Board of Directors
Eric Linsley, President (2011-12)
Eric Linsley is the Director of Public Safety Communications for Mobile County Commission. Eric has 20 plus years in Public Safety Radio Communications. Eric started out installing public safety two-way radios for a local Kenwood dealer for the City of Daphne, Alabama Police Department. Eric continued to work at other dealers installing radios, responding to dispatch centers and radio repeater towers for service calls. In 1991, Eric worked for a local GE dealer who had the contract to install Mobile County’s 800 MHz EDACS Trunking System. In 1994, Eric started working for Mobile County Commission as an Electronic Systems Analyst maintaining Mobile County's EDACS System. In 1999, Eric was promoted to Department Head in charge of all Mobile County Commission Electronic Systems.
Mobile County’s EDACS system currently has 4,500 units with over 120 agencies including local, state, and federal users, and generates over 170,000 calls a day. Current configuration is 6 sites, Multi-site with twelve C3 Maestro Consoles. Mobile County recently added a three site, twenty four channel Simul-cast system to support the City of Mobile users. The City of Mobile will add an additional twelve C3 Maestro Consoles and 1,700 handhelds/mobile radios.
Eric has been active with APCO for fifteen years now in public safety frequency coordination and training. Eric’s various activities include: Chairman of the Region 1 Alabama 700 MHz Planning Committee, APCO Primary Alabama Frequency Advisor, Alternate Mississippi Frequency Advisor, Alabama State Homeland Security Technical Member, and Alabama Mutual Aid System Advisor Council Member.
Eric’s Professional Licenses include; Associates Degree of Electronics Technology, FCC General Radio Telephone Operator License #PG-GB-01552, APCO Institute, Inc. Certificate of Competency, NICET I Fire Alarm Systems Certificate #111545.
Eric’s Professional Achievements include: Past recipient of APCO International RF Technician of the Year 2008 “The Best of the Best”, and recently commended by the Senate of Alabama 2008 by Senator Rusty Glover,
Eric has had two publications: APCO Public Safety Communications – October 1996 – Vol. 62 – No. 10 “Technology Today, Radio Compatibility: A Technician’s View”, Ericsson OpenMic – Spring 1999 “Mobile County’s Radio Communications Withstand Nature’s Toughest Blows”
Eric has two children, daughter Eryka 22 and son Brad 17.
Dave Hubbard, Vice President Elect (2011-2012)
Dave Hubbard is a Radio Services Coordinator for Manatee County. Dave has been with the Radio Division since its' inception in late 1982. He began his career with the county as a technician and has been involved with County communications prior to it becoming the Beta site for GE, DAC's and later EDACs in early 1987. He has been involved with expansions and upgrades for nearly the last 20 years at Manatee County.
Dave has a General Radiotelephone Operator FCC license. He earned his degree in Electronics Engineering Technology from State College of Florida. He was one of the original participants in APCO Project 39 (800 MHz Interference). He has completed training as a Master Technician, and as an Rf Safety Trainer.
Manatee County's current EDACs system consists of approximately 3500 units. In 2010 the system configuration was 6 sites, Multi-site with eighteen C3 Maestro Consoles. Dave has worked in 2011 to add a three site, 20 channel Simulcast system, and has completed the long Rebanding project. He is working by early 2012 to add two more sites to the Simulcast system bringing it to 5 sites and having a total of 9 sites for the Manatee System.
He and his wife Debbie of more than 25 years have three children, Roze, Tim, and David. They all enjoy their time being outdoors together and camping.
Blair Kent, Vice President (2011-2012)
As a child growing up Blair was nicknamed "Static King" by his aunt as he was always listening to Aircraft and Public Safety calls and spent countless hours DX'ing the HF band. Blair is currently the Wireless Operations Manager for E-Comm in Vancouver, BC which utilizes a Wide Area Harris EDACS Simulcast 800MHz system serving Police, Fire, and Ambulance. After graduating from high school Blair followed two careers. First, flying commercially for a small Floatplane charter company in Northern Manitoba for three years and second, obtaining an Honours Diploma in Avionics Technology from SAIT in Calgary. During the recession of 1983 when the economy and aviation in particular took a nose dive Blair decided to pursue electronics and worked for CP Rail Communications for two years (tubes were being phased out and VHF crystals were the rage). When the economy rebounded in 1986 Blair was hired by CP Air in Avionics (later to be known as Canadian Airlines) and continued to teach flying part time in Vancouver for 8 years. For the first 6 years at Canadian Airlines, Blair worked on a variety of Boeing, McDonnell Douglas and Airbus Aircraft in Avionics until he moved into an area that supported ground based communications which included 2 trunking radio systems, one in Vancouver and one in Toronto. This job also involved the building and maintenance of dispatch centers throughout North America and VHF air band communications. In 1994 Blair hung-up his flying hat in order to focus on family life as he has two daughters 17 and 19 and a wife Lucy. In 2000 Air Canada merged with Canadian Airlines and the writing was on the wall, move to Montreal and stay with the airlines or move on. Two days after Y2K Blair moved to E-Comm where he currently resides. Favourite sports include Windsurfing, swimming, skiing, Rollerblading and hiking. His passions in life include watching airplanes pass by and naming them, Photography and Radios!
