Page 44 - InCommand Volume 36

Conference
Dear OFCA Members, Vendor Friends, and Guests
With the 2021 Ohio Fire & Rescue Officer Development Conference under wraps, I want to personally thank everyone for helping make the event a success. We missed those of you that could not attend and hope next year everyone will be on board for
another exciting Conference. I want to thank the Conference Committee folks who work tirelessly and blend their talents to everyone’s
benefit. Thank you to the OFCA Board of Directors who worked together making everyone feel welcome
and informed. Special thanks to our Executive Director, Michelle Fitzgibbon, and the dedicated office staff, Anne Beauch and Corinne Cowan. Thank you just doesn’t seem like enough to all of you. Great folks, all of you. Each of you insured a success for all of us.
Vendor Friends: Without your help and support,
we simply could not hold a successful Conference. I sincerely appreciate every single one of you and the continued support you give to our Association. Watch for your letter in December letting you know about early vendor spot reservation! On January 18, 2022, you will be able to go online to sign up early. We will receive reservations on January 19, 2022. We will be using the same Tuesday/Wednesday format you enjoyed this year. Thanks, again!
Many thanks to the Columbus Fire Department Pipes and Drums and the Whitehall Division of Fire Color Guard for providing a very moving beginning to our Conference Opening Ceremony.
Thank you to our friends Eric Gnezda, Arkadiy Gipps, and Columbus Firefighter Matthew Gibbs for music they provided. It was
all beautiful. Also, thank you to Box 15 for the security and all the other incidentals that they helped with!
Members: I sincerely thank you for your attendance. You are the vital part to our Annual Conference. Without you, there would be no cause. I know the pandemic made a real mark on our numbers this year and I hope you will spread the word about next year’s Conference, and bring us a crowd! I hope our first time attendees felt welcome, and will be sure to attend next year. PLEASE make sure to show your partners information on the website, and/or the InCommand magazine. We would really like to plan activities for partners, but many of them did not know of the opportunities to register. Save the date for next year’s Conference, which will be July 18-22, 2022. To honor our contract, we will once again be at the Columbus Hilton at Easton.
Congratulations to our incoming officers and directors. Our Association will thrive under your wings.
My congratulations to our DSA recipients. A very deserving group of men who have helped make our organization the quality that it is. Congratulations to our scholarship recipients, we look forward to supporting your career opportunities with educational avenues through our organization.
I thank those of you that submitted a conference survey. I really take information from them as I work on the next year’s event. I welcome any of your suggestions and will answer any concerns you might have. You know I am always available to you at: chiefwallace@station67.org or (937) 623-1419.
Thank you again, everyone!
Retired Chief Tom Wallace Conference Committee Chairperson
44 InCommand OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 • www.ohiofirechiefs.org