History of the
Central Ohio Chapter
NATIONAL
A Professional society for engineers involved in fire protection was organized in 1950 as the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. The purpose of the Society is to advance the art and science of fire protection engineering and its allied fields, to maintain a high ethical standing among its members and to foster fire protection engineering education. The Society services as an international clearinghouse for fire protection engineering state-of-the-are advances and information.
CENTRAL OHIO CHAPTER
National SFPE members residing in Central Ohio in 1980 saw the need for a local chapter, since the only chapter in Ohio was the Northeast Chapter in Cleveland. Despite their good intentions, a local chapter did not come into being at this time.
In 1982, the idea of a local SFPE chapter was brought forth once again by several persons working in the fire protection field. One person in particular, Richard Weitzel, saw the need for a local chapter and made inquiry with the National SFPE on organizing a local chapter. D. Peter Lund, CAE, Executive Director of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers responded with a geographical listing of national SFPE members in Central Ohio, a sample constitution, sample chapter formation material, and monthly mailings to chapter presidents.
The first organizational meeting was conducted by Richard Weitzel on July 12, 1982. Ten interested persons attended this meeting and fire additional persons called to express interest but were unable to attend. The census of those in attendance was to continue with efforts to organize a Central Ohio Chapter. A second meeting was held on September 20, 1982, at the Chamber of Commerce Building. Twenty-four concerned people attended the meeting and elected interim officers. They were:
Richard Weitzel, President
Gerald Tulga, Vice President
Bruce Larcomb Secretary
To organize as an official chapter of SFPE, Mr. Peter Lund was requested, and attended, the next meeting on November 8, 1982, at the Ohio Fire Academy. Mr. Lund spoke on organizing a local SFPE chapter. The interim officers developed the first Constitution and Bylaws for the Central Ohio Chapter and presented it to all persons in attendance at the November, 1982 meeting. Twenty-one members in attendance voted and accepted the Constitution and Bylaws. The chapters assumed the status of an informal chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. The first Nominating Committee presented their report for the 1983-84 chapter year.
The officers nominees were
Richard Weitzel, President
Gerald Tulga, Vice President
Bruce Larcomb, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
William Ahrendt, Board of Directors
Norm Gatsch, Board of Directors
The report was seconded and passed by the members.
The Interim Chapter continued to meet on a by-monthly basis. At the June 15, 1983, meeting, President Richard Weitzel announced that the Central Ohio Chapter had become the 39th Chapter of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. On November 9, 1983, Maury Boulasis, past National President of SFPE, presented Chapter #39 plaque, to Richard Weitzel. The Central Ohio Chapter was now an official chapter of SFPE!
List of Officers
Year
Officers
1982-1983
Richard Weitzel, President
Gerald Tulga, Vice President
Bruce Larcomb, Secretary/Treasurer
1983-1984
Richard Weitzel, President
Gerald Tulga, Vice President
Bruce Larcomb, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1984-1985
Gerald Tulga, President
Bruce Larcomb, Vice President
Phil Gentile, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1985-1986
Bruce Larcomb, President
Phil Gentile, Vice President
Bob Elek, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1986-1987
Phil Gentile, President
Bob Elek, Vice President
Tom O’Connor, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1987-1989
Bob Elek, President
Tom O’Connor, Vice President
Kermit Ball, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1989-1991
Tom O’Connor, President
Kermit Ball, Vice President
Bill Smith, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1991-1993
Kermit Ball, President
Bill Smith, Vice President
Mickey Driggers, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1993-1995
Bill Smith, President
Mickey Driggers, Vice President
Deborah Ohler, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1995-1996
Mickey Driggers, President
Deborah Ohler, Vice President
James Beller, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1996-1997
Deborah Ohler, President & Vice President
James Beller, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1997-1999
Deborah Ohler, President
James Burton, Vice President
Joe Mayfield, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
1999-2001
James Burton, President
Mark Bowman, Vice President
Victoria Stec, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2001-2003
Mark Bowman, President
Phil Gentile, Vice President
Victoria Stec, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2003-2005
Phil Gentile, President
Jim Dimarzo, Vice President
Sheryl Stahl, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2005-2007
Phil Gentile, President
Robert Barnett, Vice President
Sheryl Stahl, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2007-2009
Carl Sellke, President
Mark Bowman, Vice President
Sheryl Stahl, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2009-2011
Carl Sellke, President
Mark Bowman, Vice President
Sheryl Stahl, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2011-2013
Mark Bowman, President
Dave Zink, Vice President
Sheryl Stahl, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2013-2015
Dave Zink, President
Ryan Oyster, Vice President
Sheryl Stahl, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2015-2017
Ryan Oyster, President
Chad Miller, Vice President
Sheryl Stahl, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2017-2019
Chad Miller, President
Mike Lyons, Vice President
Jen Haugh, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2019-2022
Mike Lyons, President
Phil Sisia, Vice President
Jen Haugh, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer
2022-2023
Phil Sisia, President
Bob Fischer, Vice President
Jen Haugh, Secretary
John Falk, Treasurer