Speakers

Laurent Alfonso has been a professional firefighter for 28 years.  On an operational level he has commanded and participated in large-scale interventions such as floods and forest fires.  He has developed skills in crisis management and coordination in evaluation and training missions in South America, Europe and the Mediterranean basin.

Within the UCPM, he is certified as Team Leader, and has been deployed twice to South America: in 2017 as a forest fire expert in Chile, and 2019 in Bolivia.

Coordinator of PPRD South III programme, senior expert on civil protection at the Union for the Mediterranean and, he was member of peer reviews (Tunisia, Algeria), more recently to the peer review in Romania (2002), Moldova (2023), and Advisory Mission on Wildfires in Czech Republic (2024).  He is a member of the committee of the UCPM Wildfire Peer Review Assessment Framework.

French representative on EU working parties, DG ECHO-Disaster Prevention Expert Group, lecturer at Masters in emergency management and damage at University of Malaga (Spain) and Institute for Engineers and Applied Science (Ecole des Mines, Alès, France).

He participates in many seminars at the European and international level as a speaker on crisis management (EU Civil Protecton Forum, Nicosia Risk Forum, Annual DRMKC seminar, OBA [American Firefighters Organization]), writes technical or prospect articles (Crisis Response Journal, LIREC, EURACTIV, IEMED).

Hugo Arceo is Sales Manager for Air Tractor Europe, working in the European and North African markets.  With more than 10 years' of experience in the firefighting aviation sector, he has extensive experience in international trade, multicultural negotiation development and marketing strategy.  Among his merits, Hugo has realized the sale of more than 100 firefighting aircraft and has created firefighting units in different countries around the world.

Michael Benson joined Conair after a 30-year career in wildfire, most recently leading the wildfire operations research program at FPInnovations, a non-for-profit research and development organization based in Canada.  Prior to FPInnovations, Michael led the airtanker program for British Columbia Wildfire Service, responding to wildfires spread over nearly 1 million sq kilometers with both amphibious water bombers and retardant airtankers.  Michael's hands-on experience in aerial firefighting, combined with his research in methods to protect forests and communities from wildfires, offers global agencies a wealth of support as they address the complex challenge of responding to escalating wildfire behaviour in the face of climate change.

Pierre Carlotti is an experienced pilot and entrepreneur with a rich background in military and civilian aviation.  He began his career as a fighter pilot in the French Air Force, where he developed expertise in aerial operations and decision-making under pressure.

In 2020, Pierre founded Aria Firefighting, a company dedicated to innovating solutions for aerial firefighting and emergency response.  Aria operates two key branches: one focused on rapid initial attack using water bombers, and another specializing in advanced situational awareness through the integration of airborne data collection and fire propagation modeling, using manned aircraft.  The company's mission is to enhance firefighting operations and improve crisis management to protect lives and ecosystems.

Pierre continues to lead Aria with a focus on efficiency, innovation, and collaboration, sharing his expertise to inspire progress in the field of aerial firefighting.

Lieutenant-Colonel in the military civil protection Corps, Fabrice is in charge of forest fires for the French Civil Proteciton and Crisis Management Directorate. 

After a brief career in the infantry, he has been serving in the civil protection corps for over twenty years. 

He has all the qualifications required for the firefighting profession (site manager, use of ground and aerial retardants, aerial investigation).  After an initial career as a specialist in helicopter operations, particularly forest fires (2002-2008), Fabrice was head of the southern zone operations center for 2 terms (2008-2010 & 2015-2019) and head of operations at the civil security military unit headquarters (2012-2015). 

He has been involved in forest fires since 2003 and has contributed to the development, management and feedback of all forest fire campaigns in the Mediterranean region.

Since 2019 he has been in charge of forest fires for the whole country and assist the COGIC in its international commitments in this speciality.  He has been involved in training or operational missions in Greece, Croatia, Jordan and Mexico.

Mr. Dubravac is senior Fire Officer with 37 years' of experience.  His career started as operational professional firefighter and fire officer for 19 years.  After than he was Head of Slovenian National Fire school for 9 years.

From 2015-2019 he was Fire Chief on Ljubljana International Airport.  Currently he is senior advisor in Fraport Aviation Academy in Ljubljana.

Mr. Dubravac was member of EU Forest fire expert group for 12 years.

He is also external lecturer in International Atomic Energy Agency for first responders.

