CHAIR Renewal and Enhanced Strategic Direction

TORONTO, March 29, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In 2014, CHAIR (Coalition for Healthcare Acquired Infection Reduction) was founded. The mission at that time was to save lives and support the creation of a safe healthcare environment for Canadian patients, staff, and visitors by achieving an 80% reduction in healthcare acquired infections (HAIs) by 2024. Over the past 8 years, with the help of its leadership and members, CHAIR has completed many milestones with successful accomplishments.

“Richard Dixon and I, in 2014, saw that there needed to be a voice and representation in Canada to promote science-based and proven solutions for disinfection in Healthcare,” said Barry Hunt, cofounder of CHAIR. “The past 2 years of the COVID19 pandemic has shown us we need to expand our focus.”

Over the past six months, CHAIR (Coalition for Healthcare Acquired Infection Reduction) has been going through a thoughtful and comprehensive renewal with the assistance of LIFT Impact Partners and several stakeholder workshop meetings. One of the critical strategic issues brought forward was expanding our focus from just healthcare into the community. Appropriately, we have a new Vision: “Safe Spaces, free from pathogens”, a new Mission: “Inspire and guide research-based engineered solutions”, and a new name CHAIR: The Coalition for Community & Healthcare Acquired Infection Reduction.

CHAIR’s new Strategic Roadmap for 2022 – 2026 will be led by Steve Reinecke, selected as the new Interim Executive Director. Steve will work with Barry and Richard to recruit additional Board members to bring CHAIR’s new focus and mission to Canadian Healthcare and the Community.

“The planning and great work done by LIFT and our stakeholders during the past 6 months is now ready to be implemented. We are excited about the new mission and focus for CHAIR, and the leadership Steve Reinecke brings to this organization,” said Richard Dixon, cofounder of CHAIR.

Steve Reinecke is a Clinical Scientist and business consultant and shares his time between his small hometown of Strathroy, Ontario and his boat in Sarnia, Ontario. Steve has worked for international companies in the healthcare industry, traveling to over 30 countries. He currently works as the Chief Scientist and Regulatory Compliance Officer at Proximity Systems / UV-Clean in Houston, Texas, USA. Steve is a Certified Professional of Health Information Management Systems (HIMSS – CPHIMS) and is working toward his APIC CIC Certification. In 2019, Steve authored a paper on the use of small UVC disinfection technologies in Healthcare which garnered industry accolades and international recognition. Steve is currently authoring a paper on his testing and experiences over the past 18 months with COVID19 disinfection practices. He will be authoring a study comparing enhanced liquid disinfection practices and automated UVC light devices on high-touch surfaces in retail, transportation, and other public settings.

“I am excited to be the Executive Director of CHAIR,” said Reinecke, “I have so much respect and admiration for the work Richard and Barry have done. I am humbled to be asked to continue their work and the new expanded mission.”

For further information:
Steve Reinecke
[email protected]