Posts tagged: People news

Telgian Engineering & Consulting, LLC (TEC) has announced the addition of Philip Pope, GSP as Regional Practice Leader, Fire Protection Engineering, Texas. Pope will be responsible for the implementation of fire protection solutions and strategies serving TEC clients.

Pope brings more than 18 years of experience with a specialty in fire protection engineering for the oil and gas sectors, with a focus in crucial safety and risk programs. His experience will enable him to anticipate, recognise and rapidly respond to the needs of customers with expert solutions.

Previously he served as a Senior Risk Engineer Consultant, Energy Casualty for Zurich North America Insurance, providing industry expert risk improvement services to customers and risk assessment services to underwriting partners.

Pope is a Board-Certified Graduate Safety Practitioner and earned a Bachelor of Science in Fire Protection & Safety Engineering Technologies from Oklahoma State University.

Additionally, he received a Certificate of Completion from Texas A&M for Formation Evaluation and Analysis of Reservoir Performance, Petroleum Development Strategy, and Drilling Engineering.   

He is also a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the American Society of Safety Professionals and the American Association of Drilling Engineers, as well as a former volunteer firefighter.

TEC Executive Vice President Dan Vandergriff said that Pope has a proven track record of success creating innovative, client focused solutions, as well as leading a multi-disciplinary team: “This leadership is essential as he will oversee our rapidly growing fire protection engineering practice throughout the South.”

Vallfirest, manufacturer of equipment, tools and solutions for wildland firefighting, has announced the appointment of Esa Shukor as the new Area Manager in Asia Pacific. 

Shukor brings over 20 years in the fire industry in this market, holding leadership positions through his career with multinational companies.

Commenting on his appointment, Shukor said: “My core competencies include a deep knowledge of how business is done in Asia Pacific. The relationships and customer values that drive business, channel management, emotional intelligence, creativity, and team building.

I am very excited to explore Asia Pacific market together with Vallfirest. What gets me out of the bed in the morning is not letting people down, progress the agenda, exceed commitments and have some fun whilst doing it.”

Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell has appointed Lloyd Nakano as the new State Fire Marshal and Director of the Division of Fire and Life Safety.

State Fire Marshal Nakano has been with the Department of Public Safety since September 2005 and has been the Assistant State Fire Marshal since December 2012.

Fire Marshal Nakano started with the state as a Deputy Fire Marshal I in 2005, promoting to Deputy Fire Marshal II in 2007. He helped lead the State Fire Marshal’s Office as the Assistant State Fire Marshal, starting in 2012, and has been the Acting State Fire Marshal since August 2022. Fire Marshal Nakano has an associate degree in Fire Science and seven fire safety certifications.

 Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell said: “The Division of Fire and Life Safety serves a critical mission across urban and rural Alaska by investigating fatal structure fires, reviewing commercial building plans, and providing firefighter education across the state.

“I know Lloyd will continue to deliver the excellence, customer service, and emergency response capabilities that the State Fire Marshal’s Office is known for.”  

Nakano commented: “I am humbled and honoured to have the opportunity to lead the Division of Fire and Life Safety and to support the amazing men and women who drive this mission across the state every day,”

“As Fire and Life Safety begins its 69th year of service to Alaska, I know our division will help protect Alaskans by continuing our efforts to prevent the loss of life and property from fire and explosion.”

Fire Marshal Nakano’s appointment is effective February 7, 2023. The Fire and Life Safety division is made up of 29 Deputy Fire Marshals and professional staff.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has announced the appointment of Tim McClintock as a regional electrical specialist.

In his new role, McClintock will provide technical outreach and safety-focused advocacy in the electrical world and support use of the National Electrical Code (NEC) alongside NFPA’s regional directors.

He will continue to serve in his current position as executive secretary to NFPA’s Electrical Inspection Section, a membership section devoted to electrical inspectors.

McClintock brings over 35 years in the electrical industry as an electrician, electrical inspector, chief building official and electrical safety advocate. He first worked at NFPA for eight years as a regional electrical code specialist.

He was also a principal contributor on multiple editions of the NEC Summary of Changes documents and co-authored multiple editions of the NFPA Pocket Guides to Electrical Installations.

Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy for NFPA, said: “It’s a pleasure to have Tim working at NFPA once again. His extensive experience with the NEC and the electrical industry will be invaluable as he engages with electrical inspectors across the country and supports their use of the electrical code.

“In addition to his long-standing support among electrical inspectors throughout the U.S. and his guidance on many state and local issues, we also look forward to his work in expanding NEC support globally.”

Prior to working at NFPA, McClintock served on several NEC Code Making Panels (1, 12 and 16) and as chair of the NFPA Technical Committee on Electrical Equipment Evaluation. 

For the past three-plus years, McClintock has been a senior technical field representative for the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), promoting the use of the NEC among NEMA members and monitoring regional development of importance to the electrical industry.  He is certified in Ohio as an electrical inspector, electrical plan examiner, building official, residential building official, and building inspector. 

Chubb, one of the UK’s leading fire safety and security solutions provider, has strengthened its senior leadership team with a three significant appointments.

David Dunnagan was promoted to Managing Director of Chubb UK&I, following Brendan McNulty’s promotion to the newly created role of Vice President – Europe last summer. Dunnagan has enjoyed a successful career with Chubb, starting as an apprentice in 1993. He now drives the company’s ambition of becoming the employer of choice and the number one fire and security business in the UK and Ireland.