From 2020 Milan Dubravac is president of CTIF - International Association of Fire Services.  It is the oldest Fire Association in the world, established in 1900.

Luc began his career in forest protection as a development engineer at the SOPFEU regional base in Val-d'Or where he was promoted to head of land operations in 2000. 

In 2010, he moved to a position of management at the head office in Quebec.

Since 2018, he has been director of the Provincial Control Center.  As such, he is involved in several strategic issues at the provincial, national and international levels.

Luc Dugas first worked in the forestry industry for around ten years in Abitibi, the Hautes-Laurentides and the north of Lac-Saint-Jean.  

He trained as a forest engineer at Laval University and has since been a member of the Order of Forest Engineers of Quebec.

As the Fire Chief of the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), Brian Fennessy leads more than 1,800 firefighters and non-sworn personnel who collectively serve 2 million residents across 23 cities and unincorporated county.

Chief Fennessy began his career in 1978 with the United States Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management working as a hotshot crew member and ultimately crew superintendent.

In 1990, Fennessy joined the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and ultimately became Chief of Department in 2015.  In 2018, he was appointed to Fire Chief of the OCFA.

As Chair of the FIRESCOPE Board of Directors, Chief Fennessy is an advisor to the Director of the California Governor's Office of Emergency Service (Cal OES), currently represents California as a member of the Western Fire Chiefs Association Wildland Fire Policy Committee; serves as the Sponsoring Agency Chiefs Representative for the nine West Division FEMA Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces; and President of the California Fire Chiefs Association (CalChiefs).  In 2022, Chief Fennessy was recognized as CalChiefs Fire Chief of the Year and in 2023, the International Association of Fire Chief's (IAFC) Career Fire Chief of the Year.

Eric Flores has been a firefighter for more than 37 years; he started holding the fire hose and became an expert officer in crisis management.  He specialised in floods in the Paris Region before returning to his first skills, namely forest fire management.  After having worked within the Ministry of the Interior at the General Directorate of Civil Protection, he has been, and still is, responsible for the fire department for 14 years in the south of the France Region, which is particularly subject to forest fires.  He set up an organisation based on analysis, rapid identification of fires, positioning of resources on the ground, and inter-service work.  In terms of fighting, he led more than a hundred forest fires, implemented tools to anticipate the evolution of forest fires and participated in the training of officers in new techniques, management of aircraft, relations with local authorities and protection of populations.  He currently heads the Fire Department in the Montpellier Region, which is subject to more than 1,300 forest fires each year.  He successively extinguished 95% of forest fires over an area of less than 10 ha.  At the same time, since 2007, he has participated in the Union Civil Protection Mechanism by following all training up to the highest level and participated as Team Leader in a mission in Moldova.  More recently he has been responsible for a French and European counter-reinforcement detachment during the forest fires in Canada.

As the former Wildfire Chief and Commissioner of Public Lands for Washington state, Franz led a 2400 member agency responsible for the state's wildfire response and management of six million acres of public lands - from acquatic lands to forestlands, agricultural lands, industrial, commercial and residential development.

Over the last eight years, Franz led the transformation of Washington state's wildfire response, so that in the last four years, even with increasing fires and georgraphy to fight these fires, 95% of fires have been kept to 10 acres or less.  Her reactive and proactive efforts have helped protect communities and environment from the impacts of a rapidly changing climae, dying forests, drought, and extreme wildfires.

Franz has also prioritized supporting local communities, both urban and rural.  The land she managed sustainably generate hundres of millions of dollars for schools and public services, like public safety, housing, human services and hospitals.  And she has allocated millions of dollars to spark economic opportunities in struggling rural communities.  She knows that our working lands - and the communities that depend on them for family-wage jobs - are integral to our success.

In her eight years as Wildfire Chief for Washington State, she successfully:

- Drafted and secured a historic $500 million investment from the state Legislature to prevent and fight wildfires, accelerate forest restoration, and build community resilience.  This bipartisan legislation - supported by a wide-ranging coalition of firefighters, fire chiefs, tribes, environmentalists, and public health advocates - passed unanimously.

- Launched new investments in AI technology for wildfire prevention and prediction.

- Changed the state's wildfire response through initial attack, expediting request and deployment of aviation resources, and growing aviation resources from to 44 through exclusive use contracts.

- Developed a 20-year Forest Health Strategic Plan to restore wildfie resilience to 1.25 million acres of forests.  In just 7 years already 940,000 acres have been restored, so that the state will achieve its 20-year plan in half the time, making forests healthier and more resistant to wildfires - at a scale and pace that is unprecedented.

