BOARD OF DIRECTORS
SGT. Jon Vaala
Chairman of the Board / Co-Founder
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Jon also attended the University of Denver's Public Safety Leadership Development School. He has been on the Bomb Squad since 1999 and is currently a Team Leader. In addition to being the Senior Technician on the Bomb Squad, a Tactical Bomb Technician, formerly a SWAT explosive breacher for 16 years and a firearms instructor, Jon is passionate about the EOD and his Public Safety Bomb Technician (PSBT) community. Being involved in multiple high-profile incidents and events over his career has driven his mission to promote cooperation and collaboration amongst the bomb technician community. His goals are to continue to promote SWAT/PSBT integration, professional cooperation between EOD and PSBT, promote health and wellness through foundational partnerships, continuously earn industry partnerships, as well as to bring awareness to the community by highlighting the mostly anonymous work EOD and Public Safety Bomb Technicians do worldwide and here in the U.S. Jon's gift, as a co-founder of the USBTA, is bringing the right people together and firmly believes in the philosophy, "If service is below you, leadership is beyond you."
Sean Dennis
President & CEO / Co-Founder
Board Member / Treasurer
Other then supervising the Bomb Squad and HAZ-MAT Teams Sean was the Assistant Emergency Manager for one of the largest counties in Colorado and a state certified HAZ-MAT Technician. He has been involved in the Bomb Technician/Explosive community for over 20 years (26 Years Law Enforcement) and has been involved in many critical incidents which has formed his belief system and support for Military and Public Safety Bomb Technicians. Sean feels strongly in supporting this great community and has reached out to those with in the military and public safety ranks to listen and learn on what they are hoping to see in an organization like the USBTA. Sean has spent much of his time helping other organizations who have supported other Bomb Technicians who were in need of help and supported training events between Military and Public Safety Bomb Technicians. He has formed great partnerships with many from the military and public safety communities and hopes to bring these two groups together in a strong viable partnership.
Robert vonLoewenfeldt
Executive Vice President
Board Member / Board Secretary
In 2002 he joined the Chatham County Police Bomb Squad, which later became the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Bomb Squad.He took command of the squad in 2006 and shortly after became the Southern Technician representative to NBSCAB. Rob left SCMPD in 2013 for a job with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Bomb Squad. His duties with SLED include functioning as a SWAT operator, a K-9 handler, and a diver for the Maritime Response Unit. In addition to over 14 years as a FBI certified bomb technician, Rob is also a lead instructor for the FBI's Maritime Bomb Technician Program, a member of the DHS's First Responder Response Group, the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office's IDD/EOD-LIC subgroup, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology's ASTM Robotics group. He has published several FBI Special Technician bulletins and, developed the national testing standards for underwater robots.
Rob is passionate about bomb squad integration with tactical teams, public safety dive teams, and US Military partners. Rob also
consistently works with industry to develop innovated tools, tactics and techniques to assist in closing operational gaps in bomb
squad capabilities.
LT. Chris Hall
Board Member
Along with his commander duties he is a certified tactical breacher along with underwater post blast investigator and underwater renders safe techniques. Archilochos once said "We don't rise to our level of expectations; we fall to the level of our training." Chris believes that training is one of the most important things that a team can do to perform at a high level in any situation. Chris and his team were involved in the Pulse Night Club terror attack and it was because of his team's high level of training that they performed so well that night. When an event like this occurs you may need the assistance of other members of the EOD community. That is why he believes that it is important to bring members of the EOD community together to train and learn from each other's experiences, both military and public safety.
CSM Scott Weimer
Board Member
For the last 21 years, he has served in every leadership position from Team Leader to Command Sergeant Major including Joint Staff positions, Special Operations, and direct support to Other Government Agencies. Scott has multiple combat deployments to both Iraq (2) and Afghanistan (2), as well as numerous operational deployments to Egypt, Nigeria, Tunisia, and Qatar.
During his more than 21 years of EOD experience, Scott has worked closely with our Local, State, and Federal LEOs in matters ranging from routine off-post recovery of military ordnance, Counter-IED, Counter-WMD, Education, Counter-Narcotics, and VIP Protection. He hopes to bring these experiences to the table and strengthen the bonds between Public Safety Bomb Technicians and Military EOD while working to raise awareness of our community; its complexity, its hazards, and the sacrifices that are made in service to our communities, at every opportunity.
He is currently a full time Nursing student at the University of Colorado/Colorado Springs working towards his MSN to become a Nurse Practitioner. He is married to his wife of 25 years, Luann who is an executive account for a home school education.
