J. J. Keller Named 2026 Safety Award Winners

Three safety professionals were honored for their leadership in workplace safety across three business size categories.

Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Remote Work

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J. J. Keller & Associates announced the 2026 Safety Professional of the Year winners on September 29, honoring three industry leaders for their workplace innovation. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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J. J. Keller & Associates announced the recipients of its 2026 Safety Professional of the Year awards on September 29, 2026. The winners were selected based on their demonstrated leadership, innovation, and impact in the workplace.

Why it matters

These awards highlight the critical role safety professionals play in maintaining secure work environments and fostering innovation within their organizations. The recognition serves to promote best practices in industrial safety across different business scales.

The awards are categorized by company size, with winners representing small businesses with under 200 employees, medium enterprises with 200 to 5,000 workers, and large organizations with over 5,000 employees. Each winner receives a $47,200 prize package.

The players

J. J. Keller & Associates

This organization is a provider of safety and regulatory compliance solutions for businesses across the United States.

Crystal Donaldson

She is the recipient of the Small Business Category award representing Advanced Blending Solutions based in Wallace, Michigan.

Kathi Porter

She won the award for the Medium Business Category while working at B&B Wrecking and Excavating in Cleveland, Ohio.

Carla Andrews

She earned the award for the Large Business Category as a professional at FedEx Logistics in Memphis, Tennessee.

The details

Winners were determined through a multi-stage process involving nominations, applications, and interviews with a panel of J. J. Keller judges. The prizes include product subscriptions, a commemorative award, and a charitable donation.

Timeline

  1. September 29, 2026: Announcement of the 2026 Safety Professional of the Year award winners.

  2. October 27, 2026: Public webcast featuring the three award winners.

Market Landscape

The recognition program follows the established pattern of the J. J. Keller Safety Professional of the Year program in honoring individual safety advocacy. This aligns with a broader industry trend of corporate investment in specialized safety roles to manage complex regulatory environments.

For employees, these awards signal an increased organizational emphasis on safety protocols that may impact daily operational workflows. Customers and stakeholders can expect continued refinement of safety standards within these winning companies.

The takeaway

Recognizing safety professionals reinforces the value of preventative measures in high-risk business environments. Readers interested in similar fields should monitor industry benchmarks to understand how safety leadership translates into tangible business success.

What happens next

The three award winners will share their personal stories of safety leadership during a public webcast scheduled for October 27, 2026.

Further reading

For more information on the evolving standards for professional safety roles, visit the Remote Work section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by American Journal of Transportation | AJOT | 1-800-599-6358.

Live Poll

Do professional safety awards effectively encourage better safety practices in your community?