JOIN LOGIN MENU About the EFO Section Mission The mission of the Executive Fire Officers Section of the IAFC is to identify, produce, adopt by reference and encourage industry-wide and governmental acceptance of Executive Fire Officer Development programs, certifications and standards for all executive fire officers. This mission will be accomplished by working through and with various existing and future committees and professional organizations within and external to the fire service. Vision The vision of the Executive Fire Officers Section is to create a professionally recognized leadership environment in which all executive fire officers possess the appropriate combination of formal higher education, on-the-job experience and nationally, regionally and locally recognized credentials needed to lead the fire service through an ever-changing response environment. In addition: It is the EFO Section's charge to develop and then recommend to the IAFC Board higher-education requirements and acceptable credentials that are properly matched to the executive fire officer's hands-on knowledge, skills and abilities in order to meet the evolving mission of the fire/EMS service. The organizational culture of local fire/EMS departments, with the adoption by reference of the IAFC, must continually evolve and place a greater emphasis on the standardization of professional development as it pertains to current and future fire service leaders. The section will work with elected and appointed officials to help educate them on the need for professional and contemporary executive leadership as they develop local fire/EMS departmental management teams. The EFO Section will work closely with the IAFC Company Officers Section and Professional Development Committee. These groups have a charge that fits directly into the mission and vision of the EFO Section. They are the backbone of the development of strong leaders in the fire service and compliment what this section is tasked to accomplish, through the IAFC, in leadership development and the promotion of executive-officer requirements. EFO Section Bylaws (pdf) Board Minutes August 2021: No meeting July 2021 (pdf) June 2021: No meeting May 2021 (pdf) April 2021 (pdf) March 2021: No meeting February 2021 (pdf) January 2021 (pdf) December 2020: No meeting November 2020 (pdf) October 2020: No meeting September 2020: No meeting August 2020 (pdf) July 2020 (pdf) June 2020 (pdf) May 2020 (pdf) April 2020: No meeting March 2020: No meeting February 2020 (pdf) January 2020: No meeting December 2019: No meeting November 2019: No meeting October 2019 (pdf) September 2019 (pdf) August 2019 (pdf) July 2019: No meeting June 2019 (pdf) May 2019 (pdf) April 2019 March 2019: No meeting February 2019 (pdf) Contact Staff Liaison Kaitlin Lutz EFO@iafc.org 703-273-9835 Board of Directors Executive Committee Chair: Jo-Ann Lorber Vice Chair: William Hyde Secretary/Treasurer: Gregory Barton Directors Ken Uzeloc (Canadian) Chad Deardorff (Eastern) Joe Pulvermacher (Great Lakes) David Daley (Missouri Valley) Anthony Stowers (New England) Trey Mayo (Southeastern) Chad Roberson (Southwestern) Bruce Kroon (Western) Pat Kelly (Immediate Past Chair) NFA Representatives Trisha Wolford (NFA Liason) EFO Section Board of Directors' Bios Jo-Ann Lorber Jo-Ann Lorber is an assistant chief/emergency manager for the city of Fort Lauderdale, Fla. She has been with Fort Lauderdale Fire-Rescue since January 1996. Chief Lorber holds an associates' degrees in liberal arts and fire science technology, a bachelor of arts degree in public management and a master's degree in public administration from Florida Atlantic University. Chief Lorber is a 2006 graduate of the National Fire Academy's EFO Program and was an Outstanding Applied Research Award winner in 2004 for her paper, Drowning…The Silent Killer of Children. Lorber has been awarded CFO designation. Additionally, she is a member of the International Association of Emergency Managers (IAEM), Florida Emergency Preparedness Association (FEPA), the IAFC, Florida Fire Chiefs Association (FFCA), National Society of Executive Fire Officers (NSEFO), American Society of Public Administrators (ASPA) and the South Florida Regional Domestic Task Force (RDSTF). Additionally, she will have her Certified Emergency Management designation by July 2014. Jo-Ann has written many articles on leadership for Fire Chief magazine and the Florida fire service. Vice Chair: William Hyde William Hyde is the deputy fire chief of Special Operations & Training for the City of Rogers, Arkansas. He began his career in 1998 with the City of Bentonville, where served as division chief. He also served on the City of Centerton Volunteer Fire Department. While in Centerton, he served the community as a paramedic and as the department's chief of training. Chief Hyde is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's EFO Program. He received his Bachelor of Science in Public Safety Management from Franklin University. He also holds Associate Degrees in Fire Science Administration & Paramedicine. He is currently pursuing an MBA with emphasis in Leadership & Ethics at John Brown University. Secretary/Treasurer: Gregory Barton Greg Barton is the Fire Chief for the Beverly Hills Fire Department. He has been with Beverly Hills for over 20 years and has held positions including Firefighter, Fire Inspector, Fire Captain, Fire Marshal, and shift Battalion Chief. Chief Barton has earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Master's degree in Public Administration, and is a 2012 graduate from the United States Fire Administration's National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer