NFSA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Membership Relations & Outreach Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance and Administration
Job Titles:
- Southeast Regional Manager / Ashland City, TN
Job Titles:
- Director of Membership
- Director of Membership / Lexington, KY
Caleb joined the NFSA in 2017 as the Manager of Special Projects and has led efforts in technological and process improvement within the organization. He currently serves as the Director of Membership and is grateful for the opportunity to advance the mission of NFSA and spend time with members of the association. He resides in Lexington, KY with his wife, Shannon and four children.
Job Titles:
- Director, Technical Services
Job Titles:
- Member at Large
- National Training Manager / Central Point, or
Dan Ryan - Chairman, President
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Communications Committee Chair
- General Manager - Residential
Job Titles:
- Vice President - Operations
Job Titles:
- NJ State Coordinator / Hamilton, NJ
Job Titles:
- Director of Industry Promotion
Dennis Wood started his fire service career in 1990 as a volunteer in his home town of Laurel, Maryland. Shortly after graduating with his bachelor's degree in emergency health services, he was offered a position in Career Recruit School 27 for the Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department in 1995. He supervised the Special Hazards division of Fire Prevention and Investigation who was responsible to respond to and investigate every residential fire sprinkler activation that occurred in the County. After completing his master's degree in emergency health service administration in 2008, he served in several challenging roles, including Emergency Medical Services, Capital Improvements (Construction, Budgeting and Planning), and Human Resources (Hiring and Promotions). His position upon retiring in 2018 was serving as the Deputy Chief of the Emergency Services Command. This role served nearly 2,000 career employees and volunteer responders that addressed their community's needs on just short of 150,000 incidents a year. Starting at the National Fire Sprinkler Association shortly (two days) after retiring from the PGFD, he brings his experiences and education to serve the fire sprinkler industry in the interest of his fire service family. Any fire that is controlled quickly, prior to fire service arrival, is safer for occupants and responders, both acutely and chronically. He is passionate about trying to bring order, process, and consistency to the challenges before him. He has used clinical quality assurance and process improvement models and techniques such as Six Sigma throughout his career to better understand and control performance and execution. Dennis currently serves as the Director of Operations for the National Fire Sprinkler Association from Headquarters in Linthicum Heights, MD.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant / Mount Dora, FL
Job Titles:
- Chicago IP Director / Tinley Park, IL
Job Titles:
- State Coordinator / Hamilton, NJ
Frank Ellis has been NJ State Coordinator of NFSA since 2017. Prior to this, he spent over 11 years serving as a Lieutenant with the Emergency Services Department of Rutgers University. He has been a volunteer firefighter since 1991. The first 27 years was with the Deptford Fire Department, serving as Battalion Chief for seven of those years, and spent 4 years as a volunteer firefighter with the Winslow Township Fire Department. He is an active member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE), serving locally on the Board of Directors of the Delaware Valley-Philadelphia chapter as Fire Service Liaison and nationally as co-chair of the Fire Service Subcommittee.
Job Titles:
- Executive Committee Member at Large
Glenn grew up just North of Toronto, Ontario Canada. Graduated from Seneca College studying Fire Protection Engineering Technology in 2003 after completing an internship with Milton J. Wood Fire Protection earlier that year. Upon graduating he moved to Jacksonville Florida to work in the engineering department with Milton J. Wood Fire Protection. While working for Milton J. Wood Fire Protection he went back to school and in 2010 received a Bachelor of Science in Fire & Safety Engineering Technology with College Honors from the University of Cincinnati. In 2010 he relocated to Lakeland Florida to manage the Fire Protection operations of Milton J. Wood Fire Protection in Central Florida. In 2014 he joined the National NFSA Future Leadership Committee and recently was elected to the NFSA Future Leadership Board with the member at large seat.
Job Titles:
- Director of TS and QA ( Wheatland - Western )
Job Titles:
- Product Manager - Fire Protection
Job Titles:
- State Coordinator - Illinois / Tinley Park, IL
Job Titles:
- Patriot Fire Protection, Inc. - Corporate / Chair / President / Tacoma, WA
- Patriot Fire Protection, Inc. - Corporate / Member / President / Tacoma, WA
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Chief Executive Officer
- Contractor Council
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Director of Industry Affairs
Job Titles:
- Manager of Government Relations / Key West, FL
Jeanna M. Garrido serves as the Manager of Government Relations for the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA). Her prior leadership roles include the Executive Director of the Harry S. Truman Little White House, Senior Director of Membership and Philanthropy of the University of Florida Alumni Association and Florida Keys Director to United States Congressman Carlos Gimenez. Jeanna graduated from the University of Florida and her experience includes various capacities as a political consultant for non-profit organizations and state-level government. She worked as the recruiter of the College of the Florida Keys as it advanced to a four-year, state accredited college and assisted with the development of the new Basilica High School of Saint Mary's Star of the Sea. Jeanna played a key role in the fire sprinkler retrofit of Florida's only presidential museum. She was recognized by the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation for her work in developing the 17th Annual Truman Legacy Symposium. This educational conference was added to Congressional Record for its progress in continuing the 1947 President's Conference on Fire Prevention. She currently serves as the treasurer of the Key West Harry S. Truman Foundation, is a Rotarian and member of the Navy League of Key West. Jeanna is passionate in sharing the mission of NFSA to protect lives and property through the widespread acceptance of the fire sprinkler concept and aims to inspire key constituents to make our world safer.
