Bob and Dave invited many nonprofit organizations that shared San Diego Safety Resource's mission to take a lead role in developing the conference and benefit from conference proceeds based on their level of participation. The San Diego/Imperial County Chapter of the American Red Cross readily accepted their proposal.

Having a mission, a major sponsor, and a lot of enthusiasm, Bob and Dave set out to develop their first annual Safety Conference Interactive. It was June 1999; the conference was scheduled for October. There were business licenses to obtain, a web site to build, a conference program to develop, bank accounts to open, credit card transaction accounts to establish, a conference site to secure, the caterer, and everything else needed to establish not only a business but also a conference.

Bob and Dave wanted to provide the conference attendees the most valuable program for their investment. They decided Safety Conference Interactive would offer a three-day, four-track program filled with many hands-on sessions and certificate programs. The American Red Cross was keen on this idea as many of their programs are hands-on and provide certificates to the participants.

Bob and Dave reached out to other resources. The San Diego Regional Environmental Business Resource Assistance Center (REBRAC) was the next organization to jump in. MSA and BNA contributed some dynamite programs. SDSR now had some heavy hitters on their side but they didn't want to leave out the local resources. Soon Mary Brown from Environmental Safety and Training, Eva Mitchell and Associates, Kimlee de Ruyter from Associated General Contractors, the County of San Diego's Office of Disaster Preparedness and Office of Hazardous Materials Management, Dr. Neal Langerman from Advanced Chemical Safety and many others joined the program.

Now they had to market the conference without the support of leading safety and health organizations in town. Their business life, literally days old, faced critical challenges and near extinction. They had decisions to make. Each decision took money out of their business capital. Printing brochures, buying mailing lists, having t-shirts and coffee cups made commemorating the event, room and catering deposits� tens of thousands of dollars invested now needing a return. Will they make it?

Well, fortunately they did, otherwise you wouldn't be reading this story about them right now. It was the United States Postal Service that sent a number of people to their first conference that put them over the top. Talking about on-time deliveries, this was one of them!

The next year, Safety Conference Interactive 2000 grew into a three-day, five-track program as a result of Bob and Dave identifying more resources for their conference. They experienced better than a 30% growth rate. To show appreciation, everyone attending the conference received a commemorative polo shirt. Everyone had a lot of fun. KUSI television covered the event. And everyone rated the conference a big success.

As for Safety Conference Interactive 2002, a sixth program track could have been added to the conference, but first an increased participant level needs to be obtained. For this reason, you can find conference ads in the ASSE Professional Safety Magazine, CWCE Magazine, Industrial Hygiene News and elsewhere.

Mrs. Mona Machit-Lentine, Editor of CWCE Magazine, deserves special recognition for the contributions the CWCE Team is making to benefit Safety Conference Interactive 2002. As does Advanced Chemical Safety, the American Red Cross, the Bureau of National Affairs, MSA, OSHA, Pro Ban Industries, RJ Safety Supply, and others. Thanks goes out to each of these organizations for the contributions they make to promote workplace safety.

From our humble beginnings, a special thanks to Pat Plutner of Affordable Websites and Lhynx International (who now go by the name seen below) for their expertise in web site design and their "can-do" attitude.

The major conference benefactor is the American Red Cross who has received thousands of dollars from conference proceeds. Bob and Dave have also created the Safety Conference Interactive Scholarship Fund to assist people entering into safety-related degree programs at local colleges. This year these funds will be donated to Santana High School in Santee, Ca. and Granite Hills High School in El Cajon, Ca. for just cause.

Other revenue is put towards some operating expenses and future conferences. To date, Bob and Dave both work full-time jobs outside of San Diego Safety Resource and have not received any payment for the time they devote to San Diego Safety Resource or Safety Conference Interactive.

San Diego Safety Resource submitted a request to state and federal agencies to be recognized as a Nonprofit Educational Organization whose mission is to promote workplace safety. Bob and Dave are committed to keeping Safety Conference Interactive as affordable and as valuable a program as possible. Promoting workplace safety is San Diego Safety Resource's # 1 priority.

So, why do Bob and Dave do this? Have you ever shared with someone an idea that you knew was great and would help a lot of people? They did.