The deadline to submit your nomination for the 2024 ISSA Emerging Leaders Awards is quickly approaching. Highlight exceptional individuals who are driving positive change and shaping the future of your organization and the industry by July 31. By nominating an Emerging Leader, you’ll not only recognize some of the top talent impacting the market, but you’ll also bring awareness and recognition to your organization.

Take a moment to reflect on the young professionals who have impressed you with their vision, dedication, and innovative approach. This is your opportunity to celebrate their contributions and support their continued growth and success.

The inaugural awards program is a complimentary benefit for all current ISSA members across the cleaning industry supply chain—including manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, distributors, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners, and associated service members—who are proven leaders in their field. Nominations are open to anyone employed by an ISSA member company who will be younger than 40 years old as of November 30.

ISSA members are invited to nominate individuals and complete a short questionnaire at issa.com/EmergingLeaders. Self-nominations are also accepted. The winning submissions will be selected by the ISSA Emerging Leaders Committee and notified in early October.

The 2024 ISSA Emerging Leaders will be recognized in Las Vegas this November as part of ISSA Show North America 2024. This year’s winners also will be featured in an article in the November/December edition of the association’s member magazine, ISSA Today, and across ISSA’s social media channels.

For more information on the ISSA Emerging Leaders Awards and to submit a nomination, visit issa.com/EmergingLeaders.

The third human case of bird flu was identified in June, making it the second case in Michigan and the third associated with an ongoing, multi-state outbreak of bird flu in dairy cows. All human cases have been found in dairy farm workers exposed to infected cows.

In turn, U.S. federal and state agencies are planning to conduct research into potential respiratory spread of bird flu among dairy cattle. Last week, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development began to offer dairy operations with bird flu up to US$28,000 to work with federal and state government agencies to investigate how bird flu was introduced into their operations to research how the virus spreads. This correlates with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommendation for heightened testing for influenza this summer—especially influenza A virus.

Since 2020, bird flu has become endemic in bird populations, causing an animal pandemic affecting at least 26 mammal species, The Lancet reported. It spread to dairy cows this year, and as of June 20, bird flu has been confirmed in 115 dairy cow herds across 12 U.S. states, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. In response, 24 companies are working to develop a bird flu vaccine for cattle, Reuters reported.

Tests so far indicate that the virus detected in dairy cattle is the same clade that has been affecting wild birds and commercial poultry flocks. The same virus has also been sporadically detected in several species of wild mammals, including mice and neonatal goats. The virus has also affected domestic animals, with sick or dead cats testing positive for bird flu on dairy farms. Alpacas, which were near bird flu-affected poultry, also tested positive.

A growing concern across the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed bird flu cases in humans in India, Australia, and Mexico. But the virus has not spread easily among humans, with 893 human cases—including 11 this year—reported since 2003, WHO reported.