The Central Ohio Association of Occupational Health Nurses was founded November 17, 1967 in Marion, Ohio, under the leadership of Nancy Spicer, RN.  She was the active Membership Secretary of the Ohio Association of Industrial Nurses.  At this organizational meeting, nine counties were designated from which the membership would be constituted.  The first membership meeting was held  January 11, 1968.  At that time, two more counties were included within the geographical boundaries of the association, thus making eleven the total number of counties to be represented.  September 29, 1968, Central Ohio became a constituent member of both the Ohio Association of Industrial Nurses and the American Association of Industrial Nurses, Inc.  
There were nineteen charter members.  

    In 1977, the association's name was changed from Industrial Nurses to Occupational Health Nurses--a name determined to be more appropriately descriptive of nurses involved in this branch of community health.  Most recently, COAOHN's geographical boundaries were redrawn in February 1999 to include seven rather than twelve counties due to a new AAOHN and OAOHN chapter, North Central Ohio Association of Occupational Health Nurses (NCOAOHN).  COAOHN is proud that several of its members were among the founding leaders of NCOAOHN.