This 2-hour workshop will be run as a facilitated roundtable discussion. By design, it's intended to allow participants to engage in collaborative dialogue for the purpose of learning from one another. For this session, AEU LEAD Director Joe White will use a series of questions to help attendees better understand how AI is now being used by members. As part of the workshop, participants will be encouraged to share key takeaways from any experiences they may have had. 

At the end of this workshop, attendees will be able to:

• Identify where AI is now being used
• Discuss operational impact the technology has had
• Share key learnings or other important considerations based on first-hand experiences

Please join us for hors d'oeuvres and cocktails to kick off the AEU National Forum. We will gather in the Main Ballroom Foyer for the Welcome Reception. This is located on the 4th floor. 

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Enjoy a come-and-go breakfast before the General Session.

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

NASA’s history includes both remarkable achievements and painful setbacks, each of which reshaped its approach to safety in high-risk environments. This session is designed to discuss cultural lessons learned and inspire best practices through NASA’s journey, while connecting to other industries that share in high-risk endeavors.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Identify key lessons from NASA’s history of space exploration
• Apply best practices drawn from NASA’s safety culture
• Relate these insights to challenges and opportunities in the maritime industry

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Workers’ compensation claims often begin with what appears to be a routine incident, but without the right approach, they can escalate into complex and costly litigation. This session explores how employers and AEU work together to guide claims from the initial report through resolution while minimizing disruption, expense, and risk. Attendees will learn how early reporting, timely involvement of medical and legal professionals, and proactive communication help maintain control of the claims process. The session will also examine how mediation can serve as a powerful tool to resolve disputes efficiently while preserving working relationships. Through real-world examples and practical insights, participants will gain a clearer understanding of the collaborative strategies, documentation practices, and investigative tools that support successful claim outcomes.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Recognize the importance of early incident reporting and proactive claim management in preventing workers’ compensation claims from escalating
• Identify when mediation is an effective strategy and understand how it can resolve disputes while reducing time and litigation costs
• Apply best practices for documentation, communication, and employer involvement to support efficient claim resolution and minimize legal exposure

This session provides a practical overview of Hearing Conservation Program (HCP) requirements, regulatory thresholds, and best practices for managing occupational noise exposure. Attendees will define key HCP terms and review the importance of independent third-party noise monitoring in both high- and low-noise areas commonly found in maritime operations (engine rooms, shipyards, cargo operations, heavy equipment areas). The course explains employer responsibilities at 90 dBA TWA (engineering and administrative controls) and 85 dBA TWA (audiometric testing, training, and hearing protection requirements).

The session will cover baseline and annual audiograms, including OSHA’s six-month allowance for baselines versus AEU’s recommendation for pre-placement testing, and employer obligations when a standard threshold shift occurs. Attendees will also learn how to properly match PPE NRR to exposure levels, address common NRR misconceptions, and provide effective employee notification of sampling and audiogram results. This session will also cover the required recordkeeping practices and how to maintain defensible documentation to support hearing loss claims.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Define key HCP terms
• Explain the need for both sound level sampling and noise dosimetry
• Understand HCP requirements when over the action level and also over the PEL, STS follow up IH actions, derating NRRs, OSHA & AEU recordkeeping

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Research shows that individuals typically recognize only about 45% of hazards in their environment, a gap driven by cognitive biases that favor familiar or routine risks while overlooking less obvious dangers. Using tools like the Energy Wheel helps people identify these blind spots and systematically improve hazard recognition with less mental effort. Once hazards are identified, prioritization should focus on high-energy risks, particularly STKY (“Stuff That Kills You”) hazards where contact with energy over 1,500 Joules can cause serious injury or fatality. Implementing direct controls that physically mitigate the energy source ensures reliable protection and reinforces a proactive, energy-based approach to safety.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Use the Energy Wheel to identify hazards in a construction environment
• Identify high-energy hazards with high potential to cause serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs)
• Define direct controls to prevent SIFs by preventing harmful transfer of energy.

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Join us at Blue Moon Tap House located at The Waterside District. The evening will include dinner, networking, and yard games. 

