Seven engineers awarded SFPE Fellow status
The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) has announced the 2025 recipients of its highest membership honour and annual awards.
According to SFPE, Fellow membership is the most senior grade of recognition available to members of the organisation.
Fellowship is granted to those with long-standing contributions to the advancement of fire protection engineering.
Seven individuals have been named as 2025 Fellows by SFPE.
Each recipient is based in North America and holds a leadership position in a fire safety consultancy or engineering organisation.
The honours will be presented during the SFPE Annual Conference & Expo, to be held in Vancouver, Canada, from 21 to 23 October 2025.
SFPE names 2025 Fellows across industry sectors
According to SFPE, the 2025 Fellows include:
- Anthony R. Cole, SenezCo
- William V.F. Cosey, Savannah River Nuclear Solutions LLC
- Andrew Grenier, Coffman Engineers
- Michael Klemenz, RAN Fire Protection Engineering
- Katherine A. Pothier, Bowman Fire & Life Safety
- Christine Theisen, Goodhead Consulting Engineers
- Michael J. Wojcik, Jensen Hughes
All recipients are registered professional engineers.
Fellowship is awarded through a nomination and selection process that includes review by a peer committee.
SFPE stated that the status reflects professional stature, achievement and dedication to the fire safety discipline.
The new Fellows join an international group of engineers previously recognised by the Society for similar contributions.
Early-career engineers selected for 5 Under 35 list
SFPE has also announced its 2025 list of engineers selected under the “5 Under 35” initiative.
The programme recognises individuals under 35 who have shown leadership in fire protection engineering and service to the wider community.
The 2025 recipients are:
- Brian O’Connor, NFPA
- Charlie Hopkin, Ashton Fire
- Christopher Wicker, Coffman Engineers
- Dillon Grewing, Performance Based Fire Protection Engineering
- Jazyah Aldossary, Saudi Aramco
Each of the individuals holds professional certification and has contributed to technical advancement in the field.
SFPE said the initiative highlights those who are actively shaping the future of fire engineering.
The award is presented annually and recipients are recognised at the organisation’s annual conference.
Additional awards presented across nine categories
Alongside the Fellow appointments and 5 Under 35 list, SFPE has named 13 individuals as recipients of annual awards.
The SFPE Ahern President’s Award has been presented to Kieran Ager and Shaun Kelly.
Timothy A. DeRuyscher received the SFPE Bryan Mentoring Award.
Wojciech Węgrzyński was named recipient of the SFPE Lund Award for Professional Recognition.
Adam M. Barowy received the SFPE Nelson Award for Inspired Service.
William E. Koffel received the SFPE Jensen Award for Outstanding Committee Service.
Professor Richard S. Walls received the SFPE Lucht Award for Contributions to Education.
Nicole Hollywood was named Fire Protection Person of the Year.
Jake A. Pauls received the SFPE Trailblazer Award.
The SFPE Spotlight Award was given to Craig E. Hofmeister, Frank J. Ellis and Kieran Ager.
Vusal Ibrahimli received the SFPE Annual Conference Top Abstract Award, together with co-authors Joseph Su, Marc Alam and Noah Fetterly.
All award recipients will be formally recognised at the 2025 SFPE Annual Conference & Expo.
Event to take place in Vancouver, Canada
The SFPE Annual Conference & Expo is scheduled for 21 to 23 October 2025.
The event will be held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
Amanda Kimball, SFPE President, will present the honours during the conference programme.
The event is open for registration through the SFPE website.
Nomination submissions for the 2026 round of SFPE awards and Fellowships will open in early 2026.
Chris Jelenewicz, Chief Executive Officer of SFPE, said: “Each year, SFPE proudly recognises members whose exceptional achievements have made a lasting impact on the field of fire protection engineering and the global safety community.
“Their contributions are advancing critical science and technology, helping to reduce fire risks worldwide.
“We commend their leadership, expertise, and unwavering dedication to the profession and to SFPE.”
SFPE announces 2025 fire safety award winners and Fellows: Summary
SFPE has announced seven new Fellows for 2025.
Fellow status is the highest membership level within SFPE.
The recipients are from the United States and Canada.
All are senior engineers at fire protection consultancies.
SFPE also named five individuals in its 5 Under 35 recognition.
These are early-career professionals contributing to fire safety and engineering.
Thirteen additional awards were presented across nine categories.
Recipients include individuals from NFPA, Saudi Aramco, UL FSRI and multiple universities.
The honours will be presented at the SFPE Annual Conference & Expo.
The event takes place from 21 to 23 October 2025 in Vancouver, Canada.
Amanda Kimball will lead the awards presentation.
Registration for the event is open on the SFPE website.
Nominations for the 2026 awards will open in early 2026.