The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) announced the election of Joseph McKillips as the group's board chairperson for 2014 and 2015. McKillips is senior manager of commercial program support, global environment, health and safety for Abbott.

McKillips succeeds Sandra Lee, director of worldwide fleet safety for Johnson & Johnson, who served a two-year term. McKillips has been a member of the NETS Board of Directors since 2008.

During his 24-year career with Abbott, McKillips has provided safety and health leadership and technical support throughout various manufacturing, R&D and commercial sales and service organizations. His career has been characterized by a special emphasis in the areas of fleet safety, process safety management and loss prevention. 

In his current position, McKillips provides fleet safety leadership and direction to Abbott’s worldwide commercial sales organization, which has 38,000 employees in over 80 countries. Recently, he worked with executive leadership to develop and successfully implement a worldwide cell phone ban across Abbott’s field-based organizations. 

“Abbott’s commitment to road safety extends beyond its business drivers and reaches all its employees and their families, as well,” said Jack Hanley, NETS executive director. “In addition to Joe’s subject matter expertise, he understands the complexity and challenges of developing, implementing and sustaining a global road safety program. His tactical skills, combined with his strategic vision, will contribute significantly to achieving the NETS mission of improving road safety throughout the world.”

In his previous service as a NETS board member, McKillips helped shape the “Strength In Numbers” fleet safety benchmark program. Additionally, he is a standing member of the steering committee for NETS’ annual “Drive Safely Work Week” campaign and has represented and promoted the work of NETS as a speaker at various fleet safety conferences.

“Over the course of my career I can sincerely cite NETS as an organization in which I have acquired some of my most valuable and longstanding ideas and professional working relationships,” McKillips said. “It is an honor to serve as the NETS chairman, and I look forward to building on the tremendous momentum we have achieved over the years.”