EPCHS Alum In The Spotlight: Ryan Puttkammer, Class Of 2015

EVERGREEN PARK, IL — The career path of Evergreen Park Community High School 2015 graduate Ryan Puttkammer has been driven by a genuine desire to help others and create safer environments. That’s precisely what he’s doing in his current role as a safety manager at Amazon.

“A safety manager is responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing workplace health and safety programs to ensure a safe environment for all employees,” Puttkammer said. “They identify potential hazards, conduct safety inspections, and ensure compliance with federal, state, and company safety regulations.”

Puttkammer’s path to the role in which he currently serves includes a start as an EMT, where he gained diverse experiences working on ambulances, in emergency rooms, and on FEMA deployments and with Amazon itself as a contract EMT for the multi-tech giant.

With Amazon, Puttkammer discovered a strong passion for workplace health and safety, leading to a two-year stint as an Amazon medical representative. After his two-year “Amaversary,” he was promoted to an entry-level environmental health and safety specialist role and two years after that became a safety manager.

Key duties in his current role include conducting risk assessments, leading safety training sessions, investigating incidents or near-misses, maintaining safety documentation, and collaborating with management to improve safety culture.

“Ultimately, a Safety Manager’s goal is to prevent accidents, promote employee well-being, and ensure the organization operates safely and efficiently,” he said.

Puttkammer’s desire to help others and create safer environments is a value he “first recognized and admired in the dedicated faculty at EPCHS whose commitment to student well-being left a lasting impression on me.”

Puttkammer credits many of his EPCHS teachers for helping shape him into the hard worker he is today, specifically mentioning Mrs. Knitter, Mr. Swan, Mrs. Sekhri, Mr. Gallagher, Mr. Gustafson, Mr. Pembroke and Mrs. Granata.

“Two lifelong best friends and I, with guidance from Mr. Swan, created a ‘homemade’ Stanley Cup in his workshop at the start of the NHL playoffs,” Puttkammer remembers. “At the time, many joked that we were tempting fate by crafting the trophy too early and risking a curse on the Blackhawks.

However, after each playoff series victory, we proudly carried our handmade Cup through the halls, celebrating alongside our classmates. When the Blackhawks ultimately won the championship, we couldn’t help but feel a small sense of pride—as if our creation had brought them a bit of good luck.”

Ten years later, hockey remains a big part of Puttkammer’s life.

In 2022, he began a semi-professional inline hockey career with the Denver Prowlers of the Professional Inline Hockey Association and after two years with the Prowlers returned to the Chicagoland area to join the Chicago Edge of the Midwest Inline Hockey Association.

“I’ve been proud to continue my career with this organization,” Puttkammer said. “My goal is to help lead the Chicago Edge to a championship through hard work, strong leadership and the experience I’ve gained along the way.”

At Amazon, Puttkammer’s long-term goal is to advance into a Regional Safety Manager role, “where I can help shape and lead broader safety initiatives across multiple sites.

“In the short term, I am focused on completing my safety education and training to prepare for my next promotion, positioning me one step closer to achieving that regional leadership goal.”

Advice For Current EPCHS Students

“Give your absolute best effort in everything you do. While I don’t regret any of my life choices, if I had the chance to go back, I would dedicate myself with the same level of focus and determination that I have today. At the same time, don’t take everything too seriously. Throughout life, people will challenge you, judge you, and try to get under your skin—but that’s simply part of the journey. Stay true to yourself, live the way you want to live, and always strive to do your best.”