Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
DeLorie Elected Chair of the Board
The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) held its 2025-2026 officer elections during the October 2025 Board meeting. Paul DeLorie, Hampshire Fire Protection Co., Londonderry, N.H., was elected Chair of the Board. Jay Strickland, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety, Forestville, Md., was elected First Vice Chair; and Chris Johnson, president and co-founder of Piper Fire Protection, a Fortis Brand in Clearwater, Fla., was elected Second Vice Chair. Jeff Phifer, Crawford Sprinkler Company of South Carolina, Lugoff, S.C., was elected Secretary; and Tommy Clements, president and CEO of VSC Fire & Security, Richmond, Va., was elected Treasurer.
In addition, Clements, Johnson, Don Kaufman, Mike Meehan, and Jeff Phifer were re-elected to another three-year term.
DeLORIE ELECTED CHAIR
Region 10 Director and Chair of the Board Paul DeLorie is senior vice president of Hampshire Fire Protection Co., based in Londonderry, N.H. Hampshire Fire Protection is one of the largest merit shop fire sprinkler companies in New England.
“I am honored to be Chair and work alongside dedicated and talented Board members who have great industry experience and passion for our cause,” DeLorie comments. “Our directors make a lasting impact on our communities and the success of our members. They are championing fire safety and supporting our industry’s growth, innovation, education, and training. That’s what AFSA is all about.”
DeLorie is a 1984 graduate of the University of New Hampshire and has over 40 years of experience in sprinkler design, estimating, sales, project management, and senior management. He was a board member and treasurer of the AFSA Patriot Chapter, now the New England Chapter. He served on the board of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) for the New Hampshire/Vermont Chapter for many years and was the board chair. DeLorie joined the AFSA Board in 2014. Since then, he has chaired several national committees and served as treasurer for AFSA’s Board of Directors for four years.
DeLorie is excited about the association’s innovative and expanding training programs. “Our Level 1, 2, and 3 VIP [virtual instruction path] fitter series is taking off and making a difference in a trained workforce,” he says. “I look forward to the completion of Level 4 in early 2026, which will complete the VIP project. I believe that this complete series will really make a big difference for our contracting companies and their fitters.”
DeLorie is also pleased with the growth of AFSA’s training lab. “I’m inviting all members to experience AFSA’s lab. It has an impressive number of valve stations that operate in real-world conditions for hands-on training with our expert staff. There are all makes, models, and types of valves to work on. The lab has a large array of branch lines with various types of flowing sprinkler heads. You can see the interruption of the water spray due to obstructions. There are even window sprinklers to check out.”
As Chair of the Board, DeLorie leads the AFSA Board of Directors, which is comprised of 10 Regional Directors (one for each of the 10 membership regions), At-Large Directors, and the Immediate Past Chair. The Board has a wide array of expertise, experience, and education that provides strong support to both the Chair and the association as a whole.
REGIONAL DIRECTORS
Region 1 Director Brooks Bayne is co-owner and vice president of operations at AFP Systems, Inc. in Tualatin, Ore. He started in the fabrication shop working for his uncle, AFP Systems founder Jim Bayne, after graduating from McQueen High School. After earning his journeyman license through the AFSA apprenticeship program, Bayne worked in the field as a foreman before becoming superintendent in 2007.
Bayne was inspired to go further in the industry, learning sprinkler system design, estimating, and project management. In 2017, he stepped into the roles of co-owner and vice president of operations after working 20 years alongside his uncle. AFP Systems has been an AFSA Contractor member since 2012. The company has provided service throughout the Pacific Northwest for over 36 years and is a proud member of ABC’s Pacific Northwest Chapter and ABC Inland Pacific Chapter, Inc.
Region 2 Director Wayne Weisz started his career in the fire sprinkler industry in 1979. He started as an apprentice and quickly worked his way through the ranks as a foreman and then general superintendent with American Fire Systems in Lodi, Calif. In 1986, Weisz, along with his brother Byron, founded Cen-Cal Fire Systems, Inc., also in Lodi. In 1997, the brothers established D-M Fabrication, which ran as an independent pipe fabrication facility supplying fire sprinkler piping throughout the western United States. Cen-Cal Fire became a member of AFSA in 1987. In 2021, Cen-Cal Fire Systems became a part of the Sciens family of companies.
Weisz became a member of the AFSA Board of Directors in 2005. He has chaired multiple AFSA national committees over the years and in 2017-2018 served as AFSA Chair of the Board. In 2018, he was appointed by the California State Fire Marshal’s Office to serve on the State Automatic Extinguishing Systems Advisory Committee. Weisz is active in California apprenticeship issues and sat on the CAFSA apprenticeship board of directors for over 21 years. He is a founding member of and active in the AFSA Sacramento Valley Chapter.