Job Titles:
- Fire Protection Engineer / De Soto, KS
Job Titles:
- Corporate Engineer, Domestic Operations
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- CBO
- Vice President of Codes, Standards, Training and Education
- Vice President of Codes, Standards, Training and Education / Essexville, MI
Jeffrey M. Hugo, CBO, is the Vice President of Codes, Standards, Public Fire Protection, Learning and Development for the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA). His departments represent the mission of the NFSA, "To protect lives and property from fire through the wide-spread acceptance of the fire sprinkler concept" with the development and update of model codes, installation and maintenance standards, training, and education. Jeff has been with the NFSA since 2005 and serves on several NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) technical and ICC (International Code Council) committees. Jeff contributes to research, informal interpretations of codes, exam development, training, and regularly contributes building code related articles to publications such as NFSM (National Fire Sprinkler Magazine), Fire Protection Contractor and other industry newsletters. Jeff resides in Michigan; he is a Michigan registered Building Official, Building Inspector, and Plan Reviewer since 1995.
Job Titles:
- Training & Education Manager
Jim McHugh - Chairman, President
Job Titles:
- Codes and Standards Specialist
Jon Ackley - Chairman, President
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- President
- Vice Chair
Job Titles:
- Protection and Data Specialist
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- Director of Legal Services / General Counsel
Job Titles:
- S.a. Comunale Company, Inc. - Corporate / Member / FPE / Barberton, OH
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- VP Sales / Principal
Job Titles:
- Quick Response Fire Protection, Inc. Member / CEO / Freehold, NJ
Job Titles:
- Membership Chair
- President
Job Titles:
- State Coordinator / O'Fallon, MO
Job Titles:
- Director - Fire Installation North America
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Vice Chair
- Manager, Fire Protection
Job Titles:
- General Counsel
- Director of Labor Relations and Associate Counsel
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Manufacturers Council Representative
Job Titles:
- Operations Assistant / Howell, MI
Job Titles:
- Executive Director FFSA / Mount Dora, FL
Job Titles:
- Wolverine Fire Protection Company - Corporate / Member / President
Job Titles:
- Special Project Coordinator / Pleasant View, TN
Job Titles:
- WI State Coordinator / Greenfield, WI
Job Titles:
- Senior Business Development Manager
- Vice Chair
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Operations
Job Titles:
- National IP Administrator / Tulsa, OK
Job Titles:
- Northwest Regional Manager / Tacoma, WA
Job Titles:
- State Coordinator - New England & New York / Ashburnham
Job Titles:
- Vice Chair
- Superior Automatic Sprinkler Company / Area 11 Representative
Job Titles:
- Fire Protection Engineer Student at Eastern Kentucky University / Ashland City, TN
Job Titles:
- Vice President of Engineering
Job Titles:
- Member at Large Alternate
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Manager of Codes and Standards
- NICET Level III Fire Protection Engineering Technician
Roland is a NICET Level III Fire Protection Engineering Technician. He serves on numerous technical committees for both NFPA (including NFPA 13 Correlating and Installation Criteria, NFPA 13R/13D Residential Committee, NFPA 24 Private fire service mains and NFPA 22, Water tanks for fire protection) and AWWA Committees and is the former chair of the AWWA Fire Protection Committee. Roland has been involved in the layout and installation of thousands of fire sprinkler systems ranging from single-family homes to large commercial projects and is experienced in the varied steps needed to successfully bring a fire sprinkler system from the design phase to completion.
Job Titles:
- Great Lakes Field Service Coordinator / Lafayette, in
Ron Ritchey began his career with the National Fire Sprinkler Association in 2016 after retiring from the Lafayette Fire Department (Indiana) with 23 years of service, sixteen of those years as Assistant Chief of the Fire Prevention Bureau. He currently provides membership services for five states in the Great Lakes Region and develops and provides NFSA training seminars for code officials, code consultants, building owners, and design professionals throughout the country. Mr. Ritchey holds numerous state and national certifications, and his formal education includes earning an Associate's Degree in Public Safety and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management. Ron currently serves on several technical committees including the International Code Council's Fire Code Interpretation Committee (ICC-FCIC); the following National Fire Protection Association Committees- NFPA 1 Fire Code-Special Equipment, Processes, and Hazardous Materials (FCC-HAZ); NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, Residential Occupancies (SAF-RES); and NFPA 5000 Building Code, Building Code, Residential (BLD-RES). Ron is a member of the National Fire Protection Association, the International Code Council, numerous Fire Chief and Fire Inspector associations, and is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS).
