Hank Austin, CSP, MS - Vice President
Hank has been heavily involved in the profession of ergonomics since 1988 when he arrived and spent 15 years at USAA (A Fortune 300 company) and became the Manager of Safety/Environmental Affairs. Since that time he has been involved in all aspects of the ergonomics field. From one on one workstation consultations to equipment design, program development and justification to legal aspects, usability and research. The corporate program Hank developed was awarded the Outstanding Office Ergonomics Program Award by a top panel selected by the Center for Office Technology. This program resulted in numerous productivity improvements and significant injury and workers' compensation cost reduction.
Hank also served as the Chairman of the National Science Foundation/ Texas A&M University Center for Ergonomics and spent three years as the Executive Director of the Office Ergonomics Research Committee. He was coauthor on the article "Keyboard or Software Design?" in IIE Solutions magazine and his thesis titled "A Comparison of a Klockenburg Style Split Keyboard and a Standard PC Style Keyboard on Typing Speed and Posture" can be read here. Hank was the primary force behind the development of the processes and equipment modifications that led to the US patent for "System and Method for Processing Mail". This patented system reworked the entire mail processing procedures and modified equipment to protect workers from potential harmful agents in the mail at one of the largest mail processing facilities in the country.
EDUCATION:
BS Building Construction - Texas A&M University
MS Safety Engineering with a concentration in ergonomics - Texas A&M University
CERTIFICATIONS:
Certified Safety Professional