SGT. Brian Knudsen
Senior Vice President / Board Member
It is these experiences and the tight knit
community of Bomb Technicians that inspire him to want to provide support and training to Bomb Squads around the country. Brian recognizes the many obstacles Bomb Squads across the nation encounter such as costly training and constrained department budgets. His goal is to raise awareness to private entities about these obstacles in order to build financial partnerships which support USBTA's training mission and contribute to the safety of their communities.
1SG David A. Grotkin
Special Board Member
He conducted multiple combat operations in both Afghanistan and Iraq while supporting both conventional and special operation's counter IED missions. While not deployed, David supported state and local public safety on numerous EOD incidents throughout the United States.
David's goal is to bring both public safety and military bomb technicians together to learn from each other. He feels strongly about training and equipment and, understands that his community can only benefit from excellent training and great equipment. He believes that the joint experience from these two communities can only make them stronger and lead to a lasting partnership.
MANAGEMENT TEAM
Sean Dennis
President & CEO / Co-Founder / Board Member
Other then supervising the Bomb Squad and HAZ-MAT Teams Sean was the Assistant Emergency Manager for one of the largest counties in Colorado and a state certified HAZ-MAT Technician. He has been involved in the Bomb Technician/Explosive community for over 20 years (26 Years Law Enforcement) and has been involved in many critical incidents which has formed his belief system and support for Military and Public Safety Bomb Technicians. Sean feels strongly in supporting this great community and has reached out to those with in the military and public safety ranks to listen and learn on what they are hoping to see in an organization like the USBTA. Sean has spent much of his time helping other organizations who have supported other Bomb Technicians who were in need of help and supported training events between Military and Public Safety Bomb Technicians. He has formed great partnerships with many from the military and public safety communities and hopes to bring these two groups together in a strong viable partnership.
Robert vonLoewenfeldt
Executive Vice President / Board Member
In 2002 he joined the Chatham County Police Bomb Squad, which later became the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Bomb Squad.He took command of the squad in 2006 and shortly after became the Southern Technician representative to NBSCAB. Rob left SCMPD in 2013 for a job with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) Bomb Squad. His duties with SLED include functioning as a SWAT operator, a K-9 handler, and a diver for the Maritime Response Unit. In addition to over 14 years as a FBI certified bomb technician, Rob is also a lead instructor for the FBI's Maritime Bomb Technician Program, a member of the DHS's First Responder Response Group, the Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office's IDD/EOD-LIC subgroup, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology's ASTM Robotics group. He has published several FBI Special Technician bulletins and, developed the national testing standards for underwater robots.
Rob is passionate about bomb squad integration with tactical teams, public safety dive teams, and US Military partners. Rob also
consistently works with industry to develop innovated tools, tactics and techniques to assist in closing operational gaps in bomb
squad capabilities.
Peter Nagel, P.C.
Chief Counsel
..including board and officer governance responsibilities, mergers and corporate restructurings, participation in tax-exempt financings, unrelated business taxable income issues, and the implementation of endowments and planned giving programs.
His diverse client base includes -
- community foundations, supporting organizations, and corporate and private foundations
- organizations that own and operate affordable housing nationwide
- state, national, and international trade associations
- religious organizations of all denominations
- organizations engaged in political and legislative advocacy, and
- a wide variety of charities engaged in education at all levels, the prevention, treatment, and cure of diseases, arts and culture, amateur sports, environmental protection, scientific research, and services to the elderly, the needy, and the underprivileged
Edward J. Durica, III, CFA
Chief Financial Officer CFO
Ed leads the investment management team, spearheading portfolio strategy, security selection and trading. He also engages with client relationship management, including providing consulting services for ultra-high net worth clients, and oversees reporting and compliance. Ed is a CFA Charter holder. The Chartered Financial Analyst designation is considered the most difficult accreditation to achieve in the financial industry and includes adhering to the highest ethical standards in the industry. Ed has volunteered for many years with the CFA Society of Colorado, including holding the office of President, and currently serving as Vice President. Ed graduated from the University of Denver with an M.B.A. with a specialization in Finance.
Dr. Joseph Brady
USBTA Chemist
In particular, Dr. Brady developed a technique for the field expedient destruction of triacetone triperoxide (TATP) using commercial off-the-shelf materials. He determined the sensitivity and explosive performance of erythritol tetranitrate (ETN) relative to other tetranitrates (PETN and SMX) in addition to optimizing analytical methods for the 3 materials. He identified additives that would prevent the use of hydrogen peroxide and various fertilizers as explosive precursors, without interfering with their intended use. His master’s thesis, Formation of Organic Peroxides in Solution, investigated the possibility of incidental formation of TATP and diacetone diperoxide (DADP) in an industrial process.