The Waterside District is located 0.25 miles or 5-minute walk from the Hilton Norfok The Main. 

Our group will meet in the hotel lobby at 5:50 PM and walk over together. 

Casual Attire - Jeans and shorts are acceptable.

Enjoy a come-and-go breakfast before the General Session.

This fast-paced, high-energy keynote equips leaders at every level with practical tools to strengthen their leadership impact. Drawing from Phillip’s experience developing values-based leaders, this session challenges attendees to move beyond simply doing the job and instead lead with clarity, credibility, and intentional influence. Through real-world examples and actionable steps, participants will learn behaviors and mindset shifts that distinguish respected professionals from average practitioners. Attendees will leave energized and equipped with concrete steps to strengthen trust, improve communication, model accountability, and elevate their leadership presence across their teams and organization.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Identify the leadership behaviors and mindset shifts that distinguish intentional professionals from average practitioners
• Apply practical strategies to strengthen trust, improve communication, and model accountability within their teams
• Develop specific action steps to elevate their leadership presence and increase their overall influence across the organization

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

The American Equity Underwriters Loss Control Advisory Council (LCAC) is a group of safety professionals who come together to advise AEU on employer needs and identify potential solutions. In 2024, the LCAC members developed the Alignment Roadmap to help ALMA members bridge the gap between management's safety expectations and the reality of day-to-day operations. This session will cover the background on why and how the roadmap was developed, the prerequisites to consider before taking on this challenge, and key points to ensure successful alignment between management and the workforce.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Understand the benefits and challenges of bridging the gap between management expectations and observable safety performance
• Identify the necessary prerequisites for undertaking this challenge
• Understand and communicate the commitment required to manage this change successfull

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

Orthopaedic injuries are frequently treated at the wrong level of care, which can lead to unnecessary costs and delayed recovery. This session will explore how directing patients to the appropriate care setting early in the treatment process can improve outcomes and streamline the path to recovery. Attendees will gain insight into how orthopaedic care is structured, including the various types of specialists involved and the unique expertise each brings to patient treatment. The discussion will also highlight the importance of aligning the injury with the appropriate provider and facility, helping organizations support more efficient care decisions and better long term results for injured workers.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Identify the most appropriate care settings for the initial evaluation of common orthopedic injuries
• Differentiate between the roles and expertise of various orthopedic specialists involved in injury treatment
• Recognize how directing patients to the right provider and facility early can improve outcomes and reduce overall treatment costs

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

This session explores how structured Return to Work (RTW) programs strengthen safety culture, support employee recovery, and improve loss outcomes. It also addresses the operational, medical, and human challenges that can limit program success. The panel will highlight the importance of compliance and preventing additional injury. They will also share member success stories that demonstrate how effective RTW programs can shape a positive safety culture and lead to better medical and financial results.

At the end of this session, attendees will be able to:

• Understand how RTW decisions influence workplace culture
• Learn how trust and communication affect employee participation
• Identify best practices for aligning RTW with safety and claims management goals
• Apply lessons learned in both union and non-union environments

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.

The AEU Safety Award Recognition Luncheon is the closing event at this year's National Forum. It is an excellent opportunity for representatives from AEU Safety Award-winning companies to be recognized by an audience of their peers. 

The luncheon will commence with a presentation by keynote speaker Vice Admiral William Dean Lee: The Silent Crisis in Leadership: Why Avoiding Hard Conversations is Hurting Your Team.

This keynote outlines how leadership communication has changed and what can be done to restore its effectiveness. Vice Admiral Lee combines education and entertainment to explore how modern tools, habits, and expectations have contributed to the fading art of leadership communication and how leaders can re-engage their teams through intentional, human-centered connection. Using compelling examples, descriptive language, and practical insights, the session will highlight strategies that will equip you to communicate with greater clarity, presence, and impact.

After Vice Admiral Lee's presentation, AEU's leadership team will recognize the 2025 AEU Safety Award winners. When the luncheon concludes, a group photo will be taken. Individual winners will have an opportunity to take photos at that time as well. Photos will be shared after the event.  

Business Casual Attire - open collar or polo shirt. No jeans or shorts. No jacket required.