NSF International, a global leader in food safety solutions, has announced the recipients of the 2010 Food Safety Leadership Awards. The winners will receive their awards at the 2010 Food Safety Summit in Washington, D.C. (Award ceremony is 9:45 a.m. EST, Wednesday, April 14th in Washington D.C. Convention Center’s Keynote Theatre).

NSF is an independent, not-for-profit organization committed to protecting and improving public health and safety, with a focus on food, drinking water, indoor air and the environment. As part of this commitment, NSF created the Food Safety Leadership Awards (FSLA) program to encourage the development of innovative technologies and learning programs that advance food safety efforts.

Each year, NSF solicits nominations from throughout the food safety community and convenes an independent panel of food safety experts from academia, industry and the regulatory community to select the winners. Nominations are evaluated on creativity, innovation, design and the contributions made to the advancement of food safety. This year, six individuals or organizations will be recognized in the categories of outstanding innovation in: “Training,” “Equipment Design,” “System Improvement,” and “Education.”

The 2010 Food Safety Leadership Award Winner:

Innovation in Education, William Marler, Managing Partner, Marler Clark, LLP, PS

For over 17 years, foodborne illness attorney Bill Marler has helped thousands of people suffering from serious disabilities caused by foodborne illness. Using the power of information, Marler devotes his time and effort to keeping awareness high by way of the Internet, media, public appearances and newsletters. This includes informational blogs and websites that educate the public about foodborne pathogens, including E-coli, salmonella and hepatitis, Marler’s Marlerblog.com and the web-based newsletter foodsafetynews.com. In 1998, Marler and his partners at Marler Clark founded Outbreak, Inc., a non-profit dedicated to training companies on how to prevent foodborne illness. Marler frequently speaks on the topic of food safety to public and environmental health groups and participates in panels, forums and symposiums to share food safety information. Through his efforts, Bill Marler has helped transform people’s experiences with foodborne illness into advocacy and his passion for educational outreach has proven to be one of the best tools for change.