program. Chief Barton earned his Chief Fire Officer (CFO) designation in 2012 and is a certified Chief Officer through the California State Fire Marshal's office. He is a Certified Emergency Manager through the International Association of Emergency Managers. Greg served as a cadre member on the California State Fire Training Chief Fire Officer curriculum development committee and is an instructor for the California Fire Service Training and Education System. Greg serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Maple Counseling Center and is an Executive Team Member on the Beverly Hills 9/11 Memorial Committee. Director At Large-Canadian: Ken Uzeloc Deputy Chief Ken Uzeloc has been a member of the Calgary Fire Department (CFD) for the past 30 years working though many ranks including firefighter, rescue specialist, hazmat specialist, hazmat officer, assistant deputy chief, deputy chief, and interim fire chief/director of emergency management. Chief Uzeloc currently oversees all regulated and compliance services as the Deputy Chief of Risk Management. Chief Uzeloc earned a Bachelor of Applied Business in Emergency Services degree with distinction from Lakeland College, a Master’s certificate in Municipal Leadership from York University, and is a 2018 graduate from the United States Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer Program. Chief Uzeloc was conferred his Chief Fire Officer designation in 2012 from the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC). Chief Uzeloc is deeply committed to the betterment of the fire service and dedicated to continuous improvement and lifelong learning. Chief Uzeloc sits on the Diversity & Inclusion and Dangerous Goods, Infrastructure, & Industry Committees of the CAFC and represents CAFC on the NFPA 472 Technical Committee on Hazardous Materials Response Personnel. Chief Uzeloc also volunteers in the community and has sat on the Board of Directors of the Calgary Drop In and Rehab Centre for seven years with the last four as the Board Chair. Director At Large-Eastern: Chad Deardorff Chad Deardorff was appointed Fire Chief for the City of York (PA) on January 28, 2019. Chief Deardorff began his career with the City of York Department of Fire/Rescue Services on March 6, 2995. During his tenure at the YFD, he progressed through all ranks from firefighter to Deputy Fire Chief prior to becoming Chief in 2019. In his current capacity, he is responsible for 65 career personnel manning four fire stations and approximately 60 volunteers. Chief Deardorff currently holds a Bachelor of Science in Fire Science graduating Magna Cum Laude and a Master of Business Administration/Public Administration (MBA/MPA), both from Columbia Southern University. He is a firm believer in executive development and continues to promote this through his teaching of the Fire Officer curriculum and the push for his personnel to obtain the MFO and EFO designation. Chief Deardorff believes in succession planning starting with the transition of firefighter to officer up through the fire chief position. The culture of succession planning is often overlooked but with the proper education of the importance of succession planning from fellow Executive Officers I feel we can have a significant impact on changing this culture. Chief Deardorff is a lifelong resident of York County and currently lives in the York, PA area with his wife, Jessica and his two children, Adam and Sophia. Director At Large-Great Lakes: Joe Pulvermacher Joe Pulvermacher is the Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director for the City of Fitchburg (WI). He is a 2014 graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program. He holds his Bachelor of Science in Fire Service Management from Southern Illinois University and received his Associate Degree in Fire Science from Milwaukee Area Technical College. Chief Pulvermacher is proud of his 30 year history in the fire service. In 1988, he started as a volunteer firefighter for the Village of Butler (WI). In 1990, he enlisted as a Fire Protection Specialist in the United States Air Force. Later, he became a career firefighter with the City of Oak Creek (WI) where he, ultimately, became the Training Chief. In 2016, Chief Pulvermacher was sworn in as Fitchburg’s Fire Chief. Currently, Chief Pulvermacher is the Vice President for the Dane County Fire Chief’s Association, he serves on the Wisconsin Alliance for Fire Safety committee as a representative for the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs, and he is involved in the Safe Kids Coalition of Madison. Chief Pulvermacher is personally and professionally involved in strengthening the fire service’s response to active assailant incidents and improving response to firefighter critical incident stress events. He sees the need to continually evaluate training requirements in order to address a constantly changing profession (affected generationally by a regularly changing workforce) and is motivated through positive impacts in work force development, succession planning, and organizational ownership. Director At Large-Missouri Valley: David Daley David Daley, accreditation manager, South Metro Fire-Rescue Authority (Colo.), is a 10-year veteran of the IAFC and serves on the Safety Health and Survival Section and EFO Section Board of Directors. He holds a B.S. in finance (Magna Cum Laude) and an MBA from the University of Colorado. He is a 2011 graduate of the EFO program and is also a chief fire officer with the Center for Public Safety Excellence and a member of the Institution of Fire Engineers. David has served as a fire marshall, training chief, battalion