Gary Moffatt has been promoted to Director for Fire and Security UK. Continuing his long and successful career with Chubb, Moffatt’s appointment is his latest milestone achievement, having secured several promotions since joining the organisation in 2001 as a university graduate. 

A new addition to the Chubb senior leadership team is Terry Sallas. He joins as Managing Director of Major Projects and has a proven track record of helping organisations create a vision, discover new markets, and grow. He will lead projects incorporating specialist solutions through its technology-leading businesses, Chubb Systems, Frontline Security Solutions, Fire Systems, and the software brands, Sisys and Mentor. 

David Dunnagan said about the new appointment: “I am delighted that we have significantly strengthened our senior leadership team. Gary and Terry bring an incredible amount of knowledge and experience to our team, and together with the wider team, we will lead Chubb into its next ambitious growth phase. 

“We’re guiding our customers through the digital switchover and harnessing the power of new technology, so our fire and security solutions are even better connected and help customers lower their impact on their operations. By getting the basics right, we can be even more responsive and tailor our offering to provide a personal service to our customers. From there, we can evolve and be the number one provider for fire protection, life safety, and security.”

Telgian Fire Safety has announced the appointment of Kirk Unterseeas Vice President of Finance / Controller. In this position, Untersee will be responsible for overseeing financial reporting, preparing operating budgets and performing essential financial duties related to both payroll and operations.

Untersee is an accounting professional who possesses extensive experience in all aspects of finance and accounting for the manufacturing, service and construction industries. His skills include the creation of annual operating plans and forecasts, as well as the monitoring of actuals vs. forecasts.

In addition, his prior experience as a Plant Manager will provide a unique perspective, as well as a deeper understanding, of the essential connection between finance and operations.

Untersee earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting with a minor in business administration from Illinois State University.

Telgian President Chris Higgins commented on the appointment: “A dynamic and effective leader, Kirk’s 30+ years of financial experience, combined with exceptional business acumen, will be an invaluable asset to Telgian Fire Safety.

“His proven track record and strong background in financial reporting, planning and analysis are essential as we plan for the future growth of the company.”  

Fire safety and security specialist, Amthal is continuing on its growth plan to service more advanced commercial customers, with six dedicated appointments already in 2023, set across the business.

The new appointments include Amy Bradbury who has joined the commercial team, together with Donna Henderson who has been welcomed as a key account coordinator in the MSR team.  Amthal has also appointed three new MSR Engineers since the start of the year.

Amthal is looking to grow its team further with the appointment of a new Business Development Manager, Supply Chain Team Member and a Key Account coordinator to meet increasing customer demand, alongside a number of Engineer roles in commissioning, maintenance and installation. 

Commenting on the team’s aspirational growth plans, Jamie Allam, CEO Amthal said: “There is a positive outlook for the physical security technology and fire safety industries as we move into 2023, especially with new legislation coming through.  To ensure we can continue to maximise the opportunities and remain proactive with our customers, together with the senior management team we have continued to steer the company on an ambitious growth plan. 

“This is both through acquisition following our success with IPL, and organic growth to further expand our geographical expansion along with adding to our existing services within the fire and security sectors.  To maintain our mission, vision and values and continue to customer excellence, we are delighted to welcome Amy, Donna and our new Engineers so early in the year. We are also conscious not to be complacent and present further exciting career opportunities via both technical and managerial pathways.” 

Amthal has also committed to its apprenticeship programme to develop the workforce and bring forward the next generation of talent in security and fire safety.

Allam added: “We operate in a dynamic industry and there are plenty of opportunities for a fulfilling and rewarding career. Amthal has always been a big supporter of apprentices and we continue to develop a range of training strategies and job-specific courses across the business. 

“We ensure apprentices have the opportunity to work with our senior team in a structured career progression path and form an essential part of our product and service development.  We have employed, retained and promoted the majority of our apprentices, with some even forming part of our management structure, making a significant influence on our future business growth.”

Johnson Controls has promoted Sarah Dixon to Enterprise Sales Director, UK&I, effective immediately. As the former General Manager, Fire Suppression at Johnson Controls, Dixon brings a wealth of leadership experience and industry expertise to the wider business.

In her new role, Dixon will continue to drive sustainable growth, digital and sustainable outcomes for Johnson Controls customers and positioning the business to thrive in an ever-evolving world.

“I am thrilled to announce Sarah’s new role in the business. Having been with Johnson Controls for two years now, Sarah has shown herself to be a proven leader in fire suppression, applying her experience and insights to some of the most complex fire suppression challenges,” shared Richard Lek, VP and GM, Building Technologies and Solutions, UK&I at Johnson Controls. “She is an asset to the team and I am excited to see her thrive in our enterprise sales function.” 

Dixon said: “I’m honoured to have progressed in my role at Johnson Controls and am eager to work among some of the best in the business.

“I look forward to drawing on my experience to help drive Johnson Controls toward continued industry leadership and global success.”

During her time with Johnson Controls, Dixon has led her team in driving the return of sales for Fire Suppression. Alongside her work in improving their financial results, she has spent time speaking both internally and externally to encourage diversity and inclusion within the industry.

Read IFSJ’s exclusive interview with Dixon Sarah Dixon, where she spoke to IFSJ Editor Iain Hoey about the gender balance in a male-dominated field.