union carpenter before transitioning into a health and safety role eight years ago. Aside from work, he vol- unteers with the San Bernardino County Sheriff as the Commander of a Cave and Technical Rescue Team and is Region Chair for the Mountain Rescue Association. Te most rewarding aspect of his


career in safety and health? “Being able to advocate for hard working men and women. When approached the right way, a career in safety al- lows you to be a project’s biggest cheerleader,” Wheaton commented. “Seeing the support, tools and train- ing you’ve been given to complete a task or a project without undue risk and without harm can be extremely rewarding.” Wheaton said he got involved with


SHC because “I truly love learning, problem solving, and collaborating with peers.” The SHC provided a means to learn safety strategies from other parts of the industry and to address issues impacting the con- struction industry as a whole. “On this, the Safety and Health Council has delivered ten-fold,” he noted. As Co-Chair of SHC, Wheaton said he hopes to facilitate consensus among the large group of industry leaders to bring change. “There is not much this group couldn’t do if they hone in on an issue.”


CALIFORNIA CONSTRUCTOR MARCH-APRIL 2022


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