Brian Wanzenried

About Brian Wanzenried

With over 34 years of environmental, health and safety experience, I have dedicated my career to advancing Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) standards across a wide range of industrial sectors. I currently lead a team of EHS professionals responsible for ensuring safety, sustainability, and compliance at nearly 100 industrial facilities across the United States and Mexico.Throughout my career, I have had the privilege of working with diverse industrial companies and government agencies, tackling complex EHS challenges such as cleanup, compliance, industrial hygiene, natural resource management, occupational and process safety, site assessments, and training. My work has taken me to 45 different U.S. states and five continents, giving me a global perspective on EHS practices and regulatory environments.For the first 18 years of my career, I served in various consulting roles, where I provided strategic guidance to clients across multiple industries. For the past 15 years, I have been working directly within the industry, leveraging my consulting experience to drive internal EHS initiatives that enhance safety culture, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote sustainable practices.I am passionate about creating safer workplaces leveraging human organizational performance philosophies, reducing environmental impacts, and helping organizations achieve their EHS goals. My approach is grounded in a deep commitment to continuous improvement, innovation, and the belief that strong EHS performance is key to long-term business success.As my career evolved from hands-on EHS work to teaching and mentoring the next generation of professionals, I identified a growing need for accessible educational resources in the field. This realization inspired me to author EHS Principles and Practice, a free online book specifically designed to support those entering the EHS profession.

Experience

1. Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety

   Viterra

   Feb 2023 — Present · Omaha, NE, US

   As Vice President of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), I lead a talented team of EHS professionals across nearly 100 industrial sites. With a focus on transformational leadership, I inspire and empower my team to drive safety, sustainability, and compliance with a shared vision of operational excellence.

Education

• University of Nebraska-Lincoln

  Masters of Science, Environmental Engineering

  1996 — 1998

• Washington University in St. Louis

  Bachelors of Science, Chemical Engineering

  1987 — 1991

Skills

• Spil Prevention Control and Countermeasures Plans
• Noise Control
• Emergency Action Plans
• Global Harmonization Standard
• Chemical Data Reporting
• Process Safety Management
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Air Permitting
• Hazardous Materials
• Hazardous Waste Management
• Remediation
• Environmental Reserves and Asset Retirement Obligations
• Hazard Communications
• Toxic Substance Control Act
• Confined Space
• Ozone Depleting Substances
• Safety Management Systems
• Sustainability
• Wetlands
• Contingency Planning
• Multimedia Audits
• Asbestos
• Environmental Compliance
• Underground Storage Tanks
• Clean Air Act
• Facility Response Plans
• Environmental Cleanup and Remediation
• Lockout Tagout
• Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
• Ehs
• Safety Culture
• Rcra
• Risk Assessment
• Incident Investigation
• Threatened and Endangered Species
• Clean Water Act
• Health and Safety Program Development
• Toxic Release Inventory
• Waste Management
• Environmental Engineering