Summitt County, Utah (October 6, 2023) — Grant Koford, our Environmental Health Director, was awarded by the Utah Environmental Health Association (UEHA) the Pickett-Webb Memorial Award. This award recognizes outstanding achievement in the field of environmental health and is the most prestigious environmental health award in Utah. Congratulations Grant! We are honored to have you be a part of our team!
Grant’s Nomination:
Grant graduated in 1986 with a B.S. in Secondary Education/English/Physical Education, and started his professional career journey as a High School teacher and Basketball coach. During this time, he returned to Utah State where he earned a Master’s Degree, in Exercise Physiology/Cardiac Rehabilitation. He began his career in Public Health Education at the Bear River Health Department in 1989 where he worked in tobacco education, Playground safety, and cholesterol testing and education. In 1991, an Environmental Health Scientist opportunity became available at Bear River Health Department. A good friend who happened to be the Environmental Health Director, Joel Hoyt, helped influence Grant to make a career change and become an Environmental Health Scientist. Grant Koford has been an active Licensed Environmental Health Scientist since that time.
As an employee of Bear River Health Department. Grant has worked in and managed the following Environmental Health Programs: Air Quality, Mosquito Control, Drinking Water, Swimming Pools, Used Oil, Food Service, Indoor Air Quality, Housing, Onsite Wastewater, Emissions, harmful Algal Blooms, Mass Gatherings, and Radon. Of these programs, Grant is recognized throughout the State as a leading expert in Air Quality.
Cache Valley had a significant air quality problem before people knew the dangers of particulate matter. Air quality became an emerging public health issue in the 1990’s which is when Grant was assigned the opportunity to work in helping create an air quality program at Bear River Health Department. Grant fully invested himself in trying to better understand the emerging air quality issues happening in Cache Valley. He worked with the Division of Air Quality, Utah State University Professionals, and participated in national air quality education forums. Grant co-authored with Dr. Randy Martin of Utah State University an Air and Waste Management Association publication: Ambient Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10) in Northern Utah’s Cache Valley. Grant took ownership of the significant air quality health effects happening in Cache Valley by helping organize and operate an effective air quality educational campaign. Grant’s educational efforts helped people see and understand the negative health effects of poor air quality. Society policy and regulatory controls such as smoking vehicles, wood burning restrictions, and vehicle emissions programs began to take hold. Protecting air quality is recognized by the people of Cache Valley as a continuous goal, always on the forefront. Grant remains active to the present day in learning and helping to manage air quality efforts.
Grant personifies the UEHA standards by being a champion for air quality. Grant also personifies the UEHA standards by fully investing in all environmental health programs including swimming pools, drinking water, and onsite wastewater. Grant has served as the Environmental Health Director for the Bear River Health Department since 2009.