chief and is currently serving as the authority's accreditation manger. David is currently the president of the Denver Metro Fire Chiefs Association. He was part of the team that developed the DHS Target Capabilities list and is a board member of the Denver Urban Area Security Initiative. He was part of the team that developed the state's homeland security strategic plan in 2008 and assisted the roll out of the capabilities assessment as well as the strategic plan. Director At Large-New England: Anthony Stowers Chief Anthony Stowers began his career in 1988 as a career firefighter for the East Derry Fire Department in Derry, New Hampshire. In 1996, he was appointed to the position of firefighter in the City of Nashua, New Hampshire where he worked for 11 years attaining the rank of Lieutenant. In 2007, he was hired as a deputy fire chief for the Merrimack, New Hampshire Fire Department, where he stayed until his retirement in January 2012 after attaining the rank of Assistant Fire Chief. In February 2012, Chief Stowers was appointed to the position of Fire Chief for the Maynard Fire Department. Chief Stowers holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire and Emergency Management from Granite State College and a Master of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from Southern New Hampshire University. He is also a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program and is currently a candidate for a Doctorate in Business Administration through Walden University. Chief Stowers holds the designation of Chief Fire Officer through the Center for Public Safety Excellence and is a credentialed fire chief for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Additionally, Chief Stowers holds many certifications in both local and national fire service-related programs. Chief Stowers has been married to his wife Barbara since 1990 and has two daughters and a granddaughter. Director At Large-Southeastern: Trey Mayo Trey Mayo has served as the fire chief of Winston-Salem, NC since January 2015. A third-generation firefighter, Mayo began his fire service career in 1989 as a volunteer in his hometown of Plymouth, NC. While pursuing his undergraduate degree, he volunteered with both the Carrboro Fire-Rescue Department and South Orange Rescue Squad in Carrboro, NC. In 1996, Mayo joined the City of Raleigh Fire Department and was named valedictorian of the 1996 Raleigh Fire Academy. During his 11-year tenure, Mayo rose to the rank of captain and was assigned to engine, ladder and rescue companies in south and east Raleigh. He was recognized with the Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of North Carolina's Emergency Services Award in 1999. In December 2006, Mayo returned to Carrboro Fire-Rescue as deputy fire chief and served three-and-a-half years. In June 2010, he was selected as the fire chief for Rocky Mount, NC, where he served until January 2015. 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 is a graduate of the National Fire Academy's Executive Fire Officer Program and has completed the Community Preparedness and Disaster Management certificate program at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Public Health. Mayo is credentialed as a Chief Fire Officer and holds member status in the Institution of Fire Engineers. Mayo is on the board of directors of the Piedmont Regional Trauma System. He is a member of the Winston-Salem Rotary Club, is a Paul Harris Fellow, and was the 2012 Rotarian of the Year as a member of the Rocky Mount Rotary Club. Formerly, he was on the board of directors for the Boys and Girls Club of Nash and Edgecombe Counties and served as the municipal fire representative for NC Domestic Preparedness Region 4. Director At Large-Southwestern: Chad Roberson Chief Chad Roberson is a 30-year veteran and assistant fire chief for the St. George Fire Protection District in East Baton Rouge Parish (LA). Roberson has a master’s degree in Executive Fire Service Leadership from Grand Canyon University as well as a bachelor’s degree in history from Louisiana State University (LSU) and an associate degree in fire science from Louisiana State University Eunice (LSUE). Roberson graduated from the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer (EFO) Program, the International Association of Fire Chiefs Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI) program and has been awarded the Certified Fire Officer (CFO) designation from the Commission on Professional Credentialing and the MIFireE designation from the Institution of Fire Engineers, United States of America Branch. Roberson currently serves on the Emergency Management Committee and the Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Committee for the International Association of Fire Chiefs and is a current executive board member of the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Foundation, the Southwest Division of the IAFC serving as the Louisiana VP and the Louisiana Municipal Association. He is also a Past President of the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association. Director At Large-Western: Bruce Kroon Bruce Kroon has 29 years of experience as a firefighter and chief officer. He currently services as the fire chief for the City of Bothell Fire Department, a three-station department on the north end of Lake Washington, just northeast of Seattle. In his two years with the Bothell Fire Department, Chief Kroon has facilitated the creation of a 5-year Strategic Plan and helped to organize the successful passing of both a 12 year levy, providing 6 new firefighter positions, and a 20 year bond to replace to aging fire stations. Chief Kroon