Center for Environmental Research and Technology, Inc.

CERTI’s Director Presented with 2019 AARST Governance Award

On September 9, 2019 at the Annual International Radon Symposium in Denver Colorado, CERTI’s Director, Doug Kladder was presented with the AARST Governance Award. This highly prestigious award was presented by AARST President David Daniels for Mr. Kladder’s work over the years and most recently as Chairman of the National Radon Proficiency Program’s Policy Advisory Board. The inscription on the award reads:

For 20+ years of NRPP Leadership & Contributions to Excellence in Radon Professional Certification.

The reference of 20 plus years dates back to the original inception of the National Radon Proficiency Program in 1998 when the US EPA privatized its radon proficiency program. Working in conjunction with the National Environmental Health Association he and Denise Brown, CERTIs Director of Education, created the initial framework of the NRPP that has successfully carried it through the last 20 + years. Since the time that AARST has administered the program, he has maintained his participation on the NRPP Policy Advisory Board. More recently, Mr. Kladder has assumed the role of Chairman of the Policy Advisory Board transitioning it into the NRPP Certification Council as NRPP streamlines its program for the coming years.

The award was a surprise to Mr. Kladder, as he was in the middle of his salad at the annual AARST luncheon meeting when he was called to the stage. Without the ability to prepare remarks in advance he spoke from the heart when he advised the attendees “to remain innovative in their thinking and developing new techniques for measuring and mitigating radon.” He went on to say that the “development of standards and policies provide a good foundation but should not restrain us from thinking outside the box.” And after that a handshake and a heartfelt smile he returned to his salad, thinking the 20 year effort had been worth it.