Past AECs

The NEHA Annual Educational Conference (AEC) & Exhibition is the premier environmental health conference that brings together professionals from around the globe to learn and discuss current and emerging environmental health topics and issues. Each AEC highlights how local agencies, industries, and levels of government are working to ensure the safety of the public and environment, and how they contribute to the advancement of the environmental health profession.

The AEC is made up of educational sessions spanning the field of environmental health, as well as an exhibition to view the latest products and services relevant to environmental health and numerous networking opportunities to reconnect with old friends and create new friendships.

The first AEC was held on June 25, 1937, in Long Beach, California. Since that time, 83 AECs have been held across the U.S., including Hawaii, Alaska, and Canada. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the first AEC to be canceled was the 2020 AEC to be held in New York City, New York. We held our first fully virtual AEC in 2021.

Over Eight Decades of NEHA Conferences

The first NEHA annual meeting, now called the Annual Educational Conference (AEC) & Exhibition, was held on June 25, 1937, in Long Beach, California. Since that time, NEHA (known as the National Association of Sanitarians [NAS] prior to 1970) has held 83 AECs in 30 different states; Washington, DC; and Canada. The most AECs have been held in California (14), followed by Colorado (5), Florida (5), Nevada (5), Ohio (4), and Texas (4).

Below is a listing of past AECs by decade. Links to past AEC summaries published in The Sanitarian or Journal of Environmental Health have been included. These summaries provide a rich history of the evolution of the AEC, relevant topics within the profession and association, award winners and notables, and images from our past.

1930s

1937: June 25 | Long Beach, California
1938: December 10| Phoenix, Arizona | NAS 1938 AEC Report (PDF)
1939: July 28–30 | Oakland, California | NAS 1939 AEC Report (PDF)

1940s

1940: September 20–22 | Bakersfield, California | NAS 1940 AEC Report (PDF)
1941: October 11–13 | Sacramento, California | NAS 1941 AEC Report (PDF)
1942: October 16–18 | Los Angeles, California | NAS 1942 AEC Report (PDF)
1943: October 17–19 | San Francisco, California | NAS 1943 AEC Report (PDF)
1944: September 17–19 | Long Beach, California | NAS 1944 AEC Report (PDF)
1945: October 12–13 | El Centro, California | NAS 1945 AEC Report (PDF)
1946: August 13–15 | Seattle, Washington | NAS 1946 AEC Report (PDF)
1947: September 15–17 | Salt Lake City, Utah | NAS 1947 AEC Report (PDF)
1948: July 7–9 | Portland, Oregon | NAS 1948 AEC Report (PDF)
1949: August 15–18 | Los Angeles, California | NAS 1949 AEC Report (PDF)

1950s

1950: August 22–24 | St. Louis, Missouri | NAS 1950 AEC Report (PDF)
1951: August 21–24 | Miami Beach, Florida |
1952: September 1–5 | Denver, Colorado | NAS 1952 AEC Report (PDF)
1953: September 7–11 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | NAS 1953 AEC Report (PDF)
1954: August 16–20 | New Orleans, Louisiana | NAS 1954 AEC Report (PDF)
1955: August 22–26 | Boston, Massachusetts | NAS 1955 AEC Report (PDF)
1956: July 23–26 | Chicago, Illinois | NAS 1956 AEC Report (PDF)
1957: July 14–19 | Seattle, Washington | NAS 1957 AEC Report (PDF)
1958: July 28–August 1 | New York City, New York | NAS 1958 AEC Report (PDF)
1959: June 22–26 | Miami Beach, Florida | NAS 1959 AEC Report (PDF)

1960s

1960: July 18–22 | San Francisco, California | NAS 1960 AEC Report (PDF)
1961: July 9–14 | St. Louis, Missouri | NAS 1961 AEC Report (PDF)
1962: June 18–22 | Cincinnati, Ohio | NAS 1962 AEC Report (PDF)
1963: June 23–28 | Honolulu, Hawaii | NAS 1963 AEC Report (PDF)
1964: June 28–July 3 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | NAS 1964 AEC Report (PDF)
1965: June 20–24 | Miami Beach, Florida | NAS 1965 AEC Report (PDF)
1966: June 12–16 | Chicago, Illinois | NAS 1966 AEC Report (PDF)
1967: July 2–7 | Denver, Colorado | NAS 1967 AEC Report (PDF)
1968: June 23–28 | Washington, DC | NAS 1968 AEC Report (PDF)
1969: June 22–27 | Houston, Texas | NAS 1969 AEC Report (PDF)