earned a master’s degree in Public Affairs from the University of Washington and is a 2011 graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officer program. He considers himself a “lifelong learner” and is pleased to be able to serve as the Western Division Director of the IAFC, EFO Section. Chief Kroon is active in the Bothell community, happily flipping pancakes at the annual 4th of July Pancake breakfast, hosted by the fire department, is a member of the Bothell/Kenmore Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as the President of the Northshore Rotary Club. Immediate Past President: Chief Patrick Kelly Fire Chief Patrick Kelly has been part of the fire service since 1974 starting his career in Baltimore County, Maryland. After retiring as a battalion chief in 2000 he was selected as the first commissioner of emergency service for Westchester County, New York managing a department responsible for countywide fire and EMS training, hazmat and cause & origin response, countywide 911 communications and emergency management. During the events of 9/11/01 Chief Kelly was responsible to help manage resources responding into New York City to assist the FDNY and New York 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 with a staff of 750 responding to over 80,000 calls for service per year. After leaving Tucson in 2011 he became the fire chief/director for the Cherry Hill Fire Department in Cherry Hill, New Jersey in 2012 and served until 2014. Today, Chief Kelly is a full-time professor at Columbia Southern University and a senior consultant on municipal Fire/EMS and emergency management studies for the TriData Corporation out of Arlington, Virginia. Chief Kelly is a 2003 graduate of the National Fire Academy's EFO program at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, Maryland and is currently chairs the EFO Section within the International Aassociation of Fire Chiefs (IAFC). He also holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Loyola University in Maryland and in 2008 he was awarded his CFO (Chief Fire Officer) designation and was re-designated in 2014. Patrick has been married since 1974 to his wife Denise and they have two married children, Patrick and Kristin and two wonderful grandchildren, Brooke and Logan living in the Maryland and Washington D.C. suburbs. Chief Kelly likes to golf, studying Leadership from famous Americans and works out when he gets the chance. NFA Representative: Trisha Wolford Chief Wolford was officially sworn in as Chief of Department on January 28th, 2019. Chief Wolford is the 12th Fire Chief in the 54-year history of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department. This appointment is a homecoming for Chief Wolford, as she started her fire service career in Maryland with the Anne Arundel County Fire Department in January of 2006. Chief Wolford operated as a firefighter/paramedic until her assignment to the Fire Marshal’s Office in 2011. She spent seven months training at the Anne Arundel County Police Academy and was sworn in as a law enforcement officer in May 2012. She was then assigned to the Fire and Explosives Investigation Unit where she promoted to Lieutenant in 2014. With her law enforcement and paramedic background, ;Chief Wolford was a part of the Anne Arundel County Tactical Medic program for four years, providing medical attention to the Anne Arundel County Police Quick Response Team. In December 2015, she accepted the position of Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshal with the Bozeman Fire Department in Bozeman, Montana. The Bozeman Fire Department is comprised of three fire stations and 51 firefighters. She was responsible for administrative services, public education, code enforcement, fire investigation, fire inspections, company inspections, and city Fire Marshal duties. In 2017, Chief Wolford joined the Spokane Fire Department as the Assistant Fire Chief overseeing full operations of the department. She directly supervised Deputy Chiefs managing Operations, Training,Support Services, Human Resources, and the Fire Marshal Division. Chief Wolford received her Bachelor’s Degree from Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV in 2000. She is completing her Master’s Degree in Management and Leadership from Western Governor’s University. She received her Paramedic certification from Anne Arundel Community College in 2009 and continues to be a Nationally Registered Paramedic. She is a graduate of the Executive Fire Officer Program at the National Fire Academy and a graduate of the IAFC’s Fire Service Executive Development Institute (FSEDI) and holds a CFO and CFM designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE). Chief Wolford is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs Human Relations Committee, Chair of the Professional Development Committee and the National Fire Academy Liaison for the EFO Section Committee. IAFC News & Resources Firefighters: Are They the Ones Who Need Saving? November 22, 2021 FEMA Asks for Review of Fire Management and Suppression Draft Resource Types November 22, 2021 House Passes Build Back Better Act; Senate Action Still Required November 19, 2021 Previous Fire Service Women of Vision and Leadership Learn more about exceptional women in fire and emergency services. Next 1 2 3 You are not logged in. International Association of Fire Chiefs Home Contact Us Terms of Use & Copyright Privacy Policy IAFC Logo Usage Policy Discrimination & Harassment Policy 4795 Meadow Wood Lane, Suite 100W, Chantilly, VA 20151 | Tel: 703-273-0911 | Fax: 703-273-9363 © 1999 - 2021 International Association of Fire Chiefs. All Rights Reserved.