Joseph McKillips of Abbott Named New Chairperson of NETS

The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) is pleased to announce the election of Joseph McKillips, Sr. Manager, Commercial Program Support, Global Environment, Health, and Safety for Abbott, as NETS Board Chairperson for 2014 and 2015. McKillips replaces Sandra Lee, Director Worldwide Fleet Safety for Johnson & Johnson, following a successful two-year term. McKillips has been a member of the NETS Board of Directors since 2008.

During his 24-year career with Abbott, Mr. McKillips has provided safety and health leadership and technical support throughout various manufacturing, R&D and commercial sales and service organizations, with special emphasis in the areas of fleet safety, process safety management and loss prevention. In his current position, McKillips provides fleet safety leadership and direction to Abbott’s worldwide commercial sales organization totaling 38,000 employees in over 80 countries. Recently, he worked with executive leadership to develop and successfully implement a comprehensive worldwide cell phone ban across Abbott’s field-based organizations.

In his previous service as a NETS board member, McKillips has helped shape the STRENGTH IN NUMBERS® fleet safety benchmark program, is a standing member of the steering committee for NETS’ annual Drive Safely Work Week™ campaign and has represented and promoted the work of NETS as a speaker at various fleet safety conferences.

“Over the course of my career I can sincerely cite NETS as an organization in which I have acquired some of my most valuable and long-standing ideas and professional working relationships,” said McKillips. “It is an honor to serve as the NETS Chairman and I look forward to building on the tremendous momentum we have achieved over the years.”

“Abbott’s commitment to road safety extends beyond its business drivers and reaches all its employees and their families, as well,” said Jack Hanley, NETS Executive Director. “In addition to Joe’s subject matter expertise, he understands the complexity and challenges of developing, implementing and sustaining a global road safety program. His tactical skills combined with his strategic vision will contribute significantly to achieving the NETS mission of improving road safety throughout the world.”

About NETS

NETS is a 501(c) 3 organization, a partnership between the U.S. Federal government and the private sector. Board members include Abbott, AmeriFleet Transportation, Chubb Group of Insurance Companies, The Coca-Cola Company, Johnson & Johnson, Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Monsanto Company, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Group, Shell International Petroleum Company B.V. and UPS. In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) serve as federal liaisons to the board of directors. Established in 1989, NETS is dedicated to improving the safety of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which they live and work by preventing traffic crashes that occur on-and-off the job. For more information, visit www.trafficsafety.org.