Currently, Joe provides subject matter expertise to DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate on explosives and chemistry related matters. He is an Associate Chemist at Brookhaven National Laboratory where he developed energetic polymers as a delivery medium for novel fuel/oxidizer mixtures to defeat chemical and biological weapons for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA). Joe also works with the Department of State’s Chemical Security Program to engage with and enhance the chemical security of our international partners in commerce, industry, academia and law enforcement. He has provided technical expertise to the National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) for various activities.
Col (Ret) Gerardo Meneses
Senior Vice President
He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps and branch-detailed to Armor branch. He graduated from West Point with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Engineering Psychology and later completed Masters of Education Degree at Long Island University. His military education includes Armor Officer's Basic Course, the Combined Logistics Officer Advanced Course, the Basic Explosive Ordnance Disposal Course, the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) and the Joint Forces Staff College. COL Meneses most recently completed a Senior Service College Fellowship at the University of Denver's Korbel School of International Studies.
Colonel Meneses' assignments include the 1-66 Armor Battalion, Fort Hood, TX serving as a tank platoon leader, tank company
executive officer and BN assistant operations officer during their deployment to Operation Sea Signal at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. At Fort Hood he also served as the Brigade Maintenance Officer in the 1st Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. He then served as a Company Commander of the 18th Ordnance Company (EOD), Fort Bragg, NC. Following that assignment, he returned to West Point to complete his master's degree and serve as a Tactical Officer overseeing cadet company E-1 at the USMA. Following
graduation from the CGSC, he was assigned as the Executive officer of the 184th Ordnance Battalion (EOD) and deployed with
them in support of Operation OIF III. To leverage his combat experience and technical expertise he was assigned to the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization in Washington, DC to oversee the rapid development, procurement and fielding of CREW (Counter Radio-controlled IED Electronic Warfare) and Force-Protection equipment. He was then assigned to Fort
Carson, Colorado where he served as the operations officer and then Commander of the 71st Ordnance Group (EOD) (PROV),
prior to assuming command of the 242d Ordnance Battalion (EOD). During command he established a model training program
with local, state & federal public safety bomb squads and TSA. He later deployed the BN to Afghanistan from July 2013 to July
2014 ISO OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, where he commanded JTF Paladin and all joint-service EOD units supporting conventional forces in Afghanistan. He was most recently assigned as the Director of the Asia Pacific C-IED Fusion Center, Fort
Shafter, HI.
SGT. Brian Knudsen
Senior Vice President / Board Member
It is these experiences and the tight knit
community of Bomb Technicians that inspire him to want to provide support and training to Bomb Squads around the country. Brian recognizes the many obstacles Bomb Squads across the nation encounter such as costly training and constrained department budgets. His goal is to raise awareness to private entities about these obstacles in order to build financial partnerships which support USBTA's training mission and contribute to the safety of their communities.
Eric J. Gahagan
Senior Vice President
Eric has a vast amount of experience relative to explosive detection canine training and operations, homemade explosives, SWAT interoperability, and counter IED response with more than 3,000 calls to service as a bomb technician.Eric has lectured hundreds of times to both public and private sector and shared the operational lessons learned responding to the Boston Marathon Attack while providing training relative to a progressive dismounted approach to counter IED operations, Homemade Explosives, Robot Operations and Explosive Breaching.
In 2015, Eric formed the OPS15 LLC, which connects some of the most experienced and progressive operators internationally for the purposes of training, consulting and preparing others and serves as consulting partner and advisor to many technology partners in the areas of explosives detection and mitigation, robotics, diagnostics, and dismounted operations.
In January 2016, OPS15 Field Operations Group began providing security to clients in need of a progressive solution to emerging hazardous threats providing innovative techniques to our clients to ensure a safe environment for large venues exceeding 60,000 people as well as small high-level meetings and personal protection of executives. Eric became a founding partner at 6 WATCH Inc. in August of 2017 and brought his public safety expertise to develop a first of its kind lidar assisted 360 threat detection and alert system for public safety vehicles. In 2019, Eric took a position as Senior Direct of Business Development with EPE North America focusing on putting cutting edge technology into the hands of first responders with the customer service and support that the market deserves and desires.
