Why You Should Attend OAAA’s 2024 Safety Seminar

by Andy McDonald, SVP, Government Affairs, OAAA

The Out of Home Advertising Association of America (OAAA) is hosting its much-anticipated 2024 Safety Seminar, an essential event for professionals in the Out of Home (OOH) industry focused on safety, operations, construction, and maintenance. This seminar, held once every two years, is a unique opportunity for industry professionals to network, learn, and engage with leading experts. This year’s event is proudly hosted by Formetco at their headquarters in Duluth, Georgia, conveniently located near Atlanta’s major airport.

Registration and Attendance Details

The 2024 Safety Seminar is incredibly affordable, with registration fees set at $250 for small independent contractors, $500 for OAAA members, and $750 for non-members. Yes, non-members are welcome and encouraged to join! To maximize the event experience, early registration is advised, as it includes a Welcome Reception & Dinner on the evening of October 1st, followed by a full day of informative sessions with breakfast and lunch on October 2nd.

For those traveling from out of town, special hotel rates are available at the Courtyard Atlanta Duluth Downtown and Courtyard Atlanta NE/Duluth Sugarloaf. Be sure to book early to secure these discounted rates, as availability is limited. Additional accommodation options can be found on the Safety Seminar’s website.

Why Attend the Safety Seminar?

OAAA’s Safety Seminar is crafted by the industry’s top safety professionals to provide valuable insights into the latest safety practices and regulations. Chris Zukin, General Manager of Meadow Outdoor Advertising, emphasizes the importance of this event, saying, “OAAA’s Safety Seminar is the place to learn about billboard safety from the experts. Know safety, no pain. No safety, know pain.”

Ken Guy, VP of Real Estate and Operations at Link Media Outdoor adds, “Attending OAAA’s Safety Seminar is a great opportunity to learn about the latest developments in safety practices and regulations, as well as to network with other professionals in the industry. The seminar will provide valuable insights and information that can be directly applied in the workplace to improve safety and reduce risks.”

The event is designed not only for executives but also for field practitioners and small business owners. Interactive sessions and open forums will allow attendees to discuss real-world issues and challenges, ensuring the learning experience is practical and applicable.

Chuck Wigger, VP of Safety/Risk Management at Lamar Advertising, highlights the importance of ongoing education: “Continuing education is important, especially in safety and operations in Out of Home advertising, to stay current and learn from others. This gives us all an opportunity to pick up a few things and do some benchmarking with our colleagues.”

Join the Conversation

Richard Peterson, President of Porter Advertising and Chairman of OAAA’s Safety, Standards, and Technology (SST) Committee, underscores the critical role of the Safety Seminar in shaping the future of the OOH industry. “It’s our responsibility as operators to engage in conversations that help set the direction and priorities of our industry moving forward. By attending the Safety Seminar, you are continuing to educate yourself and your employees, which helps us all achieve success.”

Don’t Miss Out!

Richard enthusiastically endorses this year’s event: “The 2024 Safety Seminar is going to be the best one yet. You don’t want to miss it. It will be held at one of the premier industry suppliers’, Formetco’s, new state-of-the-art training center. Plus, with Atlanta being one of the most heavily traveled airports, it should be convenient for everyone to get in and out easily.”

For more information about the agenda, speakers, or other event details, visit the 2024 OAAA Safety Seminar website. Don’t wait—register now and secure your spot at this must-attend event for anyone in the OOH industry committed to safety and excellence.

WHY SHOULD I ATTEND OAAA’S 2024 SAFETY SEMINAR?

The Safety Seminar is a forum where the Out of Home (OOH) industry’s safety, operations, construction, and maintenance workers can network with each other and the leading professionals in the industry. Let’s start with some basic information about registration and attendance. The Out of Home Advertising Association of America, Inc.’s (OAAA) 2024 Safety Seminar, which is only produced once every 2 years is incredibly affordable at only $250 for small independent contractors, $500 for members, and $750 for non-members. Yes, non-members are invited and encouraged to attend! This year’s event is hosted by Formetco at its Duluth, Georgia headquarters, a short trip from the Atlanta airport which is a direct flight from many locations. Hotel accommodations are available at Formetco’s discounted rate at the Courtyard Atlanta Duluth Downtown and Courtyard Atlanta NE/Duluth Sugarloaf. Please register and book early to ensure availability as the discounted rate availability is limited. Additional accommodation options are noted on the Safety Seminar’s website, the link to which is provided at the end of this article. Included with your registration is a Welcome Reception & Dinner from 5-8 PM ET on Tuesday, October 1st, as well as breakfast and lunch during the Seminar on Wednesday, October 2nd

Several of OAAA’s Safety, Standards, and Technology (SST) Committee members discussed the content of the Safety Seminar and the importance of attending.  Chris Zukin, General Manager, Meadow Outdoor Advertising sums up why you should attend in saying “OAAA’s Safety Seminar is the place to learn about billboard safety from the experts. The top safety professionals in the Out of Home Advertising industry are responsible for this seminar. Know safety, No pain. No safety, know pain.”  Speakers will seek to provide education and insights into best practices so that working conditions are optimized for the safest workplaces possible. 

“Attending OAAA safety seminar is a great opportunity to learn about the latest developments in safety practices and regulations, as well as to network with other professionals in the industry. The seminar will provide valuable insights and information that can be directly applied in the workplace to improve safety and reduce risks.” said Ken Guy, VP of Real Estate and Operations, Link Media Outdoor.  The Safety Seminar is a unique opportunity to continue the path of learning and advancement of skills for OOH safety, operations, construction, and maintenance workers.  There will be open forums for the discussion of day-to-day issues and attendees’ questions, so the learning environment is interactive rather than just lectures. Chuck Wigger, Lamar Advertising’s VP of Safety/Risk Management shares that “continuing education is important, especially safety/operations in out of home Advertising, to stay current and to learn from others.  This gives us all an opportunity to pick up a few things and do some benchmarking with our colleagues.”

The SST Committee’s Chairman, Richard Peterson, President, Porter Advertising, a 4th generation billboard company, provides some parting insight into why his company is a member of OAAA and the importance of attending this year’s Safety Seminar.  “Porter Advertising has been a member of OAAA for as long as we have been around. It’s our responsibility as operators to engage in the conversations that help set the direction and priorities of our industry moving forward.  OAAA protects our interests by engaging with federal, state, and local government and helping them see the importance of our industry.  In addition, OAAA sets the standards for safety and technology.  By attending the Safety Seminar you are continuing to educate yourself and your employees that help us achieve success.” 

As far as who should attend, Richard points out that “this Safety Seminar is designed for both Safety Executives and practitioners as well as the one-man operation organizations.”  Having personally attended half a dozen Safety Seminars, Richard is really enthusiastic about this year’s event.  “The 2024 Safety Seminar is going to be the best one yet.  You don’t want to miss it.  It will be held at one of the premier industry suppliers, Formetco’s, new state-of-the-art training center.  Plus, with Atlanta being one of the most heavily traveled airports, it should be convenient for everyone to get in and out easily.”

If you have any questions about the agenda, speakers, or other event information, please visit 2024 OAAA Safety Seminar.  Otherwise, what are you waiting for?  Register Now for OAAA 2024 Safety Seminar.