Patrick Kelly has been part of the fire service since 1974 starting his career in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1974. After retiring as a Battalion Chief in 2000 he was selected as the first Commissioner of Emergency Service for Westchester County, NY managing a department responsible for countywide Fire & EMS training, Haz Mat and Cause & Origin response, countywide 911 Communications and Emergency Management. During the events of 9/11/01 Patrick was responsible to help manage resources responding into NY City to assist FDNY and NY City Emergency Management respond to and recover from the attacks on the World Trade Centers. In February of 2005 Chief Kelly accepted the Fire Chief position in DeLand, Florida, a city of 26,000 people in Central Florida. On November 11, 2008 Chief Kelly was appointed as Fire Chief for the Tucson Arizona Fire Department. This is a large metropolitan fire department with 750 employees covering a city of over 500,000 citizens within approximately 200 square miles in southern Arizona.

Bud Phillips had a childhood dream to be a firefighter. In 1968 he was appointed as a firefighter for the Ridge Road Fire District in Greece, New York. He was the districts first training officer and was instrumental in the formation of the Monroe County Hazardous Materials Response Team in 1984. He was the team commander for almost twenty years. Bud graduated from Monroe Community College with a degree in Fire Protection Technology. In 1989 he became one of the first fire officers in New York State to complete and gain the distinguished title of Executive Fire Officer from the National Fire Academy by completing the Executive Fire Officers Program. Emergency Training Bud has had extensive training in weapons of mass destruction and was one of the original fire officers to travel to Anniston, Alabama for live agent training. Post 9-11 he responded to more than 400 calls from residents and businesses for concerns with white powder during the anthrax scares. In January of 2001 Bud was appointed Chief of the Ridge Road Fire District. When he began working for the district they had an annual call volume of 300 calls, today the district responds to more than 7000 calls a year. In 2003 the chief took a bold step and began to lead his department to become the first Internationally Accredited Fire Department in New York State. In August, 2005, after more than two years of organizational assessment and change, the District was awarded with the distinction of being the first Internationally Accredited Fire Department in NYS and only the 100th department in the country to achieve this distinguished achievement. In 2006 Chief Phillips achieved another International Accreditation milestone by being awarded with the "Chief Fire Officer Designation" (CFOD). Chief Phillips was also presented with the 2006 "Career Fire Chief" of the year award from the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs. In 1988 Bud formed a consulting firm to assist businesses and emergency service organizations with the organizational and response plans issues. As of 2006, he has traveled to Mexico and to Canada as well as around the country assisting with organizations needs. Bud is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Fire Protection Association, the New York State Fire Marshals Association, the National Society of Executive Fire Officers, the Monroe County Fire Chiefs Association, the Monroe County Fire Marshals Association and the Firemans Association of the State of New York. Bud lives in Greece with his wife Georgann. He is the father of four grown daughters and a son, Bud Jr., who is also a firefighter following in his dads footsteps.

 Jo-Ann Lorber is a Battalion Chief – Emergency Manager for the City of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She has been with Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue since January 1996. Chief Lorber holds Associates’ degrees in Liberal Arts and Fire Science Technology, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Management from Florida Atlantic University, and a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a graduate certificate in Human Resource Management from Florida Atlantic University. Chief Lorber is a 2006 graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program (EFOP) and was an Outstanding Applied Research Award winner in 2004 for her paper on Drowning…The Silent Killer of Children. Jo-Ann has been awarded Chief Fire Officer Designation (CFOD) this November and is a member of the Institute of Fire Engineers (MIFireE). Additionally, she is a member of the Broward County Regional EMS Council, the International Fire Chief’s Association (IAFC), Florida Fire Chiefs Association, Florida Executive Fire Officers Association, and the American Society of Public Administrators (ASPA).

Timothy (Tim) Curtis is the Assistant Fire Chief for the City of Beloit, Wisconsin supervising personnel issues, fire and rescue services, and special operations. Tim started his fire service career in 1980 with the City of South Beloit joining the City of Beloit Fire Department in 1988. Tim worked his way up through the ranks from Journeyman Firefighter to his current position. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin- Madison's Paramedic Program, Tim has an Associate Science Degree majoring in Fire Science from Blackhawk Technical College, a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Concordia University Wisconsin majoring in Management and Communication, a Master Science Degree from Grand Canyon University majoring in Executive Fire Service Leadership, is a graduate of the United States Fire Administration's Executive Fire Officer Program, and the University of Wisconsin- Madison's Certified Public Manager Program. In July 2007 Tim was awarded the Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and is a "Member" of the Institution of Fire Engineers (MIFireE). Locally, Tim was the Charter President of the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System (MABAS) Division 104 for Rock County, is currently the Vice Chair of the Rock County Local Emergency Planning Commission, a member of the Rock County Terror-Core Committee, the Rock County Hazardous Material Response Committee, and is an adjunct faculty member for Concordia University Wisconsin.