Brian Johnson
Senior Vice President
Brian Bio
Once a servant, always a servant. My heart is rooted in service to America and our community. For 8 Years I served in the U.S. Army as a Wrecker Operator and Public Affairs Officer. I served one combat tour in Iraq attached to the 101st and recorded 183 mounted missions across the country. I also served brief deployments in Germany, Kuwait, and El Salvador.
In addition to serving in the Army, I served 12 years as a Deputy Sheriff for the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office and was assigned to the jail, court services, traffic safety, and as an academy instructor. Training became a passion of mine and I was certified as a Firearms Instructor, Defensive Tactics Instructor, Use of Force Instructor, and a CPR/First Aid Instructor.
After leaving both the military and law enforcement, I dedicated my life to giving back to various nonprofits that include Special Olympics, The Honor Flag, the USBTA, and serving as a mentor for the Veterans Treatment Court. About a year ago, I co-founded WarriorNow.org as a way to serve our Veterans impacted by Mental Illness, PTSD, TBI, and Addiction and act as a spokesman for Veteran Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.
Jennifer Hutcherson
Operations Manager
Christopher A. Rogers
Training Program Manager
Chris is also a contract instructor for the United States Department of State Bureau of Diplomatic Security Antiterrorism Assistance Program. In four years, he has authored ten training programs for partner nation bomb squads and delivered over twenty five workshops, consultations and mentorships in seven different nations. He is also an advisor/mentor to the Indonesian National Police Bomb Squad, Philippine EOD-K9 Branch and Royal Thai Police Bomb Squad.
Prior to these he served as the Pima County Sheriff's Department Bomb Squad Commander for the Pima Regional Bomb Squad in Tucson, Arizona. As a 25-year police veteran and 15-year bomb technician with extensive experience in operations including: counter IED, homemade explosives (HME), US-Mexico border, dismounted bomb squad tactics, tactical integration of bomb technicians, and patrol tactics. Chris' first supervisory assignment was as a patrol sergeant for a squad responsible for law enforcement operations in remote regions along the border. He was one of the first bomb technicians in the United States to become a nationally certified Tactical Bomb Technician by the FBI.
Chris received six weeks of advanced training from the Israeli National Police, which included a two-week imbed in Tel Aviv, providing a firsthand look into Israeli tactics and techniques.
He has testified as an expert witness in improvised explosive device (IED) and explosives cases in state and federal court and has received numerous awards and commendations for his work as a peace officer and bomb technician.
Eugene J. "Gene" Squires
Government Affairs Advisor
eugenesquires@gmail.com
Mr. Squires became Director of Government Affairs for the United States Bomb Technicians Association November 14, 2016. Mr. Squires is a retired EOD Soldier and President of the U.S. Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Association; member of the International Association of Bomb Technicians & Investigators; and life member and Chairman, EOD Committee of the National Defense Industrial Association.
Mr. Kevin Miles
Lecturer
Kevin.Miles@eku.edu
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) after 23 years as a Special Agent Bomb Technician. For the past 3 years, he has been· teaching pre-and post- blast investigation techniques as a government contractor to students from around the world. He is a 1989 graduate of the FBl's Hazardous Devices School in Huntsville, AL. At that time, he was a member of the Tulsa, OK Police Department Bomb Squad. In 1990, after eight years as a police officer, he joined the FBI. He served in the Gallup, NM, Buffalo, NY and Los Angeles, CA Field Offices. While in Los Angeles, he was named the FBl's first officially assigned full-time bomb technician. He served in that capacity for more than 17 years.
Dan Murphy
dmurphy@icortechnology.com
Murphy was instrumental in the area of School Safety, bringing about state legislation and training programs to make Minnesota Schools safer. Murphy also implemented the Mall of America Lockdown program, and many other programs and initiatives.
Murphy also served with the IABTI from 2000 to 2012 as Assistant and then Region 3 Director. He was instrumental in K9 training and outreach within the association as well as various other programs and initiatives including the EOD Buyers Guide, which funds the IABTI Scholarship. Since 2012 Murphy has continued to serve the IABTI in various positions and is currently on the Board of Advisors. Since retiring in 2011, Murphy has remained active in the EOD Community and amongst other ventures, is Senior EOD Advisor for ICOR Technology.
