Jim Pauley, Chair
National Fire Protection Association
Amanda Kimball, Executive Director
The Fire Protection Research Foundation
Paul DeFronzo, Treasurer
National Fire Protection Association
Trustees
Chad Beebe, American Society for Healthcare Engineers
Chad Beebe is the Deputy Executive Director for the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association. He is an active member of the NFPA— serving on over 20 technical committee—, is a member of the NFPA Standards Council. Furthermore, Chad is also active on numerous national panels and committees, and is involved in developing regulations for health care facilities. Previously, Chad also served as the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) for the Washington State Department of Health from 1999 to 2010. In this role he managed the Construction Review program which oversees the design and construction of all health care-related facilities in the state.
John Denhardt, AFSA
John August Denhardt, P.E., ET, FSFPE, CWBSP, is Vice President of Engineering and Technical Services for AFSA. He is responsible for strengthening AFSA's engineering and technical approaches to meeting member, industry, and operational priorities, with an emphasis on service, quality, and integrity. Denhardt is a Professional Engineer (P.E.) registered in the District of Columbia as well as the states of Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. He is a NICET Level III in Automatic Sprinkler System Layout and Inspection and Testing of Water-Based Systems and an NFPA Certified Water-Based Systems Professional (CWBSP). A native of Maryland, Denhardt holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland in College Park. He is a member of the NFPA 13 Sprinkler Discharge Committee and is a Fellow in the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE). Denhardt is a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Research Foundation trustee, sits on the University of Maryland Department of Fire Protection Engineering’s Board of Visitors, and is a member of the SFPE Board of Directors.
Thomas Gell, Brandforsk
Thomas Gell is Director of Brandforsk, a non-profit body located in Sweden and formed in 1979 in collaboration between a wide ranges of fire protection stakeholders, with the purpose to initiate and fund research and knowledge development within the field of fire safety. Based on inherent similarities, Brandforsk has a Memorandum of Understanding with the Research Foundation to promote collaboration on areas of mutual interest. Thomas is also Director of Research and Innovation within the Swedish Fire Protection Association, and he is Chair of the Board for the Centre for Public Safety at Karlstad University, Sweden. He holds a MSc and Lic. Eng. in Marine Structural Engineering from Chalmers University of Technology. Following a number of years in the maritime industry, Thomas has been working for the Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA) since the late 1980´s. During the years he has been responsible for a number of different functions within the SRSA such as the Dangerous goods section, the Risk- and Environment Department and the Department for Research and Analysis. He was Director of the Swedish Centre for Learning from Incidents & Accidents (NCO) within the SRSA and, from 2009, when the SRSA became part of the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), head of the Lessons Learned Section within the MSB.
Lou Gritzo, FM Global
Dr. Louis Gritzo is vice president and manager of research with FM Global, one of the world’s largest commercial property insurers. He oversees FM Global’s division of scientists who have expertise in fire, explosions, natural hazards (windstorms, floods and earthquakes), equipment, risk and reliability and cyber hazards. Gritzo also oversees activities at FM Global’s Research Campus in West Glocester, Rhode Island, USA, the world’s largest center for property loss prevention research.
He has served as chair of the Board of Directors of the Innovation Research Interchange, chair of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Heat Transfer Division Executive Committee, and on the Governing Board of the Global Earthquake Model, the ABET Industrial Advisory Committee, the Research Advisory Committee for the National Fire Protection Association, and on advisory committees for several universities. Gritzo has a Ph.D. in mechanical engineering, with a minor in applied mathematics, from Texas Tech University, USA.
Susan Lamont, Arup
Susan Lamont, CEng, PhD, is a Director in Arup’s Dubai office. She has over 17 years of experience in the fire protection industry in the UK, US, and Middle East. Her role on many projects is to guide the developer/owner through fire safety design, testing and commissioning to occupation and fire safety management of the completed building. Susan led the development of EFFECT TM, a risk assessment tool to help AHJs and other stakeholders assess the risk posed by combustible façade systems and prioritize remedial work across a portfolio of properties. She is actively involved in the industry both within the Middle East and Internationally. She has recently authored a fire safety code of practice for a major airport company and is currently working on a project to develop a unified Building Code for an international Government client.
Susan has a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering and a PhD in Fire Protection from the University of Edinburgh. Her Doctorate research looked at the response of composite steel frame structures in real fires. She has extensive experience in the field of structural fire engineering internationally and is recognized through her numerous conference and journal articles in this field. Susan is a chartered engineer and professional member of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE).
Alan Manche, Square D Company/Schneider Electric
Alan Manche is the Vice President, External Affairs for Schneider Electric, where he has served in various capacities over the last past 24 years. He is currently responsible for company strategy and participation in trade and industry associations, standards associations, standards organizations and conformity assessment. He is active with boards and committees of NEMA, IAEI, ANSI, ESFI, and multiple NFPA Code Making Panels and Technical Committees. Alana has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering, a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Miami University, and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Joan Paquet, Ford Motor Company
Joan Paquet is a Fire Protection Engineer with Ford Motor Company where she is currently responsible for managing global fire protection. Prior to joining Ford Motor Company in 2003, Joan worked for Industrial Risk Insurers as a loss control consultant evaluating various types of industries for property loss control. She is a board member for the NFPA Industrial Fire Protection Section. Joan has a degree in Business Administration from Ferris State University, a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from University of Tennessee, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Eastern Michigan University.
Peg Paul, Peg Paul Associates
Established in 2000, Peg Paul & Associates (PPA) is a marketing communications agency that specializes in developing and implementing multi-integrated information and education campaigns. PPA has established a niche in public safety promotion, and has been retained for this purpose by some of the leading national safety advocacy groups, trade associations and industries. Peg serves on the International Association of Fire Chiefs, Fire and Life Safety Section.
With more than 30 years of experience in the marketing communications industry, Peg has always been involved with consumer information and safety awareness programs. Peg has been the communications manager for the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition since 1997, where she oversees the development and implementation of educational programs for consumers, members of the fire service, home building industry, real estate and insurance agents, water purveyors and other targeted groups.
Rodger Reiswig, Johnson Controls
Rodger Reiswig is currently the VP of Industry Relations with Johnson Controls, and serves as their representative with multiple other organizations. His other engagements include his role as President of the Board of Directors of the Automatic Fire Alarm Association (AFAA), Chair of the NEMA Signaling Section, 3SB, and serving on other multiple codes and standards committees— for NFPA alone, Rodger serves on twenty NFPA Technical Committees as well as the Standards Council. Rodger has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology as well as a Masters in Theology, both from Evangelical Theological Seminary, holds certifications from Two Rivers Technologies as a Master in Telecommunications.