James A. Junkin, is the chief executive officer of Mariner-Gulf Consulting & Services, L.L.C., a boutique risk management and occupational safety and health consulting firm headquartered in Louisiana with clients throughout the United States and abroad. He holds the designations of Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Safety Management Specialist (SMS), and Associate Safety Professional (ASP) from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals. James and his firm specialize in safety regulations, best practices, management systems, and EHS program development and implementation. He and Mariner-Gulf Consulting & Services provide expert opinions for legal actions, technical writing for company specific written policies and procedures, training, accident investigations, and site safety consultations. James is a noted author with articles appearing in trade and peer reviewed publications such as Professional Safety Journal and a much sought-after master trainer for Veriforce, having taught over 40,000 students and trained over 3,000 instructors. He is noted for his work during the Deepwater Horizon disaster, where he trained over 30,000 oil spill responders. Columbia Southern University recognized his achievements in the field of occupational safety and health by declaring him the 2022 Outstanding Safety Professional (Runner Up) of the Year. He is the chairman of Veriforce’s Strategic Advisory Board, is a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals’ (ASSP) Strategic Advisory Group, Columbia Southern University’s Occupational Safety and Health Advisory Group, and a committee member of the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Z-390.1 Accepted Practices for Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) Training Programs
ASSP has provided leadership in ensuring that workers come home safe from high hazard jobs through professional development, advocacy, publication, and networking. In uncertain financial and strategic times, it is vital that the Board include strong business leaders that also connect with safety practitioners in order to generate a united and diverse membership that gives homage to the mission and foundation of the Society. My background as a business executive and safety professional uniquely qualifies me to contribute to a strategic vision that is adaptable, nimble, and promotes the financial health of the Society without compromising service to its members and the greater profession. While I have been involved with the Society in many capacities, I consider myself an independent thinker open to new ideas and methods of governance.