Region 3 Director is Don Kaufman, president of Kaufman Fire Protection, Albuquerque, N.M. With over 49 years in the sprinkler business, Kaufman was instrumental in starting AFSA’s New Mexico Chapter and is a past president of the chapter. On the national level, Kaufman served as the Chair of the Board and has chaired several committees. He also served as chair of the New Mexico State Board for Professional Engineers and Surveyors, three terms as chair of the New Mexico State Apprentice Council, and served on the New Mexico Construction Industries Commission. He is an active member of ABC, past president of ABC’s New Mexico Chapter, member of the American Society of Professional Estimators, and past charter president of Albuquerque Rotary Del Sol.
Region 5 Director Linda M. Biernacki is the founder/president of Fire Tech Systems, Inc., with three offices—its main location in Shreveport, La., and branch offices in Monroe, La., and Oxford, Miss.—is an AFSA Quality Contractor, ISNetworld Certified, and is licensed in six states (Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas). With over 34 years of experience, Biernacki provides industry experience, knowledge, and background. She is past chair and current member of the NICET board of governors (June 2022-June 2023), past board member and current member of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) board of directors, past president and current board member of the Louisiana Fire Sprinkler Association (LFSA), and is past AFSA40 Convention Committee and Membership & Chapter Development Chair. She represents AFSA on the NFPA 232 Committee for Protection of Records. Biernacki is certified in NICET Level III Fire Protection Engineering Technology Water-Based Systems Layout and is certified by the Women’s Business Council Gulf Coast. She is a member of Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), American Society of Certified Engineering Technicians (ASCET), Louisiana Automatic Fire Alarm Association (LAFAA), and Louisiana Associated General Contractors (LAGC).
First Vice Chair of the Board Jay Strickland serves as Region 6 Director. He is the vice president of business development for Pye-Barker Fire & Safety. Strickland has been involved in the fire protection industry for 42 years. He is certified in NICET Level II, Fire Protection, Water-Based System Layout. He is a past chair of the AFSA Chesapeake Bay Chapter.
He served on the board of Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) Foundation, a 501(c)3 corporation. The organization’s mission is to secure and steward private funds to enhance the educational endeavors of the college. This includes creating a new pathway to earn a college degree that many skilled craftsmen and women may have never considered as an option. A new Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree program at AACC enables students who have completed apprenticeship programs to earn credits for their hard work. This includes pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs. The degree is part of the school programming to ensure that students have the resources to pursue lifelong careers and that local businesses have a pipeline of employees ready for roles from entry-level through upper management.
Region 7 Director and Second Vice Chair Chris Johnson is president and co-founder of Piper Fire Protection, a Fortis Brand in Clearwater, Fla. He has led Piper since 2002. Johnson is a NICET-certified fire protection Engineering Technician, holding a level III certification in fire sprinkler design. He has served AFSA’s Florida Chapter since 2011 as Education and Legislative Committee chair as well as vice chair, chair, and immediate past chair of the chapter. Johnson has served on the board of ABC for the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter since 2015, and is a past chapter chair. He has also served on the ABC Florida State board as well as the ABC National board. Johnson was elected and sworn into office as Largo City Commissioner in November 2022. His mission is to utilize his time, treasure, and talents to advocate for the fire sprinkler industry throughout Florida. He holds a Florida Fire Protection Contractor I License and Fire Equipment Dealers’ Licenses Class A and D. Chris is our AFSA National Committee Chair of the Legislative Committee.
Region 8 Director and Secretary of the Board Jeff Phifer is president and CEO of Crawford Sprinkler Company of South Carolina, based in Lugoff, S.C., one of the oldest family-owned and continuously operated fire sprinkler contractors in the nation. Crawford celebrated its 100th year in 2020. Phifer has been at Crawford for 46 years, working as a fitter, service technician, and in administration. In 1999, he became the third generation to be president and chairman of the board at Crawford Sprinkler Company.
Region 9 Director and Treasurer Tommy Clements is the president and CEO of VSC Fire & Security based in Richmond, Va. He joined the company in 2017 following VSC’s acquisition of Arkansas Automatic Sprinklers/United Fire Suppression, where he had served as the CEO since leading a sponsor-backed acquisition in 2009. Following Markel’s acquisition of VSC, Clements relocated to Richmond to assume the role of COO and was promoted to president in 2022. He took on the additional role of CEO in 2023.
Clements is a former Nuclear Submarine Officer for the US Navy, having served onboard the USS Alabama ballistic missile submarine and in Navy Recruiting as head of enlisted recruiting in the Southeast United States. After his military service, Clements worked as a program manager on satellite defense and space shuttle programs before entering the construction industry as a development consultant to owners of casinos, resort hotels, and residential properties. Clements has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Mississippi State University and an MBA from the Stetson School of Business and Economics at Mercer University.