- Developed the agency's first-ever Plan for Climate Resilience, which lays out a course of action to combat the threat of climate change.  Commissioner Franz worked with a coalition of science, policy, and business leaders to recommend and implement climate resilience in Washington state.

- Developed a nationally recognized Wildfire Ready Neighbors program, helping thousands of homeowners and communities with home hardening and defensible space to save homes and lives.

- Introduced a sweeping proposal to "Keep Washington Evergreen" by protecting 1 million acres of forest from deforestation and reforesting 1 million acres of forest by 2040. 

Under Commissioner Franz's leadership, DNR has built a rebust clean-energy program to help combat the climate crisis and create clean energy jobs.  For the first tie in Washington state history, the agency has leased state trust lands for solar power projects.  Franz has also expanded DNR's wind power program, with wind turbines on state trust lands that can generate 200 megawatts of power, which raise millions to build public schools and universities.

Franz is a third-generation rancher and small forest landowner, with a background in real estate, environmental and land use law.  She holds a bachelor's degree from Smith College and a juris doctor from Northeastern University Law School.

Doctor Frederique Giroud is the director of CEREN, the testing and experimentation Center of ENTENTE Valabre.

She holds a PhD in Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer.  She collaborates with scientists, fire fighters and crisis managers to conduct various projects at the national and European level.  Her main areas of research related to forest fires are fluid mechanic, fire spread modelling, chemical additives, wildland-urban interface management and fire instrumentation.  Furthermore, she is in charge of establishing contacts between French scientists and European stakeholders in fire fighting domain.  In the frame of the H2020 and FP7 Security call, she participated to the organization of various field tests in the context of crisis management with the participation of international experts and observers.  The objectives of those field tests are mainly devoted to the Proof of Concept of supporting tools for a better crisis management.

Since 2018, she manages the referenced laboratory for the French Standardization of the firefighter equipment.

Moreover since 2021, CEREN is the approved inspection laboratory of the French Civil Protection in the chemical additives area.

Johann Georg Goldammer is Director of the Global Fire Monitoring Center (GFMC) and professor for landscape fire ecology and management at Freiburg University, Germany.  The GFMC provides a global portal for landscape fire documentation, information and monitoring.  The GFMC cooperates with the UN Officer for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) through the Science and Technology Partnership, and - mandated by the former Interagency Task Force of the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) - as coordinator of the Global Wildland Fire Network and the Wildland Fire Advisory Group.  As Secretariat of the International Wildfire Preparedness Mechanism (IWPM) the GFMC coordinates a Voluntary Commitment for the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.  The IWPM offers support to countries, directly or through assistance of international organizations, in the development, application, adoption or acculturation of natural fire management policies and strategies and cross-boundary cooperation in fire management.

In Europe the GMFC is service as a Specialised Euro-Mediterranean Centre under the European and Mediterranean Major Hazards Agreement.  The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has tasked the GFMC to implement of the Wildfire Disaster Risk Reduction agenda, based on a Ministerial Council Decision of 57 Participating States of 2014.  For the response to wildfire emergencies in the GFMC provides an emergency hotline and liaison capabilities to provide rapid assessment, decision support and follow-up under a cooperation agreement with UNOCHA's Emergency Services Branch.

The GFMC is acting as Secretariat of the International Fire Aviation Working Group (IFAWG) and has accompanied the Aerial Firefighting Conferences since the launching event in Greece in 2008.

Edward (Eddie) Goldberg is the Vice Chairman for Perimeter Solutions.  He brings more than 18 years' of executive leadership to fire safety products and operations.  Before joining Perimeter Solutions, Eddie was Business Director for ICL Performance Additives and Solutions, where he held general management responsibility for the company's global fire safety segment.  Eddie is credited with building ICL's global fire safety business, focusing on products for wildland fire management and municipal and industrial fire suppression.  Eddie holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University.

Andrei Grishanov holds degree in Environmental Science and studied Computing and Information Systems including Convolutional Artificial Neural Networks (ANN).  Andrei has more than 20 years' experience in GIS, remote sensing and spatial data project development and management with extensive experience in building enterprise GIS systems and platforms (Digital Innovation Hub (app.smartagro.lv), EO-BALP Platform (app.geohub.net).

