Edgar Monsanto Queeny, son of the founder and third president of Monsanto Company, perhaps more than any other chief executive in the history of American industry, saw first-hand the tragedy that can result from an industrial accident. Mr. Queeny was president of Monsanto on April 16, 1947, when the explosion of a French freighter destroyed Monsanto's Texas City plant, killing 512 persons, including 145 Monsanto employees.
Mr. Queeny was appalled by what he saw as he viewed the destruction. A short time later, he wrote a report to employees and shareholders describing what he had seen and what it motivated him to do. It was, as a national news correspondent put it, "a masterpiece of restrained agony."
The loss and devastation moved him to place even greater emphasis on safety in the company's operations. The firm's enviable safety record to this day reflects Edgar Monsanto Queeny's deep personal commitment to protect the worker from industrial accidents and health hazards. It is in his memory that Monsanto Company proudly supports the objectives of the ASSE and annually sponsors this award for outstanding accomplishments by one of the Society's top professionals.
Monsanto is proud to sponsor the Edgar Monsanto Queeny Safety Professional of the Year Award and convey it annually to the outstanding safety professional selected by the American Society of Safety Engineers.
The Safety Professional of the Year award is given to an ASSE member that has demonstrated outstanding accomplishments as a safety professional and has made significant contributions to advance the safety profession.
