Gregg Riddle for 2008 APCO 2nd Vice President

		Welcome to Gregg Riddle for 2008 APCO International 2nd Vice President Gregg Riddle is running for APCO International 2008 2nd Vice President. Please join with us to support Gregg in his campaign and learn more here about Gregg's accomplishments in APCO and his career in Public Safety Communications. Gregg's Candidate Resume     Gregg's Fire Service Resume     Gregg's Campaign Flyer Gregg Riddle Has Received Endorsements from MONTANA CHAPTER          ILLINOIS CHAPTER OF NENA          ILLINOIS CHAPTER          VIRGINIA CHAPTER          MINNESOTA CHAPTER          ILLINOIS FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION Gregg's March Letter to APCO Members As Published in Public Safety Communications Magazine Serving on the APCO Board of Officers is a daunting task. Finding individuals to take on this responsibility has been a challenge for the association, and many recent elections have drawn only one candidate. Running for the Board is an endeavor I have considered for quite a while. The complex issues facing public safety communications motivated me to first build a broad base of understanding and experience that would allow me to hit the ground running if I am elected.             The following is a long list of activities and accomplishments I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing during my nearly 27 years of active participation in APCO. My committee work, leadership roles, education, strategic planning and assistance to members have all helped make me the APCO member I am and have prepared me for the association’s ultimate leadership role. Being a good member takes involvement. Demonstrating a commitment to the membership takes participation. Being a leader takes dedication and contribution. I trust that after you read the following paragraphs you will understand how my commitment and involvement have prepared me to step forward and ask for your vote to become APCO’s 2008 second vice president.             Since my election to Illinois Chapter APCO Executive Council Representative in 1996, I have had the opportunity to become increasingly involved in significant leadership roles for APCO and build my experience foundation. I began by serving as a member on numerous committees, then chairing multiple committees each year. At my first Executive Council meeting in January 1997, I volunteered for the Management Committee, and I have served as its chair since August 2001. As an original member of the Chapter Enhancement Task Force, I watched it evolve into the current Member and Chapter Services Committee and was encouraged by the emphasis on its service to the membership. I accepted and held the chair position on that committee until September 2005. While serving on the Constitution and Bylaws Committee, I was asked to be its chair in August 2003.             In 2005, the Board of Officers appointed me as one of five group leaders serving the Member Services Group of Committees. As a group leader, I work with several committees and task forces to develop their goals and objectives, ensuring they are aligned with the association’s strategic plan; prepare and manage budgets; submit semi-annual reports; and support APCO’s mission. Because it’s important to me to stay close to the needs of the membership, I have found it rewarding and gratifying to work with membership-associated committees, such as Awards, Commercial Advisory, Editorial Advisory, Historical, Member and Chapter Services, and the Membership Task Force committees.             In 2006, I participated in the first APCO Registered Public Safety Leaders (RPL) Program, served on the RPL Work Group that developed the program and wrote the course’s governance section. I graduated with the first class in August 2007. This program was outstanding in every way. It gave me an opportunity to interact with many other APCO members from all membership categories who strive to become leaders in our industry.             My public safety career began in 1970, I was a paid on-call firefighter in Harvey, Ill., and then became a full-time firefighter with the Elk Grove Village Fire Department. During my career, I was promoted through the ranks to increasingly responsible leadership roles, ultimately reaching the rank of Deputy Chief of Administration prior to my retirement from the department in June 2000. Currently, I am the Executive Director at West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center in River Forest, Ill., beginning there in July 2000. I have experience building a communications center, acquiring necessary equipment and technology, hiring and training 21 telecommunicators and beginning a consolidated 9-1-1 operation for three suburban Chicago villages of Oak Park, River Forest and Elmwood Park.             My APCO membership began in 1981. Over the years, I have been honored to receive the designations of association Life Member and Senior Member and Illinois Chapter Life Member.             In the Illinois Chapter, I have held numerous offices and chaired many committees. At the international level, I have also chaired numerous committees, including the Chapter Enhancement Task Force, the Conference Manual Review Committee, the Executive Council Management Committee, the Constitution & Bylaws Committee and the Member and Chapter Services Committee. I have served as a member on 14 APCO International committees over the years.             My professional involvement with public safety issues is not exclusive to APCO. I work with several other public safety related associations, and I am particularly proud to be vice president and one of the founders of the Illinois Public Safety Telecommunications Association (IPSTA). IPSTA is a cooperative effort by the Illinois Chapters of APCO and NENA to handle education opportunities in our state.             The last aspect of my experience that I would like to mention relates to the awards that I have received over the years. I have been honored to receive a number of awards, including the APCO Weldon Joe Blair Award in 2007, the APCO Presidential Award of Excellence in 2007, 2005, 2004 and 2001, and the APCO Leadership Award in 2007, 2006 and 2005. Although these awards are significant, and I am very grateful for them, they are merely symbolic of the contributions necessary to fully participate in one’s professional association; that is the true reward.             My hope now is to take my experience and work to improve and strengthen the association’s governance, enhance membership services, build a stronger association by growing and diversifying our membership, and bring together my passion for public safety along with more than 27 years of experience as an APCO member to serve on your Board of Officers. I hope you will consider my qualifications and contributions as worthy of your vote. Together, we can continue to improve APCO for all public safety professionals. For more details on my experience and campaign, please visit www.Riddle2008.org. —Gregg Riddle

This site was last updated03/19/08