ADVISORS
Dr. Ed Bundy
Program Manager
edwin.bundy@cttso.gov
Captain Brett A. Reissener
United States Navy (Retired)
reissener@knology.net
USS NITRO (AE-23). In January of 1981 he returned to NAVSCOLEOD to complete the full curriculum and graduated with academic honors in January 1982. Captain Reissener then reported back to EODMU TWO where he made deployments to Scotland; the Caribbean; and to Beirut, Lebanon. He transferred to EODGRU TWO Detachment Charleston, SC in June 1983 and was advanced to his highest enlisted rank, HT1 (DV/PJ) in January 1985.
Captain Reissener was commissioned in May 1985 following completion of Officer Candidate School (OCS) in Newport, RI. While at OCS, he was awarded the Seaport 76 Leadership Award for outstanding performance as Regimental Commander. He then completed Surface Warfare Officer; Basic Diving Officer; Salvage Officer; First Class Diver; and Saturation Diver training. In April 1987, he was assigned to USS ORTOLAN (ASR-22) as the Deep Submergence Diving Officer where he supervised the completion of several open ocean saturation dives. Upon completion of his tour aboard USS ORTOLAN, Captain Reissener transferred to EODMU TWO, Little Creek, VA as EOD Detachment Officer in Charge. While serving there, he deployed to Naval Special Warfare Development Group helping establish the standard for future EOD support to Special Operations Forces. In October 1991, he reported to EODMU SIX, Charleston, SC as Operations Officer. During this tour he deployed to the North
Atlantic aboard USS INCHON (LPH-12) as the UMCM Officer on Mine Countermeasures Group TWO staff. Captain Reissener was then assigned as Officer in Charge, EODMU TWO Detachment Norfolk in April 1994. While at Detachment Norfolk, Captain Reissener had the opportunity to conduct numerous EOD missions including: long range parachute insertions to Puerto Rico and Cuba; an at-sea parachute insertion onto an underway U.S. Navy submarine; and an off-shore disposal of a live unexploded WWII sea mine that had become entangled in a fishing trawler’s net. From July 1996 to June 1998, Captain Reissener served as U.S. Naval Forces Marianas Guam, Assistant Chief of Staff for Operations/Ordnance. While there he participated in Joint Task Force Pacific Haven responsible for the relocation of Kurdish refugees out of Iraq. Captain Reissener was transferred to EODMU FIVE, Guam in July 1998 and served there as Executive Officer. In July 2000 he was transferred to Second Fleet/Striking Fleet Atlantic where he served as Staff Operations/Plans Officer specializing in Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Deep Sea Diving and Salvage, and Underwater Mine Countermeasures. Captain Reissener was then assigned as Commanding Officer, EODMU SIX in Charleston, SC and completed that rewarding tour of duty in August 2005. He then reported to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in Fort Bragg, NC as the senior EOD Advisor to the Commanding General. While at JSOC he made several combat deployments to both Iraq and Afghanistan in support of classified direct action missions. Captain Reissener reported to Naval EOD Technology Division in April 2008, was honored to serve there as the Commanding Officer and retired from active duty on the 24th of September 2010 after more than 31 years of honorable and faithful service.
Captain Reissener completed his Bachelor of Science degree by attending night school at the Baptist College of Charleston and graduated from the University of The State of New York in March 1985. He is also a 2003 graduate of the Industrial College of The Armed Forces, National Defense University where he completed a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy.
Captain Reissener is a qualified EOD Officer; Surface Warfare Officer; Deep Sea Diving and Salvage Officer; Saturation Diving Officer; Joint Qualified Officer; Master EOD Technician; and Naval Parachutist. His personal decorations include: The Defense Superior Service Medal; the Bronze Star Medal (two awards); Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Meritorious Service Medal (three awards); Joint Service Commendation Medal (two awards); Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (five awards); Joint Service Achievement Medal; and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal. He is authorized to wear the Combat Action Ribbon along with numerous other unit and campaign awards including the Presidential Unit Citation
After retiring from Navy, Captain Reissener has worked for various companies focused on EOD, Counter-IED, and support to Special Operations Forces. He forward deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan in 2013 as a contractor managing a program that provided armed instructors/facilitators to U.S. forces and supported Combined Joint Task Force Paladin. Presently he is employed by Cayuse Federal Services as the Joint EOD Programs Special Assistant to Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Indian Head Division (IHD) EOD Department - formerly known as Naval EOD Technology Division (NAVEODTECHDIV). Mr. Reissener also volunteers his time and effort as a member of the Board of Directors, Navy
League of The United States Charleston Council; a South Carolina Ambassador for the EOD Warrior Foundation (EODWF), and as the Navy Representative on the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA) EOD Committee.
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