James M. (Jim) Trainor is a 35-year veteran of the fire service and is currently the Fire Chief of the City of Meriden, CT, Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Before becoming the Fire Chief in Meriden he was the Assistant Fire Chief of the Waterbury, CT, Fire Department, where he served for 32 years. Chief Trainor holds a Bachelors Degree in Fire Science from Charter Oak State College, and a Master Degree in Executive Fire Officer Leadership from Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ. He is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program (EFO) in 1996 and holds his Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, is a member of the CT Career Fire Chief's Association, and the CT Association of Fire Chiefs. In addition to being a member of the Board of Directors of the National Society of Executive Fire Officers (NSEFO), Chief Trainor is the current 2nd Vice President of the New England Association of Fire Chiefs. A member of Rotary International, Chief Trainor is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Meriden Salvation Army and the Meriden/Wallingford United Way.

Trey Mayo serves as fire chief for the City of Rocky Mount Fire Department in North Carolina. A third generation firefighter, he began his fire service career in 1989 as a volunteer in his hometown of Plymouth, NC. While in college, he volunteered with both the Carrboro Fire-Rescue Department and South Orange Rescue Squad. In 1996, Mayo joined the City of Raleigh Fire Department; he was named valedictorian of the 1996 Raleigh Fire Academy. During his eleven-year tenure in Raleigh, Mayo rose to the rank of captain and served as vice president of the Raleigh Professional Fire Fighters’ Association for eight years. Over the eight-year span, the Association was awarded Local of the Year and was twice recognized with the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of North Carolina’s Emergency Services Award. In December 2006, Mayo returned to Carrboro Fire-Rescue and served as Deputy Chief until May 2010.

Mayo holds an Associate of Applied Science in Fire Protection Technology from Wilson Technical Community College, a Bachelor of Arts in Industrial Relations from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Master of Arts in Public Administration from North Carolina State University. He completed the Executive Fire Officer Program in 2007.

Chief Fahd’s career in the fire service began approximately 44 years ago with the City of Albany Fire Department. Joe joined the ranks of the Albany Fire Department in 1966 as a firefighter. He began his journey through the ranks becoming Lieutenant in 1974, Captain in 1982 and Deputy Chief in 1994. Retiring from the department after 35 years of dedicated service in 2002. While Captain of the Albany Fire Department Chief Fahd obtained an Associates degree in Fire Science from Corning Community College, Joe is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy in Emmetsburg Maryland completing the Executive Fire Officer Program.

Phil Paige is the Fire Chief for the City of Newport, on the Oregon coast. He began his career in 1980 as a Firefighter/EMT in Woodinville, WA and progressed through the ranks to Battalion Chief. In 2004, he moved to Vista, CA, where he served as Administrative Deputy Chief. He joined the Redding Fire Department in 2008 as Deputy Chief /Fire Marshal, and served there as Deputy Chief/ Operations.

Phil’s education includes degrees in Fire Science, Business Administration, and a Master of Public Administration. He is designated as a Chief Fire Officer, and has completed the National Fire Academy’s EFO program as well as the State and Local Government program at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Helen Johnson has a long history with the fire service in the State of Texas.  She served as the Executive Director of the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association from 1997 – 2006.  Prior to that, she was appointed to the position of State of Texas Firefighters Pension Commissioner by Governors William Clements, Ann Richards, and George W. Bush.  Helen began her career in the Austin Fire Department and served as Executive Assistant to the Fire Chief from 1980-1987.

In 1990, Helen graduated Magna Cum Laude from St. Edwards University in Austin with a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration.  She is 1989 graduate of the Executive Fire Office Program from the National Fire Academy.  She is also a 1993 graduate of the Texas Governor’s Executive Development Class XI.

Helen is one of the Founding members of the National Society of Executive Fire Officers (NSEFO) and served on the Board for ten years.  She currently serves as Chair of the National Fire Academy Board of Visitors.  She serves on the WPI Firefighters Fund Board of Directors and served for 25 years as an Instructor at Fire Training School at Texas A&M University.

Among her many awards, she has been included in Who’s Who in American Women, Personalities of the South, and 2000 Notable Women.  She received the 2004 Muscular Dystrophy Association Women’s Leadership Award, and received a Certificate of Appreciation from FDNY Ladder 5, Engine 24, in 2002 for her work with that Firehouse in the aftermath of 9-11.  In 2011 she received the “Heroes, Legends & Leaders” Award from the Gary Tilton Firefighters Foundation in Texas. 

Helen is a published author and a speaker for fire service events and women’s events.  She currently serves in an appointed position on the Travis County Tax Appraisal Review Board.  She resides in Austin Texas.