AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS ANNOUNCE LIBERTY MUTUAL’S SUPPORT OF NATIONAL STUDENT CONFERENCE

     DES PLAINES, IL (February 9, 2005) - Helping students pursue a career in occupational safety and health is the main reason the Liberty Mutual Group recently donated $10,000 to the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Foundation to support the first national Future Safety Leaders Conference. This conference is for ASSE student section members and will be held November 2005.

ASSE Foundation Chair Kennith D. Brock, CSP, said, “We appreciate the efforts of the Liberty Mutual Group in reaching out to today’s students, the future of the occupational safety, health and environmental (SH&E) profession. Liberty Mutual Group has consistently supported the ASSE Foundation and the advancement of the safety profession through funding for college scholarships, research through the Liberty Mutual Safety Research Fellowship Program, and now career development through the Future Safety Leaders Conference.”

Through the support of the Liberty Mutual Group, ASSE’s upcoming conference will provide student members with essential leadership tips, career development skills and more insight on the SH&E profession.

Karl Jacobson, CSP, senior vice president for loss prevention for Liberty Mutual Group, said, “We are proud to support ASSE in providing an opportunity for students to better prepare for a career in the SH&E profession. This conference will help educate students about the different industries where they can begin their career, including the insurance industry, and also provide mentoring opportunities.”

This past year student participation in ASSE increased by five percent, as the result of an ASSE faculty advisor recruitment campaign in the 26 colleges and universities with SH&E programs. There are 61 ASSE student sections, and a total of 1,585 student members.

Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group is a leading global insurer and sixth largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2003 direct written premium. Liberty Mutual Group employs nearly 38,000 people in nearly 900 offices throughout the world.

Chartered in 1990, the ASSE Foundation is committed to ensuring the future of the occupational safety and health profession by providing financial resources to individuals and organizations. Funding for the Foundation comes from corporations and voluntary donations from ASSE members - individual and through chapters countrywide for applied safety research, scholarships, fellowships, internships and professional development. For more information on the Foundation and its programs visit The ASSE Foundation Homepage .

Formed in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the largest and oldest professional safety organization and has more than 30,000 occupational safety, health and environmental professional members who manage, supervise, research and consult on safety, health, transportation and environmental issues in all industries, government, labor and education. For more information check ASSE’s website at www.asse.org