Andrei has developed well performing Cloud Computing Platform (ForestRadar) for satellite, aerial, drone imagery, sensor data and other spatial data processing which is now used as a core component to provide commercial EO data services and support scientific institutes with flexible cloud computing environment.

Currently, Andrei leads the technical development of ForestRadar, a proprietary technology utilized by forest, utility, environment industries for vegetation monitoring and analysis.  This system integrated optical and radar satellite imagery to provide insights into forest risks, including clear-cuts, windfalls, excess water, beaver dams, bark beetle damage, floods, and fires.

With a strong background in system analysis, process automation, and technical project management, Andrei has contributed to various R&D projects, including INTERREG, ESA, ERDF, Eurostars-2, and Horizon 2020.  His innovative approach has consistently driven development of advanced solutions in forest monitoring, enabling more accurate risk detection and analysis, as well as make more accessible and friendly Earth observation data and technologies for a wide range of interested stakeholders.

Claire Kowalewski is colonel in the French fire services.  She has signed her first contract as volunteer 30 years ago before becoming professional with a strong scientific studies background.  She has been working in civil protection at local, regional, national and international levels.  She had to deal with various types of emergencies such as forest fires, floods, terrorist attack, crash of airliner aircraft, rescue at sea, etc.  She is now seconded to the European Commission at Directorate General ECHO (European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations) where she brings her expertise and experience.  As she has been dealing for many years with forest firefighting in Southern France, she is naturally involved in the preparation of the forest fires season at EU level, developing common Standard Operating Procedures, working on the development of an European aerial forest firefighting fleet called rescEU or preparing innovative projects to increase the EU level of preparedness.  She has also been deployed many times as expert on forest fires emergencies (Australia, Bulgaria, Italy, Sweden, Greece, Canada, etc) within the EU civil protection mechanism on behalf of French Authorities or as European Emergency Response Coordinatino Centre liaison officer.

Professor V. Lappas graduated with a B. Eng in Aerospace Engineering at Ryerson University (Toronto, Canada), his MSc in Space Technology at NASA (Goddard Space Flight Centre) through the International Space University (France) and his PhD in Space Vehicle Control at the University of Surrey (UK).  He has led various signifciant research grants on satellite technology, space missions, space debris, funded by the United States Air Force, NASA, Airbus, European Space Agency, European Commission.  He has managed substantial research grants including the EU funded QB50, RemoveDEBRIS space missions and the European Defence Agency EuroSWARM project which is one of Europe's first Defence R&D pilot projects.  He is currently Professor of Aerospace Systems and Department Head at the Department of Aerospace Science & Technology of the University of Athens (Greece) and a Consulting Professor in Aerospace Systems at Cranfield University (UK).  His current research includes development of unmanned vehicles for defence applications, satellite/space systems, launch vehicle design, small satellites funded by the EU, United States Air Force and European Space Agency.  He also teaches Flight Controls, Dynamics and Satellite Communications at Cranfield University and supervises MSc student projects and PhD researchers for the MSc in Astronautics/Space and Autonomous systems (AVDC).

Prof. Dominique Legendre graduated with a PhD in Fluid Mechanics from Toulouse INP, France, in 1996.  He has been a Professor of Fluide Mechanics since 2007 is a senior researcher at IMFT (Institut de Mécanique des Fluides de Toulouse), one of the leading Fluid Mechanics Institutes in Europe.  He is chairman of the Governing Board of the International Conference of Multiphase Flows (ICMF).

His main line of research is multiphase flows, in particular, bubble and drop dynamics including, heat and mass transfer, icing, and wetting phenomena.  Over the last decade, he has developed a research program on Airtanker efficiency with a strong connection with the Aerial FireFighting community.  In particular, he has developed the NaSCa code to model ground deposits of liquid dropped by any aerial system.  In 2019 a patent was granted for a new delivery system KIOS in collaboration with Kepplair Evolution.  He led several international publications on the subject.  In 2023, in Washington DC, he delivered an invited keynote lecture on the fluid mechanics of airtanker firefighting at one of the most prestigious international fluid mechanics conference (Annual Meeting of the Divison of Fluid Dynamics of the American Physical Society).  For all these contributions, he received in 2022 the Award « Transfert Technologique » of Toulouse University.

Jean-Christophe has more than 33 years with Sabena.

EDHEC, ELM, HEC.

He has experience in various management positions: Purchase, Military Program, Customer Support, Sales & Development, International.

All range of products for both military & civil aircraft.