1970s

1970: June 21–26 | Las Vegas, Nevada | NEHA 1970 AEC Report (PDF)
1971: June 26–July 2 | Portland, Oregon | NEHA 1971 AEC Report (PDF)
1972: July 2–7 | New York City, New York | NEHA 1972 AEC Report (PDF)
1973: June 23–27 | Atlanta, Georgia | NEHA 1973 AEC Report (PDF)
1974: June 23–27 | Cincinnati, Ohio | NEHA 1974 AEC Report (PDF)
1975: June 29–July 3| Minneapolis, Minnesota | NEHA 1975 AEC Report (PDF)
1976: June 27–July 1 | Nashville, Tennessee | NEHA 1976 AEC Report (PDF)
1977: June 25–July 1 | San Diego, California | NEHA 1977 AEC Report (PDF)
1978: June 24–29 | Snowmass, Colorado | NEHA 1978 AEC Report (PDF)
1979: June 23–28 | Charleston, South Carolina | NEHA 1979 AEC Report (PDF)

1980s

1980: July 27–30 | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | NEHA 1980 AEC Report (PDF)
1981: June 27–July 2 | Phoenix, Arizona | NEHA 1981 AEC Report (PDF)
[Note. The title on the first page of the PDF is "1982 Annual Conference," which is an error as the report is for the 1981 Annual Conference.]
1982: June 19–23 | New Orleans, Louisiana | NEHA 1982 AEC Report (PDF)
1983: July 9–14 | Norfolk, Virginia | NEHA 1983 AEC Report (PDF)
1984: June 24–28 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | NEHA 1984 AEC Report (PDF)
1985: June 23–27 | Las Vegas, Nevada | NEHA 1985 AEC Report (PDF)
1986: June 14–18 | Hartford, Connecticut | NEHA 1986 AEC Report (PDF)
1987: June 14–18 | San Diego, California | NEHA 1987 AEC Report (PDF)
1988: June 25–30 | Cleveland, Ohio | NEHA 1988 AEC Report (PDF)
1989: June 24–29 | Seattle, Washington | NEHA 1989 AEC Report (PDF)

1990s

1990: June 23–28 | Charlotte, North Carolina | NEHA 1990 AEC Report (PDF)
1991: June 22–27 | Portland, Oregon | NEHA 1991 AEC Report (PDF)
1992: July 11–15 | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | NEHA 1992 AEC Report (PDF)
1993: June 26–30 | Orlando, Florida | NEHA 1993 AEC Report (PDF)
1994: June 18–22 | Fort Worth, Texas | NEHA 1994 AEC Report (PDF)
1995: June 24–28 | Denver, Colorado | NEHA 1995 AEC Report (PDF)
1996: June 30–July 3 | Chicago, Illinois | NEHA 1996 AEC Report (PDF)
1997: June 28–July 2 | Washington, DC | NEHA 1997 AEC Report (PDF)
1998: June 27–July 1 | Las Vegas, Nevada | NEHA 1998 AEC Report (PDF)
1999: July 6–9 | Nashville, Tennessee | NEHA 1999 AEC Report (PDF)

2000s

2000: June 15–19 | Denver, Colorado | NEHA 2000 AEC Report (PDF)
2001: June 28–July 3 | Atlanta, Georgia | NEHA 2001 AEC Report (PDF)
2002: June 30–July 3 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | NEHA 2002 AEC Report (PDF)
2003: June 8–11 | Reno, Nevada | NEHA 2003 AEC Report (PDF)
2004: May 9–12 | Anchorage, Alaska | NEHA 2004 AEC Report (PDF)
2005: June 26–29 | Providence, Rhode Island | NEHA 2005 AEC Report (PDF)
2006: June 25–28 | San Antonio, Texas | NEHA 2006 AEC Report (PDF)
2007: June 18–21 | Atlantic City, New Jersey | NEHA 2007 AEC Report (PDF)
2008: June 22–25 | Tucson, Arizona | NEHA 2008 AEC Report (PDF)
2009: June 21–24 | Atlanta, Georgia | NEHA 2009 AEC Report (PDF)

2010s

2010: June 6–9 | Albuquerque, New Mexico | NEHA 2010 AEC Report (PDF)
2011: June 18–20 | Columbus, Ohio | NEHA 2011 AEC Report (PDF)
2012: June 28–30 | San Diego, California | NEHA 2012 AEC Report (PDF)
2013: July 9–11 | Washington, DC | NEHA 2013 AEC Report (PDF)
2014: July 7–10 | Las Vegas, NV | NEHA 2014 AEC Wrap-Up (PDF)
2015: July 13–15 | Orlando, Florida | NEHA 2015 AEC Wrap-Up
2016: June 13–16 | San Antonio, Texas | NEHA 2016 AEC Wrap-Up
2017: July 10–13 | Grand Rapids, Michigan | NEHA 2017 AEC Wrap-Up
2018: June 25–28 | Anaheim, California | NEHA 2018 AEC Wrap-Up
2019: July 9–12 | Nashville, Tennessee | NEHA 2019 AEC Wrap-Up

2020s

2020: July 13–16 | New York City, New York [Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic]
2021: April 20–21, June 1–2, and July 14–15 | NEHA 2021 AEC Three-Part Virtual Series Wrap-Up
2022: June 28–July 1 | Spokane, Washington | NEHA 2022 AEC Wrap-Up
2023: July 31–August 3 | New Orleans, Louisiana | NEHA 2023 AEC Wrap-Up