NMSHMM Mission Statement and Chapter History
Mission Statement
The mission of the New Mexico Society of Hazardous Materials
Managers (NMSHMM) is to provide environmental professionals in the
Southwest a forum for professional development, education, and
networking opportunities; and to offer our community environmental,
health, and safety expertise.
Chapter History - A Marriage of Two Organizations
The New Mexico Society of Hazardous Materials Managers (NMSHMM) has
an interesting history. NMSHMM was formed in 1998 as the marriage of
two parent organizations, the former New Mexico Hazardous Waste
Management Society (NMHWMS) and the Roadrunner Chapter of the
Alliance of Hazardous Materials Professionals (AHMP - formerly the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers).
The New Mexico Hazardous Waste Management Society
The NMHWMS was formed in Albuquerque in 1984 as a professional
organization of persons involved in the hazardous waste management
field. This organizations served as a forum for interaction among
professionals of widely varying endeavors and perspectives.
Membership included members of academia, employees of our National
Laboratories, public employees, and private consultants. Over the
years, the NMHWMS established itself as the premier professional
organization in the state, at one time claiming over 200 members.
The Roadrunner Chapter of the AHMP
The Roadrunner Chapter of the Alliance of Hazardous Materials
Professionals (AHMP - formerly the Academy of Certified Hazardous Materials Managers, see National Links) was formed in 1997 as the New
Mexico Chapter of a nationally recognized professional organization of certified
hazardous materials managers. The founders of the Roadrunner Chapter recognized
that the goals of the NMHWMS and the Roadrunner Chapter were similar, and
approached the NMHWMS in 1997 with the idea of forming an alliance of the two
organizations. The NMHWMS accepted the Roadrunner Chapter as a committee,
charging it with developing additional opportunities for the membership,
including the nationally recognized CHMM certification.
The New Mexico Society of Hazardous Materials
Managers
With similar missions, members recognized the benefits of the
affiliation and also the complications resulting from the two organizations
attempting to coexist with each other. Consequently, the NMHWMS and the
Roadrunner Chapter merged in 1998 to form NMSHMM. The merger, which included a
rewrite of the Roadrunner Chapter’s bylaws, was effected with a majority vote of
the membership. One of the major goals of the new bylaws was to maintain a
membership arrangement that continued to encourage participation and
professional growth of CHMM and non-CHMM members. The national organization
requires each chapter to have CHMMs as officers. NMSHMM bylaws incorporate this
provision by recognizing two types of membership: "Certified" and "Affiliate."
The only difference between the types is that as Certified members, CHMMs may
hold elective offices. Affiliate members (non-CHMMs) still enjoy all the
benefits of membership, including the opportunity to serve as Committee Chairs
and At-Large Directors, but may not serve as President, President-Elect,
Secretary or Treasurer until the CHMM certification is obtained.
More Than the Sum of Its Parts
The NMHWMS was a large, well-respected statewide organization
with a proud history. The Roadrunner Chapter of AHMP was a new chapter of a
highly regarded national organization with energetic leadership and the support
of a large national network of certified environmental professionals. The end
product of the marriage, NMSHMM, is the premier organization of environmental
professionals in the state, with the backing and support of a national
accrediting organization (the Institute of Hazardous Materials Management
[IHMM]), a national CHMM membership organization (AHMP) and a reinvigorated
membership. NMSHMM is positioned to lead the development of the environmental
professional in New Mexico well into the future.