Front Row left to right: Safety Director Occupational Safety & Health Crystal Battles, Senior Executive Officer Legal and Compliance Brian Danker, Chief Gary Batton (displaying the award). Back Row Outside left to right: Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr., Senior Director of Safety Drea Matson, Executive Director of Risk Management Daron Sharp.
Choctaw Nation Photo

Front Row left to right: Safety Director Occupational Safety & Health Crystal Battles, Senior Executive Officer Legal and Compliance Brian Danker, Chief Gary Batton (displaying the award). Back Row Outside left to right: Assistant Chief Jack Austin, Jr., Senior Director of Safety Drea Matson, Executive Director of Risk Management Daron Sharp.

Choctaw Nation Selected for Industry Leader Award by National Safety Council

Published August 1, 2024

DURANT, Okla. – The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is one of only 35 organizations in the U.S. selected by the National Safety Council to receive a 2024 Industry Leader Award for excellent safety performance. Winners were chosen for this special recognition based on their safety performance and represent the top 5% of National Safety Council member companies.

The National Safety Council chooses the winners each year based on the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code, lowest total incidence rate and employee work hours.

“This is a great example of exercising our sovereignty by self-regulation and implementation of a strong safety program,” Brian Danker, Legal and Compliance Senior Executive Officer says. “This recognition highlights that when our associates come to work, they and their families know they will be protected and are very unlikely to suffer any debilitating injury requiring extensive time-off from work. It’s another great reason why we are an ‘Employer of Choice.'”

In making the announcement of this year’s winners of this prestigious honor, National Safety Council Director of Membership Kristin Witters said, “This year’s winners exemplify what it means to protect employees from death and injury at work by making safety a top priority.”

“We are proud and honored to be recognized as one of the safest places to work in the U.S.,” says Choctaw Nation Occupational Safety and Health (CNOSH) Senior Director Andreasen Matson, “But our biggest reward is seeing every associate go home to their families every day after another safe work shift at the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.”