Job Titles:
- Member at Large Alternate
Job Titles:
- Director, Industry Relations
Shane Ray currently serves as President of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, an association established in 1905 to be the voice of the fire sprinkler industry. Shane is committed to promoting the mission of protecting lives and property through the widespread acceptance of the fire sprinkler concept. Shane has been in this role for 6 years but has served NFSA for over 10 years. Shane has been blessed to serve over 25 years in the fire service, working his way through the ranks of career and volunteer organizations serving from firefighter to chief. He served 13 years as Fire Chief and he served six years as the mayor in his hometown of Pleasant View, Tennessee. He also held the position of Superintendent of the South Carolina Fire Academy and as South Carolina State Fire Marshal. Shane Ray is a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, the University of Maryland's Leadership Development Program, and the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program. President Ray has been directly involved in Association for over 30 years from a volunteer board member and staff member, to professional staff at various levels from entry to President/CEO. President Ray currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Congressional Fire Services Institute and remains very active at the local, state, and federal levels involving legislative and regulatory issues impacting the fire service and fire protection.
Job Titles:
- WI State Coordinator / Waukesha, WI
Job Titles:
- Executive / Finance Committee Rep - Non - Voting
- Senior Vice President of Safety Services
Job Titles:
- Manager of Public Fire Protection
- Public Fire Protection Specialist
Terin Hopkins Terin is currently the Public Fire Protection Specialist in Codes, Standards, Public Fire Protection and Training Department, for the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. Terin has 34 years in public safety, beginning his public safety career in 1981 as a Volunteer Firefighter/EMT and then serving 25 years with the Prince George's County Maryland Fire/EMS Department, retiring in 2009. He then went to work for the Howard County Department of Fire Rescue Service, Office of the Fire Marshal. In 2018 he was hired as the Mid-Atlantic Field Service Coordinator with NFSA. Terin is currently the Public Fire Protection Specialist at NFSA and represents NFSA on several technical committees including, NFPA 1 Fire Code, NFPA 14 Standard for the Installation of Standpipes and Hose Systems, UL 47 Standpipe Equipment Technical Committee and the eight fire service training standards covered by NFPA 13E Recommended Practice for Fire Department Operations in Properties Protected by Sprinkler and Standpipe Systems.
Job Titles:
- Minnesota State Coordinator
Job Titles:
- North Central Region Manager / Maplewood, MN
Retired Coast Guard officer and 30+ year veteran of the fire/police/emergency management professions. Served 10 years as the Fire Chief in Saint Paul, MN. Hired by NFSA in 2019 as the Regional Manager for Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Married to Sue since 1984. 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren. I love our little log cabin on the Wisconsin shore of Lake Superior, building and sailing boats, outdoor activities and handyman projects. I retrofitted my home with fire sprinklers and encourage others to do the same. I love helping families understand the dangers of fire and how best to protect themselves, their homes, and their businesses from fire.
Job Titles:
- Administrative Assistant / Pleasant View, TN
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Vice President, Advocacy & Outreach
- Vice President, Advocacy & Outreach / Waverly, TN
Vickie Pritchett became involved in the fire service in 1997. Vickie served on the Board of Directors for the Pleasant View Volunteer Fire Department from 1998-2013, and was awarded lifetime membership into PVVFD in December of 2013. Vickie served as the Community Development Liaison for the Town of Pleasant View and Executive Director of the Joint Economic & Community Development Board of Cheatham County at the time she began her service to the local volunteer fire department. During this time she was instrumental in bringing fire service officials, builders and developers, and elected officials together. This coordination resulted in a zero square foot fire sprinkler ordinance for the town in 2001, and county-wide in 2006. Vickie's dedication to the improvement of quality of life, passion for the community, and her ability to bring people together makes her the "spark plug" and advocate of fire sprinkler requirements at the local, state, and federal level. She has presented across the state of Tennessee and the nation. She has worked in Washington D.C. to promote fire protection issues and to highlight the differences that can be made by fire sprinklers and the legislation that requires them. Vickie is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and received her MBA from Vanderbilt's Owen School of Management. She is a VCOS Symposium committee member, Board Member of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, Board member of the IAFC Fire & Life Safety Section, Board Member of Common Voices, and is a member of both NFPA and ICC. Vickie currently serves as Vice President of Advocacy & Outreach of the National Fire Sprinkler Association.