Above all he is an "aviation fanatic"!!!

Domenico Mazza is the Group CTO of a leading international and independent simulator training organisation, where he leads a dynamic team of over 70 TRIs/TREs in supporting worldwide aviation training.  In addition, he is the General Manager of the Italian Centre in Milan and holds certification as a senior TRE and Functional SME on A320/330 aircraft.  With over 40 years' of experience in aviation, having flown many types ranging from military fighters and bombers to commercial single aisle MD80 and A320 family aircraft to twin aisle, MD11, B767 and A330's, including the successful launching of Mixed Fleet operations, Cadet Pilot Programs and Group Simulator Certification, inclusive of the unique FFS level D CL-415 across numerous NAAs including EASA, FAA and TCAA.

He began his career in the South African Air Force as an aviator and officer, moving onto commercial aviation where he remained for many years as a management pilot covering roles from Chief Pilot, Crew Training Nominated Person to Accountable Manager/Chief Operating Officer.

Throughout his career, Domenico has been recognized for his leadership in Safety and a Just Culture, embedding flight training to benefit thereof.

When not working, Domenico enjoys swimming, cycling, and exploring new cultures with his family.

Matteo Monterosso, Commander of the Firefighters in Fermo, Italy, has over 16 years' of experience in the National Firefighter Corps and a strong background in the aerospace sector.  He has held various leadership roles, including technical manager of the aerial fleet for 12 years, where he coordinated aerial operations in emergency situations.  His academic background includes a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, a Master's in Civil Aviation Management, and a Master's in Crisis and Emergency Management.

Throughout his career, Matteo has participated in and coordinated the major national emergencies, managing complex operations in critical scenarios.  As a member of the Aerial Firefighter Task Group within the European Commission, he has contributed to the development and standardization of operational procedures for the use of aerial resources in wildfire fighting and other emergencies.

His skills range from managing aerial operations to strategic planning in crisis situations, with a strong focus on safety, operational efficiency, and coordination among various agencies involved in emergencies.

Currently, as Commander of the Firefighters in Fermo, he continues to work to ensure the safety of the community, promoting ongoing training and improving the efficiency of the service in response to all types of emegencies.

Nacho Navacerrada Blanco was born in Madrid, in 1989.  He studied Business Administration at Universidad de Alcalá (UAH) and IESE business school.

He started working at Entrol in 2012.  At that time, the company was formed by seven employees that manufactured three simulators yearly.  Nacho has been key to helping evolve the company to more than 50 employees and manufacturing more than 15 simulators yearly.

After 12 years in the industry, Nacho has become the Sales Director in Entrol simulators, and he is an expert regarding the certification, capabilities, and adequacy of the different flight simulators.

He has witnessed the evolution of the industry these last years and aims to introduce a serene point of view to the aviation panorama.

Sean Navin is the Program Director for Amentum Aviation working with Cal Fire at McClellan AB, Sacramento, California.  Amentum/Cal Fire is the gold standard in Aerial Firefighting and currently operates and maintains CALFIRE's S-2T air tankers, OV-10 air tactical aircraft, UH-1H Super Hueys, S-70i Blackhawks, C-130H training aircraft and Beechcraft King Airs.  The majority of the maintenance is performed at McClellan Park, near Sacramento, California.  During fire season, Amentum maintenance personnel and pilots are stationed at various air attack and Helitack bases strategically located through California to provide a quick and effective response to wildfires.

Col Navin (retired) began his military career in 1990 at the 134th Fighter Winger, Vermont Air National Guard, as an F-16 pilot.  Following eight years of service, Col Navin transferred to the 144th Fighter Wing, California Air National Guard.  Col Navin held multiple positinos within the 144th Fighter Wing to include: 144th Vice Wing Commander, 194th Fighter Squadron Commander, and Operations Support Commander.  Col Navin completed the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative (NPLI) senior leadership course at Harvard University, as well as completing the Joint and Combined Warfighting School-Hybrid (JCWS-H).  Col Navin closed his miltiary career as Commander of the 163d Attack Wing, California Air National Guard, March Air Reserve Base, California.  The 163d Attack Wing is comprised of more than 900 personnel.  The wing is the California Air National Guard's exclusive MQ-9A Reaper operatinos unit providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support, as well as tactical combat support, to commanders and war fighters around the world.  He is a command pilot with more than 2,300 flying hours in F-16s and F-15s; operations supported include: OPERATIONAL NOBLE EAGLE, OPERATION SOUTHERN WATCH, and OPERATION CORONET NIGHTHAWK.

