AFSA Announces 2019-2020 Board of Directors

Ted Wills Elected Chair of the Board

DALLAS - The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is proud to announce its 2019-2020 Board of Directors. The election of officers took place during the October 1, 2019 meeting of the Board at AFSA38: Convention, Exhibition, & Apprentice Competition in San Diego, California. Ted Wills, Anchor Fire Protection Co., Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania, was elected Chair of the Board. 

"The success of each of our members is of utmost importance to me," comments Wills. "Training, recruitment, and sound fiscal discipline are some of my goals as Chair of the AFSA Board. I look forward to what we can achieve this year and beyond."

Other newly elected officers of the 2019-2020 Executive Committee are:

  • First Vice Chair Jack A. Medovich, P.E., Fire & Life Safety America (an ECFP Co.), Hanover, Maryland;
  • Second Vice Chair Linda M. Biernacki, Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Shreveport, Louisiana;
  • Secretary Jeff Phifer, Crawford Sprinkler Company of South Carolina, Lugoff, South Carolina;
  • Treasurer Paul DeLorie, Hampshire Fire Protection Co., Inc., Londonderry, New Hampshire; and
  • Immediate Past Chair Wayne Weisz, Cen-Cal Fire Systems, Inc., Lodi, California.

AFSA's Board consists of seven Regional Directors (one for each of the seven membership regions), At-Large Directors, and the Immediate Past Chairman. Each year, one-third of the Board is elected to a three-year term, providing continuity in the association's governing body.

The 2019 election process resulted in the re-election of three directors: R. Donald Kaufman of Kaufman Fire Protection, Albuquerque, New Mexico (Region 2); Jeff Phifer of Crawford Sprinkler Co. of South Carolina, Lugoff, South Carolina (Region 5); Linda Biernacki of Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Shreveport, Louisiana (At-Large). Chris Johnson, Piper Fire Protection, Clearwater, Florida, has been newly elected to the Board as an At-Large Director. 

A full list of the 2019-2020 Board of Directors is below:

  • Region 1 Director Lyle Hall, President, Western Fire Protection, Poway, California
  • Region 2 Director R. Donald Kaufman, President, Kaufman Fire Protection, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Region 3 Director Rod DiBona, Vice President, Rapid Fire Protection, Rapid City, South Dakota
  • Region 4 Director Dwight E. Bateman, President, Southeast Fire Protection, Inc., Houston, Texas
  • Region 5 Director Jeff Phifer, President & CEO, Crawford Sprinkler Company of South Carolina, Lugoff, South Carolina
  • Region 6 Director Michael F. Meehan, President, VSC Fire & Security, Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia
  • Region 7 Director Paul DeLorie, Senior Vice President, Hampshire Fire Protection Co., Inc., Londonderry, New Hampshire
  • At-Large Director Linda M. Biernacki, President, Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Shreveport, Louisiana
  • At-Large Director Chris Johnson, President & CEO, Piper Fire Protection, Inc., Clearwater, Florida
  • At-Large Director Jack A. Medovich, P.E., Senior Vice President, Fire & Life Safety America (an ECFP Co.), Hanover, Maryland
  • At-Large Director Jay Strickland, President & Co-Owner, Strickland Fire Protection, Forrestville, Maryland
  • At-Large Director Wayne Weisz, President, Cen-Cal Fire Systems, Inc., Lodi, California
  • At-Large Director Ted Wills, President, Anchor Fire Protection Co., Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania
  • Ex-Officio Member Debra M. McGuire, MBA, IOM, CAE; President & CEO, American Fire Sprinkler Association

AFSA's Board of Directors is committed to the continuance of the merit shop philosophy, the promotion of property and life safety through the use of automatic fire protection, and the continued development of training for fire sprinkler fitters, layout technicians, inspectors and management. Visit www.firesprinkler.org/afsaboard.

About AFSA: Established in 1981, the American Fire Sprinkler Association is an international association representing fire sprinkler contractors. AFSA is dedicated to the educational and professional advancement of the automatic fire sprinkler industry. Visit firesprinkler.org.

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