Peter Gauthier, Past President (2011-2012)
Peter Gauthier has been involved with the International Harris Users Group and its previous iterations since the 1990s. Peter is the Director of Wireless Services for E-Comm 9-1-1 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where he has been since 1999. E-Comm 9-1-1 is the 9-1-1 PSAP for a population base of approximately 2.5 million people fielding approximately 3,000 9-1-1 calls each day. E-Comm provides an 800 MHz trunked radio network used by public safety in the area as well as dispatch services to over 20 police and fire agencies in the area.
Prior to 1999, Peter spent 26 years in the airline industry involved in ground-based radio communications. Peter started his career in communication electronics in the Canadian military. In addition, Peter has spent over 20 years as a Reserve/Auxiliary member of both the Vancouver Police Department and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
John Dirk Young, Secretary (Elected 2011)
Dirk Young is the Chief Operating Officer for Hurricane Electronics, Inc. (HEI) in Mobile Alabama and is responsible for the company's day-to-day operating activities, including revenue and sales growth; expense, cost and margin control; monthly, quarterly and annual financial goal management.
Prior to his current position with HEI Dirk was the Manager of National Public Safety Markets at Harris Corporation's RF Public Safety and Professional Communications Division. He joined the company is March of 2007. In this capacity he is involved sales support and Harris' marketing efforts. He also serves as the company's consultant liaison and fire industry advisor for the company.
Dirk has over 20 years of public safety experience. He served 11 years as a fire chief and has a total of 10 years' experience as a paramedic and flight paramedic. From 1992 to 1997 Dirk was Executive Director of Mobile County EMS. During that period he implemented the first EMS system for rural Mobile County serving 1200 square miles and a population of 225,000. It was also the first dispatch center to implement a priority dispatch solution in the SW region of Alabama.
From 1997 to 2006, Dirk worked in the public safety software market for several CAD/RMS/Mobile Data vendors, including Intergraph, Tiburon and SunGard OSSI. During this time he held many positions with increasing responsibility. Dirk holds an Associate's Degree in Safety Engineering.
Dirk and his wife Amanda have four children and two grandchildren. Dirk is also the Worship Leader for The First Church of the Nazarene in Mobile Alabama where they reside.
Mary Wertzberger, Treasurer (Elected 2011)
Mary Wertzberger is Controller RACOM Corporation. RACOM operates the country's largest privately owned wireless voice and data communications network serving the Public Safety/Law Enforcement market. Mary has worked at RACOM for 14 years.
Prior to joining RACOM, Mary was the Assistant Controller for Mesquaki Bingo and Casino, in Iowa. Providing account analysis, reconciliation, payroll, AR/AP. She hired and developed the entire account staff and set up internal controls. She graduated from Iowa State University in 1991 where he majored in Management.
Mary is very active in the community, having served as the President of the Community Y Board of Directors, President of the YWCA Marshalltown, IA and she serves as one of 22 women on the National YWCA Board of Directors. Mary co-Chairs the Imagine2011 Biking and Pedestrian committee. A grass roots effort promoting an improved life style in Marshalltown. Mary is active on several committees at her church, St. Henry's Catholic Church.
Mary is married to Tom, who is an Architect, President and CEO of his firm, Wertzberger Architects, in Marshalltown. Mary and Tom have three children, Benjamin, Christopher, and Brittany. They have two grandchildren Ethan and Paige.
Peter Glen, International Director (2012)
I have been a police office since 1976. I started my career with the Toronto Police Service and was hired by the London Police Service in 1978. I am still with the London Police Service and was promoted to my current rank of Staff Sergeant in April 1993. At this time I became the officer in charge of our Communications Section where I remain today. I am responsible for the operation of the City of London radio system, primary 9-1-1 answering point, police dispatch and all phone systems. I was involved in the installation of our EDACS system in 1996 and am currently involved in the upgrade to our radio system.