Zisoula Ntasiou currently serves as a Fire Colonel in the Hellenic Fire Corps, a division of the General Secretariat for Civil Protection within the Ministry for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection.  She graduated from the Hellenic Fire Academy in 2002 and holds both a Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree in Forestry from the School of Forestry and Natural Environment at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

With over 20 years' of experience, Colonel Ntasiou has served as a Duty Officer at the National Coordination Center for Operations and Crisis Management of the Hellenic Fire Service in Athens.  In the past year, she has taken on the role of Chief Commander of the Aerial Fire Fighting Coordination Center - Unit 2.  Throughout each fire season, she coordinates with various agencies, including the Hellenic Army, Air Force, Hellenic Police, and private helicopter operators.  Additionally, she organizes and participates as a speaker in numerous aerial firefighting workshops, meetings and conferences.

In 2017, Colonel Ntasiou became a member of the Forest Fires Expert Group at the Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC) in Brussels, representing countries vulnerable to forest fires.  She also serves as the Secretary of the Forest Fires Commission of the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services (CTIF).  In October 2021, she presented at the European Conference on Aerial Firefighting in Tallinn, Estonia, in March 2022 she spoke at the Aerial Firefighting Conference in San Diego, California and in October 2023, she was the moderator at the Aerial Firefighting Conference in Athens.

In June 2024, Colonel Ntasiou was elected Vice President of the International Association of Fire and Rescue Services (CTIF).

Outside of her professional life, Zisoula is married and a mother to a 17-year-old-son.  In her leisure time, she enjoys spending time with her family, climbing, photography, and playing music.  Known for her optimism and determination, she sets and consistently achieves her goals.

Tiago M. Oliveira (Porto-1969) is an Expert in forest fire risk management and governance.  His political and managerial experience is grounded on 25 years of operation and research activities as incident commander, aerial coordinator, hotshot crew or regular wildland firefighting.

He holds a PhD in Forest Engineering and Natural Resources at University of Lisbon.

In the aftermath of 2017 wildfires he was appointed by the Prime-Minister to lead the Installation of the Integrated Rural Fire Management System. Since January 2019, his is the Chairman of the Board of the Portuguese Agency that assure the strategical coordinatino of the system.

Former Head of the Department of Innovation and Forestry Development (2016-2017) and Forest Risk Manager (2008-2016) at the Navigator Company, where he covered fire prevention and suppression operational programs and R&D projects in the scope of MIT-Portugal.

Assistant Lecturer at MedFor Master (2013-2017) at University of Lisbon and Executive Coordinator of the Technical proposal of the National Fire Plan (2005) and advisor for the XV and XVII Portuguese Goverments (2004), Head of forest development unit (2000-2003), Head of Inventory and GIS unit (1998-2000) and Assistant Research (1994-1998) at the University Lisbon and National Geographic Agency.

Besides several communications and papers he developed his personal and professional skills in strategy, planning, risk analysis, forest investment, change management, communication, project management, natural resource survey, GIS and remote sensing.

Bill is the Sales and Business Development Manager for BLAZETAMER USA.  He has held this position since 2016, following his retirement from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources after 36 years of service.  Bill began his career in fire and aviation in 1982 as a helicopter crewmember and worked on firefighting hand crews throughout the western USA.  Bill became qualified in several positions, to include: Incident Commander, Air Operations Branch Director, Branch Director, Air Attack Officer, Helicopter Coordinator, Aerial Ignition Specialist and Prescribed Burn Boss.  Bill served as a member of Type I and Type II Incident Management Teams and on several Interagency Aviation Committees.  Bill promoted to the Helicopter Operations Specailist position for the DNR in 2007 and retired as the Wildfire Aviation Supervisor, where he managed both the fixed wing and helicopter programs for the State.  Bill is a certified forester and currently owns and operates Schuster's Forest Management-FIre-Aviation LLC, where, in addition to his work in aviation, he provides assistance to non-industrial private landowners in Minnesota for forest management planning, timber harvest and reforestation.  Bill served 32 years on his local community Volunteer Fire Department as a structure firefighter and as a Supervisor and Chairman of the local Town Board of Supervisors for 25 years.  His hobbies include hunting, fishing, trapping and spending time with his wife and family on their Tree Farm and at their cabin.