FARRWEST - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Trainer
- President of Gayle Training Solutions
Lieutenant Brandon Gayle began his fire service career in 1997 with the City of Raleigh Fire Department and has served as a HazMat Specialist for the department since 1999. He became a certified Fire Service Instructor for the North Carolina Office of the State Fire Marshal in the field of Hazardous Materials Response in 2006 and has been training emergency responders ever since.
Mr. Gayle is also the President of Gayle Training Solutions, LLC which opened in 2011 and provides training and consulting services for several instrument manufacturers and distributors. Mr. Gayle has had the privilege of training Fire, EMS, LE, EOD and HazMat responders as well as Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, both nationally and internationally, in most disciplines of hazardous materials and CBRNE response with a focus on detection and identification technologies.
Mr. Gayle is OEM certified to teach air monitor maintenance and repair, chemical response software, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (solid, liquid, and gas), Raman spectroscopy, ion mobility spectroscopy, high pressure mass spectrometry, gas chromatography mass spectrometry and radiological monitoring and isotope identification technologies. His specialty is teaching how to integrate data from modern technologies and apply it to risk assessment, making for safer and faster incident mitigation.
Dana von Kolen retired after 25 years on the Phoenix Fire Department including 23 years on the Phoenix Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team. He has been an instructor for the 240 hour Hazmat Technician Training for Metropolitan Phoenix which included all 12 Hazmat Teams in the Valley. He was a Training Manager for Smiths Detection from 2010 thru 2015 and a Continuing Challenge Instructor since 2003. Since 2001, Dana has been the president of VON KOLEN Hazmat Training & Education, specializing in customized hazmat training & education.
Dana's training customers has included Fire Departments, Police Departments including bomb personnel, Sheriffs Departments, multiple branches of Military, as well as DEQ, DHS, NEPMU, State Laboratories, Vancouver Canada Parliament Security, MRI Global, Port of Seattle, U.S. Customs in Puerto Rico, Port of Los Angeles, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Princess Cruise Lines, Hammer Facility, Vancouver Canada Olympic First Responders and Bomb Squad Technicians.
Dana von Kolen is a recipient of the Phoenix Fire Department Ricky Pierce Hazardous Material Award for outstanding contribution and excellence. He is a graduate of UCLA with multiple degrees and has been a certified instructor thru Mesa CC since 1995. He is certified in multiple technologies including CGI, IMS, GC/MS, IR, RAMAN, XRAY, etc
Job Titles:
- Chief Financial Officer
- Chief Operating Officer
Dorian has 30+ years of financial & operational experience as COO/CFO. He brings a passion for focusing on Customer Satisfaction, Operational Excellence, and Financial Stability & Growth. Serving in multiple industries, Dorian understands that Customers are looking for a partner with the expertise to provide them the Products and Training needed with on-time and on-budget delivery. Dorian has a long history of working with top tier clients such as Procter & Gamble, U.S. Air Force, T-Mobile, City of New York Legal Department, MD Anderson Cancer, U.S. Coast Guard, Johnson & Johnson, U.S. Postal Service, and Citibank just to name a few. Our People, Process, and Tools allow us to create a company culture where motivated individuals can thrive and exceed our customer's expectations..
With over 30 years of experience in International Banking, Accounting, Administration, and Human Capital Management, Eileen co-founded FarrWest in 2004. She has 18 years of experience in the Environmental and First Responder industry to include Operations, Logistics, Accounting, Administration, and Human Resources. As President of FarrWest, Eileen is committed to being a leader in the industry through excellence in service and integrity in business. Eileen has a unique talent for identifying & retaining high performing employees knowing they will deliver the Customer Experience that has made FarrWest legendary.
Jim has been active in the Environmental and Geotechnical industry for over 45 years. From a geotechnical lab and field technician to field management and product development for high profile environmental and research projects throughout the US and overseas, he has gained knowledge of the use of various sampling tools and methods. Working through difficult field logistics from remote expeditions to laboratory studies and research projects with entities such as the USGS, EPA, Defense Nuclear Agency and others has given him a unique working insight into the Environmental and First Responder industry. Jim co-founded FarrWest to provide the very best in tools, support and training to those in the industry.
John has over 25+ years' experience in the fire service with extensive experience in hazardous materials response. As a state certified Hazmat/WMD Technician, Paramedic and Fire Instructor John has spent his career managing and training hazmat responders both in his own department and nationally in the techniques and operations of advanced metering equipment used for chemical identification and trace element detection. He holds a Bachelor's of Science in Fire Administration from the University of Maryland and is a State of Connecticut certified Fire Officer IV. John joined Farrwest in 2018 after spending 15 years working as a contracted trainer with Smith's Detection and has always enjoyed working with other responders from across the country who share his passion for the hazardous materials field. In his off-time John enjoys travel and cruising seeking out new and interesting places while enjoying local cuisines and breweries.
Michael Parsons is the training coordinator for FarrWest and has recently retired after 20 years of service as a Fire Engineer with the San Antonio Fire Department Hazardous Materials Response Team. Michael formerly was the degree program coordinator and an Instructor for over 15 years for the Associates Degree in Fire Science from San Antonio College. He currently teaches as an Adjunct Instructor in the Fire & Emergency Service Administration Bachelors degree through Texas A&M University-San Antonio for the last 7 years.
His previous military service includes 10 years active duty in the U.S. Army and served in several units as the Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare Non-Commissioned Officer. Michael has supported or responded to multiple hazardous materials incidents involving large toxic industrial chemical releases. He has also setup and coordinated device monitoring at various venues to ascertain the presence of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) for National Special Security Events to include the Super Bowl, the World Series, multiple NBA National Championships, multiple NCAA Final Four's and the Formula One US Grand Prix.
Michael has been trained/certified as a Hazardous Materials/WMD specialist by several agencies to include the Texas Commission on Fire Protection, the Texas Engineering Extension Service, the United States Fire Administration's National Fire Academy, the Counter Terrorism Operations Support Group, the Security and Emergency Response Training Center, the Special Programs Division Dugway Proving Grounds, and the Nuclear Biological and Chemical Warfare Non-Commissioned Officers Course U.S. Army.
Michael received a Master of Science degree in Fire and Emergency Management Administration from Oklahoma State University.
Since joining FarrWest in 2007, Travis has been instrumental in spearheading corporate growth thanks to his diverse background in management, logistics, and status as a certified Hazmat/WMD Technician. Throughout his tenure, Travis has held key roles in developing FarrWest's diversification and success in the industry due to his keen ability to identify new products and needed services in the Environmental field and in the First Responder and HazMat industries. In addition, what started as an automotive hobby led Travis to co-found FarrWest Specialty Vehicles (FSV). Since 2019, FSV has provided custom, turn-key vehicle packages for First Responders and various state government agencies. Travis attended Texas A&M University as a Business Major and is a graduate of LeCordon Bleu. Prior to 2007, Travis worked as a chef and manager in various fine dining establishments. In his spare time, he still loves to cook and spend time in the mountains with his wife, son, and dog.