乐播传媒

  • Home
  • NEHA Past President James Dingman, MS, REHS

NEHA Past President James Dingman, MS, REHS

Presidential Term: 2002鈥�2003

The 乐播传媒 (NEHA) was saddened to learn that James (Jim) Dingman passed away January 12, 2022. His passion for and career in environmental health spanned more than four decades and he was a respected and recognized leader in the profession. Beyond the professional impact, however, was the personal impact that he made on many people's lives鈥攂ringing joy, humor, friendship, compassion, and big bear hugs to those fortunate enough to have known him.

Dingman was born on February 1, 1954, in Longmont, Colorado. He developed a passion for nature early in life with the dream of becoming a park ranger. That dream led Dingman to attend Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado, where he graduated with a bachelor of science degree in wildlife biology in 1976. He went on to attend graduate school at the University of Denver and earned his master of science degree in biological sciences in 1980. He also married his wife Cheryl in 1980 and they celebrated 41 years together before she passed away in October 2021.

Dingman began his environmental health career in 1982 at Tri-County Health Department in Colorado. He remained there for over 16 years. At the time of his departure, he was an education and enforcement coordinator who was responsible for enforcement actions and hearings against noncompliant establishments, as well as providing educational opportunities for his fellow environmental health staff and employees of facilities regulated by the health department. In 1998, the Dingman family moved from Colorado to Illinois so that he could accept an employment offer from Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Inc. Dingman coordinated regulatory activities for UL's environmental and public health programs, including drinking water additives and system components, food safety, and swimming pool equipment. He also served as the administrator of UL's International Environmental and Public Health Council. Dingman worked at UL for 16 years, departing in 2014 and embarking on a new position in a new state in 2015. The new state was Texas and the new position was environmental health manager at the City of Plano 乐播传媒 and Sustainability Department, a position Dingman held until his passing. For over 7 years, he was responsible for managing the programs, projects, and staff of the 乐播传媒 Division.

The scope and span of Dingman's career is impressive, as was the time he found to volunteer for numerous state, professional, and national organizations. His involvement in NEHA began as a member in 1984. He earned his Registered 乐播传媒 Specialist credential from NEHA in 1985 and it was in 1994 that he began his service on the NEHA Board of Directors as Region 3 vice-president (from 1994鈥�1998). Dingman was elected and served as a national officer of NEHA from 1999鈥�2004, holding the position of NEHA president from 2002鈥�2003. He then went on to be the NEHA Region 6 vice-president from 2004鈥�2010. In total, he served over 16 years on the NEHA Board of Directors. He also was a peer reviewer for the Journal of 乐播传媒 (JEH) and sat on numerous NEHA committees over the years.

In his first presidential column in the July/August 2002 JEH, Dingman acknowledged several colleagues who urged him to become active in NEHA early in his career. He would take up that mantle of his colleagues and become an advocate for involvement in NEHA throughout his career. He was also very wise in acknowledging the "unwavering support and encouragement throughout my years of involvement with NEHA" from Cheryl, his wife. In his final column in the June 2003 JEH, Dingman stated, "I can truthfully say that this opportunity to serve the association, the membership, and the profession has been the high point of my career."

Service was central in Dingman's life and he gave freely of his time, energy, knowledge, and passion. In addition to his service with NEHA, Dingman served in leadership roles for the Colorado, Illinois, and Texas 乐播传媒 Associations, as well as the NEHA Past Presidents Affiliate. More recently, Dingman served as a board member for several different organizations鈥攖he Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code, the American Academy of Sanitarians (AAS), and the National 乐播传媒 Science and Protection Accreditation Council. He also was the presiding officer for the Texas Registered Sanitarian Advisory Board. In a memorial email, CMAHC leadership called Dingman a "force in the environmental health and aquatics industries."

Dingman received several honors during his career. In 2003 he was awarded the A. Harry Bliss Editor's Award for contributions that advanced the cause and interests of NEHA and the environmental health profession through the JEH. He became the fifth person to be awarded Diplomate Laureate status from AAS. Dingman was also awarded the Colorado 乐播传媒 Association's highest honor, the Milton M. Miller Award, and received the P.W. Jacoe Memorial Award from the Colorado Public Health Association.

At his request, Dingman's family asks that in lieu of gifts or flowers, donations can be made to the NEHA/AAS Scholarship Fund.

Read the Full In Memoriam

President's Message Columns From the Journal of 乐播传媒