Raymond Ryan, Director at Large (2014)
Ray Ryan is the Radio Maintenance Supervisor for the City of Lincoln Nebraska. Ray graduated from Northeast Technical Community College in 1978 with an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electronics. After graduating, Ray worked for two years at the Nebraska State Patrol in their Radio Department on VHF Low Band radios and MPH handheld radar equipment.
In 1980, Ray went to work Lincoln Electric System, where he worked for ten years in their two-way radio department. While at LES, Ray performed maintenance and repair of their VHF radio system and assisted in substation transformer testing and underground cable fault locating. From 1986 to 1988, Ray took night classes at Doane College to complete his Bachelors of Arts Degree in Industrial Management.
In 1990, Ray was hired to start up a radio shop for the City of Lincoln, Nebraska. When he started, the City was using a General Electric, ten channel, single site, EDACS Plus trunked radio system. Since then, the City has upgraded its EDACS radio system to a twenty channel, two site, GPS simulcast system that that provides coverage for the City of Lincoln and Lancaster County.
Dave Smith, Utilites Director (Filling term to 2013)
Has been employed with East River Electric Power Cooperative for 2 1/2 years as a Radio & SCADA technician. East river is a wholesale supplier of electrical power whose territory encompasses South Dakota East of the Missouri river and part of Western Minnesota. He does maintenance on their EDACS system that covers this territory, which is used, by East River Employees as well as several member Coops.
Other responsibilities include
1) Maintenance and installation of RTU's, radios, and antenna systems for control and collection of data from substations.
2) Maintenance and installation of RTU, radio, and antenna systems for MOS (Motor Operated Switch) sites.
3) Maintence of generator at telecommunications sites
Before East River he was employed With Burghardt Amateur Center for 22 years.
16 years as a technician repairing all Major brands of Amateur Radio Equipment and 6 years as service manager.
David's has a wife,Tina and 2 children, Zachary 18 and Annicka 2. David's intrests include an Amateru radio general class license KA0JDN, member of the Knights of Columbus and fishing and hunting.
Dennis Fodi, Southeast Director (2013)
Dennis Fodi is the Radio Maintenance Supervisor for Pasco County, Florida. In this position, Dennis oversees the county's eight-channel Simulcast EDACS system which serves 2,400 users in all Public Safety and Public Service agencies in Pasco County. A native of New Jersey, Dennis first worked within the computer industry before relocating to Florida and joining Pasco County's Information Technology Department, Communications Division. He is an active member of the Region 4 Domestic Security Task Force. He holds an Associations Degree in Electronics from Middlesex County College, New Jersey.
Greg Coleman, Harris
Greg Coleman is Manager of National Public Safety Markets for Harris Corporation. As such, Greg is responsible for the coordination and oversight of Harris' outreach and marketing programs that serve its varied customer base across North America, including users of Harris' land mobile radio solutions to meet their critical communications requirements.
A native of Jacksonville, Florida, Greg spent twelve years in the National Football League as a punter, ten of those years were with the Minnesota Vikings, one with the Cleveland Browns and Washington Redskins.
He was selected by the fans to be a member of the Vikings 40th anniversary team. Greg now serves as the Sideline Analyst for the Minnesota Vikings Radio Network on KFAN 1130 AM during the NFL Season. Currently, he is a
Greg is the co-founder of The Pepsi Minority Golf Tournament that provides college scholarships for students. He is also the founder of The Greg Coleman Celebrity Golf Tournament. This event benefits students in the Twin Cities area with after-school tutoring, mentoring and life skills programs. Greg graduated from Florida A&M University.
Victoria (Tory) Dillon, Harris
Victoria Dillon is Director of Communications and Government Relations for the Public Safety and Professional Communications (PSPC) business of Harris Corporation where she leads marketing communications, branding and advertising, internal communications, government relations and public relations plans and programs. Ms. Dillon joined Harris Corporation in 2009 with the acquisition of the Tyco Electronics Wireless Systems business for which she was Director of Communications and Government Relations. Before joining Tyco Electronics, she was President of Dillon Strategic Communications, a consulting firm specializing in corporate communications and investor relations. Prior to that, she was Vice President-Corporate Communications for Lahey Health Services, Vice President-Corporate Communications for M/A-COM Inc., Director of Industry Communications for Computervision Corporation and on the faculty of Boston University's College of Communication. Ms. Dillon holds a B.A from the University of Massachusetts- Amherst and an M.S. in Communications from Boston University.