Meet Our Board & Staff
Board

Ernest Mitchell, Jr. was the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s United States Fire Administrator for the United States Fire Administration. He began his tenure on December 5, 2011 and was responsible for managing the United States Fire Administration, the programs and training activities at the National Emergency Training Center.
Read More
John H. Granby has been involved with the design, manufacture, distribution and sale of protective clothing, and supporting technical services to the Fire Service for over 35 years. Over the last few years he has also been involved at the federal level in developing products and programs for both the private and public sectors in protective clothing and logistical management as well as securing funding streams for the first responders of the United States. He is presently Vice President of Government Relations and Corporate responsibility for Lion, Inc. In addition he is an active member of the Miami Valley Urban Search and Rescue team (Federal Task Force OHTF-1) as a technical Information Specialist and served as a subject matter expert for the US&R Logistical Working Group from 1999-2003. In the 1980’s he worked with the Washington Township Fire department as a subject matter expert in Personal Protective Equipment and was an honorary member of the Ohio Fire Chiefs Association.
Read More
Mr. Balliet is the President of Provident in Pittsburgh, PA., a company offering group insurance benefits to emergency personnel and their families since 1928. Commencing employment in 1979, he has played an instrumental role in growing Provident from a regional concern to one with national and international reach. Under Mr. Balliet’s leadership, Provident has garnered national recognition for its innovative insurance coverages, customer care, and sincere dedication by all its staff to emergency service related causes.
Read More
John S. Butler has been the Fire Chief for the Fairfax County (VA) Fire and Rescue Department since September 2018. He formerly served as the first internal Fire Chief for Howard County (MD) Department of Fire and Rescue Services and was the first chief to have held every rank within that department.
Read More
Since 2012, Jeff Fackler is the North America Business Development Director for DuPont Personal Protection. In his role, Jeff is responsible for managing the distribution portion of the thermal industrial apparel channel, and sales for the fire service apparel channel. Jeff also serves as the Challenger Sales Process Champion for the business driving development and implementation of insights that contribute to business and customer growth.
Read More
David brings 30 years of experience in the financial, insurance and reinsurance industries, the last 11 overseeing AXIS Specialty Accident and Health business. Before joining AXIS, David was Vice President, Accident & Health for AIG, where he managed sales and underwriting staff, as well as a diverse multi-million book of accident & health business.
Read MoreStaff

Ronald Jon Siarnicki the Foundation’s Executive Director, began his career as a firefighter with the Prince George’s County Fire/EMS Department in 1978 and, over 24 years, progressed through the ranks to Chief of the Department. In this position, he served as the Chief Executive Officer responsible for the fire, rescue and emergency medical services of Prince George’s County, Maryland. While with the Department, he also served on the Joint Fire and Police Pension Board for four years.
Read More
Ed Klima has served as the Managing Director of the FRCE since its inception in 2016. He began his public safety career as a volunteer firefighter in Delaware in 1988 and became a career firefighter in Fairfax County, Virginia in 1997. Unfortunately, a back injury cut his career short in Fairfax County and he entered the private sector to focus on emergency and public safety management for major special events.
Read More
Lori Jacobs joined the First Responder Center for Excellence for Reducing Occupational Illness, Injuries and Deaths (FRCE) in 2019 as a Programs Specialist. Prior to joining the FRCE Lori worked at Dover Motorsports in the Public Safety Department. Lori’s father was an active member of the Gumboro Volunteer Fire Company for 32 years from 1968 to 2000. Her husband is a member of the Dover Fire Department. She resides in Camden, DE with her husband and children.
Read More