The Georgia Local Section (GLS) of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) began operation with the bylaws being accepted and approved on September 12, 1945. The first membership records on file show 43 members in 1950, 20 percent of whom were national members. Approximately 20 percent were women. The first president was Mr. R.B. Hendon. At that time only two members carried the title of industrial hygienist and many were industrial nurses. The Georgia Department of Public Health and various insurance companies employed many of the early members. More than 90 percent of the members were employed in the Atlanta area with the farthest members coming from Rome, GA. The first local section newsletter was published in October 1977 under the direction of the first woman president on record, Ms. Alice Farrar. Several current members are among our longest membership holders of at least 30 years, including Phil Williams, Grover Higgins, Ed Kahal, Teresa Harrison, Della Ridley, Stan Salisbury, and Bill Ewing. Our first vendor sponsors for the membership directory were in 1994. Since the mid-1980s vendor sponsorship has helped tremendously to offset local section expenses and boosts the local section budget. Many GLS members served on the Local Conference Committee when AIHce was held in Atlanta in 1998 and in 2004. In more than 50 years GLS membership has more than tripled and continues to make key contributions to both the local and national IH communities
