St. Paul, MN, Dec. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ย A 40-year force in the safety industry, Tom Votel was honored with ISEAโs highest service awardโproof that one personโs relentless push for better can help reshape an entire field. Votel, Ergodyneโs founder, longtime leader and retired president, received the Ryan-Willson Service Award of Excellence at the International Safety Equipment Associationโs (ISEA) 2025 Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., recognizing decades of boundary-pushing leadership that elevated both ISEA and the PPE (personal protective equipment) industry at large.
ISEA Board Member and Ergodyne President Greg Schrab, who presented the award, highlighted Votelโs enduring impact on the association. โTomโs passion for worker safety and for this industry is unmatched. He showed up, he spoke up and he stood out. His influence is everywhere in this association, and he has inspired countless people, myself included.โ
โThe best part is that Tomโs not done,โ added Schrab. โHis voice remains an active, grounding force in our workโฆ pushing us to think bigger, act smarter and stay relentlessly committed to worker safety.โ
Votel has held nearly every leadership position on ISEAโs Board while guiding committees and initiatives that expanded the associationโs scope and sharpened its influence at a pivotal moment for worker protection.
ISEA leadership reinforced the significance of his contributions. โTom Votel represents the very best of this industry and of ISEA,โ said ISEA President Cam Mackey. โOver decades of service, he has brought a rare combination of vision, integrity and practical leadershipโhelping shape the direction of our association and advancing the safety equipment industry as a whole. We are grateful not only for what he has already contributed, but for the continued perspective, innovation, and steady leadership he will continue to bring to our work.โ
Humor, Candor and a Call to Action
Accepting the award, Votel blended wit with a pointed reminder about the seriousness of ISEAโs mission.
โReceiving an award for service is a bit like being congratulated for flossingโnecessary, often overlooked, and if you neglect it, things get ugly fast. To be recognized for what I consider table stakesโshowing up, caring deeply, and refusing to accept โgood enoughโโis both surreal and profoundly meaningful.โ
He pointed to the dramatic evolution of ISEA in recent yearsโan expansion from its PPE roots toward a broader, future-facing definition of safety.
โIf you want to stay relevant, you have to keep disrupting yourself. And in my experience, the best way to drive change is to surround yourself with people who arenโt afraid to challenge you. We have that kind of spirit and drive at ISEA, and it has propelled this association into a new eraโone our founders could scarcely imagine 92 years ago.โ
Votel closed with a charge to the safety community: โISEAโs mission to advance safety is too importantโand frankly, too unfinishedโfor any of us to sit it out. Workers of the world are counting on us. Safety isnโt just a profession; itโs a promiseโa sacred oath.โ
History of ISEA Ryan-Willson Service Award of Excellence
Established by the International Safety Equipment Association Board of Trustees in October 2019, the annual Ryan-Willson Service Award of Excellence is the highest award given by the North American industry and honors those who have not only had distinguished careers within a member company but also have provided their talents to improve the broader industry.
The award is presented in memory of J.T. Ryan (MSA) and Thomas Willson (Willson Products), ISEAโs first and second Chairmen respectively.
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ABOUT ERGODYNE
Since 1983, Tenacious Holdings, Inc. (dba Ergodyne, a Klein Tools Company) has pioneered the development of products that Make The Workplace A Betterplaceโข. What started with just one product has grown into a line of top flight, battle-tested, Tenacious Work Gearยฎ; all precision crafted to provide protection, promote prevention and manage the elements for workers on jobsites the world over. The current lineup is extensive and constantly growing: ProFlexยฎ Hand Protection, ProFlexยฎ Knee Pads, ProFlexยฎ Supports, Skullerzยฎ Head & Face Protection, Skullerzยฎ Eye Protection, Trexยฎ Traction, KREW'Dยฎย Skin Protection, Chill-Itsยฎ Cooling Products, N-Fernoยฎ Warming Products, GloWearยฎ Hi-Vis Apparel, Squidsยฎ Lanyards, Arsenalยฎ Gear and Tool Storage, and SHAXยฎ Portable Work Shelters.
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