As reported by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the organization concluded the election of its Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting on June 17, 2024.
The election results included the appointment of a new chairperson, the election of two new members, and the reelection of a third member to the Board.
R.David Paulison has been elected as the new chairperson of the NFPA Board of Directors.
Paulison, who has been part of the NFPA Board since 2015 and previously served as the first vice chair, brings extensive experience in emergency management and fire safety to his new role.
He has had a distinguished career, including serving as the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and as the U.S. Fire Administrator.
Paulison spent 30 years with the Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department, culminating in his role as Fire Chief from 1992 to 2001.
Paulison succeeds Russell Leavitt, the executive chairman of Telgian Holdings, Inc., who completed his second two-year term as Board chair.
Leavitt contributed greatly to NFPA and the fire safety community during his tenure.
The Board also elected a new slate of officers, including John Bonney as first vice chair, Roger Montembeault as second vice chair, Lou Paulson as secretary, Stacy Welch as treasurer, Reggie Freeman as assistant treasurer, and Russell Leavitt as immediate past chair.
Kwame Cooper will continue in his role as assistant secretary.
Paulison’s leadership is expected to continue advancing NFPA’s mission to impact fire, electrical, and life safety globally.
He will collaborate closely with NFPA’s executive leadership team and board members.
In addition to electing new officers, NFPA members elected two new Board members and re-elected a third to three-year terms.
Christina Francis, P.E., FSFPE, senior staff fire and regulatory specialist for Tesla, and David Hittinger, national director of codes and standards at IEC, were both elected to their first three-year terms.
Raj Arora, P.E., the chief executive officer at Jensen Hughes, who has served on the Board since 2021, was reelected for another three-year term.
These newly elected and re-elected Board members bring a wealth of expertise and a shared commitment to NFPA’s mission.
Their diverse backgrounds in fire safety and emergency management are expected to contribute significantly to the organization’s ongoing initiatives and strategic goals.
