Photo by Jessica Maloney,
UNH Human Resources

When asked what he finds most satisfying about his position as Director of Environmental Health and Safety, Brad Manning replied, "EHS provides a source of expertise and advice about campus safety, health and environmental management issues to the university. It is satisfying when our faculty, staff and students utilize this source and view us as supportive and helpful…" Brad's ability to serve as such a resource for the university community is the result of an expertise stemming from many years in this field. Brad's prior experiences include a range of milieus; the private sector, government regulatory agencies and several academic settings. It is very fortunate for the university that Brad was lured to the northeast from his previous position at UNLV, even after he had sworn off harsh winter climates. Yet as Brad's career path testifies, he is never one to shy from a challenge, to rest on prior accomplishments, or to pass up an opportunity for professional growth.

After pursuing an undergraduate degree in Chemistry with a minor in Environmental Health, Brad attended the University of Minnesota where he was able to further his interests in combining environmentalism with issues of social justice and protection for workers. Throughout his time in Minneapolis, Brad was able to experience first-hand the impact that environmentally conscious living has on quality of life; "the city and state were models of commitment to environmental health. Minneapolis remains to this day as one of the healthiest communities in which to live." As his studies coincided with the passage of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, he was positioned in the field at a time when there was great demand for experts to guide businesses through the process of compliance. Upon completion of his degree, Brad accepted a position with the Caterpillar Tractor Company. This required a move to Peoria, Illinois.

Leaving behind a model community, one with a thriving artistic community and environmental commitment, Brad's professional interests thrust him into a starkly contrasted environment; that of industrial cities - factories, foundries, and pollution. Though very much impressed by the commitment of the company to the occupational health of its workers, this position certainly offered a professional challenge; "every possible health and safety issue is there at a place like that." He was also forced to confront the resistance of some workers towards the introduction of change in the workplace; even that implemented to improve the health and safety conditions. The "foul-smelling air" that surrounded the factories led Brad to his next professional interest, "the workers' safety inside the building was a big priority, but the pollutants outside were having a big environmental impact, yet were definitely not viewed as a priority." A desire to broaden his experiences within the field of air and water quality led Brad to accept a position as a compliance officer with a state regulatory agency in California.

Working out of an L.A. office, Brad's new role demanded interaction with a number of challenging and diverse industries, including auto plants, oil refineries, and the motion picture industry. Serving also as a consultant to the L.A. District Attorney's Environmental Crimes Unit, Brad was responsible for investigating workplace fatalities. An opening at UCLA for an Environmental Health and Safety Specialist led Brad to his first professional venture in an academic setting. Ultimately promoted to Director of the department, Brad then went on to UNLV whose Environmental Health and Safety program was non-existent prior to his arrival. After seven years, and having developed a program from the ground up, Brad's desire to move closer to family in the New England area, and the discovery of an opening at UNH for an EHS Director, led him to his current position.

In the five years that Brad has occupied the position, Environmental Health and Safety has undergone major changes. Under Brad's direction, the department has expanded its staff, has assisted in changing state regulations that were deemed detrimental, has revamped the handling of hazardous waste materials on campus, and has, in conjunction with the Research Computing Center, developed and instituted an online chemical inventory system (CEMS). CEMS has proven such an effective and convenient tool, that the system has now been purchased by other universities, including UMass, Amherst, and Brown.

Aside from his interests in assuring a safe and healthful environment for all members of the university community, Brad's personal interests include a passion for California wines and folk art from Central America. In fact he tries to go once a year to Mexico or Guatemala.