Serving as Ex-Officio (non-voting) members of the Board:
• Dwight E. Bateman, VSC Fire & Security, Inc., Houston, Texas;
• Don Becker, AFSA Life Member, Dallas Center, Iowa;
• Bob Rees, API, High Point, N.C.;
• Manning Strickland, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety LLC, Forestville, Md.;
• Willie Templin, American Automatic Sprinkler, Fort Worth, Texas;
• Larry Thibodeau, Hampshire Fire Protection Co., LLC, Londonderry, N.H.;
• Jack Viola, JFV Engineering, LLC, South Hadley, Mass.; and
• Ted Wills, Anchor Fire Protection/Sciens Building Solutions, Perkiomenville, Pa.
AT-LARGE DIRECTORS
The Board has retained three At-Large Director positions, held by Hunter Brendle, Mindy Buckley, and Mike Meehan.
At-Large Director Hunter Brendle is president of Brendle Sprinkler Company, Inc., based in Montgomery, Ala. He began working in the shop as a teenager, working in the field as a helper and apprentice, and later transitioning into the office. Brendle is a proud third-generation in fire protection. He is past president and current board member of the Alabama Fire Sprinkler Association, board member for the Tony Bice Memorial Golf Tournament, and serves on AFSA’s National Convention, Membership, NextGen, and Public Education & Awareness committees. He holds a NICET Level III in Water-Based Systems Layout, Florida Fire Protection Contractor II, and is a graduate of AFSA’s Apprenticeship Training Series.
At-Large Director Mindy Buckley is CFO and co-owner at Allsouth Sprinkler Company, Buford, Ga. She has over 20 years of experience at Allsouth in all aspects of the company. Buckley has been active with the Georgia Fire Sprinkler Association since 2016 and serves as Treasurer on its board of directors. She is also the Chair of AFSA’s Public Education & Awareness and Education committees, a member of and Membership & Chapter Development and a member and Board Liaison for the Next Generation workgroup. Buckley also works closely with the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance and Safety Fire Public Education Department to educate children on fire prevention.
At-Large Director Michael F. Meehan is chairman of VSC Fire & Security, headquartered in Richmond, Va. A 1981 graduate from George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., Meehan began his fire sprinkler career working summers as a pipefitter apprentice. He is a NICET Level IV Certified Engineering Technician in Water-Based Systems Layout and has more than 46 years of experience in sprinkler design engineering, estimating, project management, and senior management. Meehan is a past AFSA Chair of the Board and represents installing contractors and AFSA on the NFPA 13 committee.
RETIRING DIRECTORS HONORED
At-Large Director and Immediate Past Chair Jack A. Medovich, P.E., and Region 4 Director Rod DiBona are retiring from the Board. Medovich is with Summit Companies out of Mendota Heights, Minn. A 1983 graduate of the University of Maryland School of Fire Protection Engineering, he served three years as fire marshal of Fairfax County, Va., before joining the fire sprinkler industry 39 years ago. He has been active in AFSA since 1991, is a past chair of the Chesapeake Bay Chapter, and served the Virginia Chapter as chair and as a member of the board of directors for many years. He represents AFSA on the Correlating Committee on Automatic Sprinkler Systems, encompassing NFPA 13, 13R, 13D, 24, and 291. In the past, he has served as a member of the following NFPA committees: NFPA 14, 20, 25, 101, 750, and 5000.
“Jack was one of my most ardent supporters on the Board, comments AFSA’s Immediate Past Chair Linda Biernacki. “He said he is retiring from the voting Board, but his influence on our industry will stay with us for years to come. Thank you, Jack, for your mentorship and friendship. I wish you well in your new endeavors!”
Region 4 Director Rod DiBona is the executive vice president for Pye-Barker Fire and Safety, with branches throughout the United States. He lives in Rapid City, S.D. DiBona entered the fire protection industry in 1990 and started in the AFSA apprenticeship program in 1991. In October of 1993, he was asked by Marty Hammon to join him, his son, and his son-in-law to create Rapid Fire Protection. In 1995, DiBona was a Top 7 finalist in the AFSA National Apprentice Competition. In July of 2021, Rapid Fire joined the Pye-Barker Fire and Safety family. DiBona is a NICET Level III Certified Engineering Technician in Water-Based Systems Layout.
“Rod has been an energetic Board member whose focus has been on protecting the open shop contractor,” comments Biernacki. “I remember Rod had brought some of his family last year and his daughter introduced herself at a dinner and said she wanted to be president of the company one day. We all loved that and cheered. You go, girl!”
CALL UPON THE BOARD
AFSA’s Board of Directors is strongly committed to the continuance of the merit shop philosophy, the promotion of property and life safety through the use of automatic fire protection, and the continued development of training for fire sprinkler fitters, layout technicians, inspectors, and management.
AFSA members are encouraged to ask questions or voice suggestions with any Board member or staff. If you have a question or comment, please see the list of Board members and key staff on page 6 of every issue of Sprinkler Age or visit the Board of Directors’ webpage on the AFSA website at firesprinkler.org/board-of-directors or the staff webpage at firesprinkler.org/afsa-staff.