Long-time Environmental Health & Safety Training Manager from 3M retires

By Suzanne Seivright-Sutherland, Director of Regional Government Affairs & Grassroots Operations, CalCIMA

Roberta Reed, the Environmental Health & Safety Training Manager of 3M for the past 24 years, has retired. Reed is a past CalCIMA Environmental Committee Chair and longtime Riverside-Metro Regional Council Chair, who continually provides leadership and guidance on critical policy issues. From her deep involvement in stormwater permitting,through her participation on local mining ordinances in the County of Riverside, input on safety issues, to her in depth knowledge of South Coast Air Quality Management District’s RECLAIM program as a super compliant facility, Reed’s leadership, knowledge, and perseverance have helped make CalCIMA a more effective organization.

During her tenure, Reed considers one of her greatest successes the improvement in environmental health and safety as regulations became more stringent and challenging.

“Since we’ve gotten through the whole RECLAIM process–the establishment of [South Coast Air Quality Management District’s (AQMD) ‘NOx Reductions for Equipment at Aggregate Facilities’] Rule 1147.1,--that was not just singularly my accomplishment, but it was that whole [CalCIMA] group. It was pretty amazing that we were able to work with the AQMD and manage to have that work out the way it did,” Reed said.

No success comes without challenges, though. Reed has come across many obstacles, but the biggest one has been getting new employees to “buy-in” into environmental and safety compliance. She advises that it’s important to teach employees why regulations exist and why they apply.

“You need to make sure you understand the regulation and how it applies to you, in getting people to “buy-in” to compliance,” Reed said. “I’m a firm believer in giving people information so people understand why you are doing what you are doing, not just come with the mallet saying you have to do this. They need to understand why and understand that sometimes you’re just the messenger.”

Although it can sometimes be difficult to get employees on board with compliance, Reed says that the people are the best part about her job. She credits the people for being the reason she has been at 3M for 20 years.

Roberta’s retirement plans include a move to her house in Scio,

Oregon. She explains “other than Terry Tyson (previously with Lehigh Hansen), no one has actually heard of Scio… Terry’s actually been there.” Once there, Roberta will do a kitchen remodel, bathroom addition, plant gardens, and find farm animals. She plans to get involved in the community at the regional historical society and likely support their efforts to sensibly market her new community in a sense that maintains the charm the town has, and then get involved in church. According to Roberta “all the stuff I don’t have to do here, at least not recently.”

CalCIMA would like to thank Roberta for her decades of guidance, compassion, and work ethic, and for her genuine commitment to the association, and the environment. Working in partnership with her has been truly motivational and rewarding on many levels, and has benefitted the entire construction materials industry. Roberta was the 2017 recipient of CalCIMA’s Ben Licari Distinguished Member award. n