Passing the Torch of Our Commitment to Health and Safety Service Excellence

EnSafe welcomes newly promoted Vice President of H&S Services and newly created H&S Operations Manager as former VP takes on new leadership role

Mike Palmer, CIH, CSP, Former VP of H&S Services takes on revised leadership and client development role

Motivated by the drivers of faith and family, Mike Palmer, EnSafe’s Vice President of Health and Safety (H&S) Services for the past 13 years, is scaling back his workload and taking on a revised role as a senior mentor and board member with a business development focus.  Throughout 2020, Mike will be working closely with existing clients to transition certain technical components of his workload and to introduce the talented H&S individuals across EnSafe who have been carefully considered to advance client relationships.

Throughout the years, Mike has often been heard quipping with staff, “We’re not done yet!”  And Mike’s contributions as a company visionary are far from finished.  Mike said of his new slimmed-down position:

“Having served for nearly four decades in H&S consulting, I feel this is the right time for leadership succession.  I’m excited to be able to focus more on senior technical support and new business development, but I’m most thrilled about dedicating more time to mentoring our up-and-coming H&S leaders.  EnSafe is truly a ‘People Company’ – a company that thrives because our people do. That’s why having more space to engage, teach, and learn from each of them is so energizing for me.”

“On behalf of all of EnSafe, I thank Mike for his tenure.  He leaves an indelible mark on this company and its clients.  Under his astute leadership EnSafe’s H&S offerings have grown more than ten-fold over a span of just 13 years,” said Don Bradford, EnSafe President and CEO.  “Now with reduced administrative and operational responsibilities, we intend to direct Mike’s strategic insight of our business more concertedly toward client and business development, mentoring of staff, and as Vice-Chairman of EnSafe’s Board of Directors.”

Taking on this revised role “early” in his career enables Mike to initiate and actively support a carefully crafted leadership transitioning plan, which is “the culmination of a multi-year succession plan to instate the right leaders for the company,” said Phil Coop, Chairman of the Board and co-founder of EnSafe.

Beginning in January 2020, Leo Old will be promoted to Vice President of H&S Services, and Bayless Kilgore will fill the newly created position of H&S Operations Manager.

Leo Old, PE, CIH, CSP, new VP of H&S Services

Leo will be the second Vice President of H&S Services in the company’s 40-year history.  “He is a respected leader who has worked closely with the Board over the past several years to enhance EnSafe’s long-standing commitment to serve our clients’ H&S consulting needs,” Don Bradford said of Leo’s promotion, “We look forward to what he will bring to deepen that commitment as VP of H&S Services.”

Previously, Leo served as a Senior H&S Engineer, specializing in process safety, fire protection systems, industrial hygiene and Occupational Health and Safety Administration compliance. Leo has eight years of management experience with EnSafe and over 26 years in the industry.

“I am honored to be named VP of H&S Services and want to thank both Mike and the Board for the confidence they have placed in me. I’m proud of the people of EnSafe – who we are, what we believe in, and how we serve – and I’m excited to keep our momentum going in this next phase of leadership.” said Leo of his new position.

Bayless Kilgore, CIH, CSP, new H&S Operations Manager

Bayless Kilgore, who will serve in the newly created role of H&S Operations Manager, will work closely with Leo in an operational, technical, and client-service capacity.  Bayless has over 25 years of occupational H&S consulting experience assisting a wide variety of industrial and manufacturing clients across the country.

“Bayless’s experience across diverse industries gives him a special handle on delivering exceptional H&S consulting services,” said Don Bradford. “We’re eager to see how he’ll carry forward our internal mantras of T³ [Think Things Through] and Safety-First in H&S operations and service delivery.”

“I am excited about the opportunity to lead EnSafe’s continual pursuit of delivering timely, responsive, and cost-effective H&S services,” said Bayless. “Mike has set the bar very high, but Leo and I are up to the challenge and eager to get started.”