Industry Leading Best Practices, Networking and Professional Development
The Ohio West Safety Council is sponsored by the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation and Eastman & Smith, Ltd. Attorneys at Law and is open to all area businesses, is an initiative of the Van Wert Area Chamber of Commerce designed to increase safety awareness, and to give businesses a potential cost savings benefit on their Workers’ Compensation rates. Held in collaboration with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, the program aims to provide a forum for safety and health information, education and networking in local communities. Program topics must be classified under occupational safety & health, risk management, workers’ compensation, BWC services, rehabilitation or environmental issues.
The Ohio West Safety Council currently meets on the 2nd Wednesday of each month from 8:00am-9:30am at Vantage Career Center with breakfast included. Each meeting will feature a update from the Ohio BWC, our sponsor Eastman & Smith, Ltd. Attorney's At Law, followed by our featured speaker. A steering committee made up of safety professionals from various local employers and a representative from the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation will guide the program development.
Meeting Dates and Topics:
Wednesday July 8th 2026: Heat Stress Treatment and Prevention
Dr. Cody Klinker is a board-certified family medicine physician with OhioHealth, serving Van Wert, Rockford, and their surrounding communities. He also serves with OhioHealth Sports Medicine as Crestview Local School’s team physician. Klinker originally hails from Van Wert County and is a 2013 graduate of Crestview High School. He went on to obtain his Bachelor of Science in biochemistry with research distinction from The Ohio State University and his medical degree from the University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences. Dr. Klinker completed his family medicine residency at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital.
Dr. Klinker has been recognized at the local, state, and national levels for his excellence in family medicine and service. He was the recipient of the 2025 Edward T. Bope Distinguished Service Award and the 2025 Ohio Academy of Family Physician Resident Leadership Award. Additionally, he was one of only 12 recipients nationally to receive the 2024 American Academy of Family Physicians GME Award of Excellence.
As a family physician, Dr. Klinker has multiple clinical interests including sports medicine, pediatric/adolescent care, adult/preventative care, men’s health, rural medicine, in-office procedures, advocacy, and community education/engagement. His goal to provide the highest quality of care to patients of all ages in our community! He looks forward to giving this presentation on heat safety in the workplace, as we enter the summer months!
Wednesday August 12th 2026: Using AI to Create Safety Workplans and Programs
Lisa Niekamp-Urwin is the CEO and Founder of Tomorrow's Technology Today, LLC (TTechT), a woman-owned managed technology provider based in St. Henry, Ohio, serving nearly 80 businesses in Northwest Ohio and Northeast Indiana. With over 25 years of technology and business experience, Lisa founded TTechT in 2002 to bring enterprise-level IT support — including cybersecurity, compliance, and cloud services — to small and medium-sized businesses. TTechT works with the IT person/department or where needed can be the IT department. Lisa's leadership has been recognized with the Lima Chamber Women-Owned Business award and the MSP Titans Women Owned-Led award, honors that reflect her commitment to building a thriving, women-led technology business in the region. Today, she leads TTechT's sales, business development, and client strategy. Lisa lives in the area with her husband Frank and their two daughters, Brittany and Brianne.
Wednesday September 9th 2026: TBD
Membership includes:
- A scheduled monthly safety meeting
- Breakfast for up to two attendees
- Take-Away Safety Information from each meeting
- Updates on the latest BWC programs
- Opportunity to speak with a BWC regional representative at each meeting
- Opportunity to network with other local companies
- Earn a 3% discount on your workers compensation insurance by attending 10 safety council meetings
For additional information about the Ohio West Safety Council or to register for the upcoming Safety Council program, please see the links located above, email the chamber at chamber@vanwertchamber.com or call us at (419) 238-4390.