KY ARES Who's Who...

Who's Who in KY ARES Senior Management:

The following biographical information is submitted by coordinators. If there is no info available for your district or regional coordinator, ask them to email the web admin a photo and/or their biography.

	Section Emergency Coordinator Kenny Garrett, N4KLG Graduated from Henderson County Senior High, Henderson Kentucky 1982. Enlisted in the U.S. Navy (1982-1995) Completed Radioman Class “A” School, April 1983, San Diego, CA USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), Norfolk, VA 1983-1985 Communications Department Deployed in support of U.S. Marine Barracks Bombing, Beirut Lebanon, 1983 Passed 3500 messages daily via secure RTTY / FSK Navy MARS Instructor School, Great Lakes, IL, 1986 Naval Reserve Readiness Center Baltimore, MD, 1986-1989 Instructor for 2500 Reservists monthly Taught, computer technology classes & radio communications theory Sold & Repaired computer systems in Annapolis, Maryland on civilian time for Computers To Go. Taught computer classes at Washington Navy Yard Numerous College computer classes USS Duncan (FFG-10) Long Beach, CA, 1988-1989 Communications Department Security Detail, US Naval Station, Long Beach 1989 Navy Mars (Collateral Duty) MIUWU105, 1990 – 1992 Communications Department Supervisor SATCOM HF/VHF/UHF Phone RTTY Deployed to Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm, stationed in Saudi Arabia, 1990 – 1991 PNET Software, Huntington Beach, CA, 1989-1992 (less time spent in SA) Installed & Repaired computer systems for Dominos Pizza all over Southern California, from San Diego to Bakersfield. Naval Reserve Readiness Center, Evansville, Indiana (1992-1995) Reservist Instructor of Radio communications and computer classes Maintained all Information Technology Systems for Center Diversified Electronics, Inc. (1992-1993) – Computer Programmer All Star Software, Inc., Evansville, Indiana (1993-1996) Sales and Service of Computers Worked up to management & partner Emergency Medical Technician Course – (KY Certified since 1995) Henderson City / County Rescue Squad (1995 – 2004) Water Rescue (101 Miles of River Water in District) Search & Rescue Team Henderson LEPC (2000 – current) Henderson Emergency Management (2000 – current) Resources Coordinator Radio Communications Coordinator Baskett Fire Department, FF/EMT, (July 2004 – Sept 2009) Hazmat Technician (2006 – current) Zion Fire Department, December 2009 - Current A2Z Computer Services, Inc., Henderson Kentucky (1996 – current) – Founder Computer Network Design, Installation and Maintenance Sales & Service Information Security Forensics Analysis Disaster Recovery Amateur Radio Licensed in 2000 KY ARES EC, Henderson County KY ARES DEC, District Three Upgraded to General Class December 2009
Region 1:
	Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator-Region 1: Harvey Lawrence, WA4NUD I was born in Syracuse, NY and raised 36 miles North on Lake Ontario (Oswego NY) I completed schools there, did my service time with the Navy as a diesel engineman aboard a 220 steel fleet type minesweeper. Then back to college to become a high school shop teacher in upstate NY for 7 years. Then to work for the Veterans Administration as an engineering Tech. They then sent me back to school for a year to get qualified as an Industrial Engineer specializing it time study. During one VA assignment in Vancouver/Portland area I served with a group of ARES hams (I was WA7NUD) that helped avert a potential for a large civil disturbance. For this we were personally thanked by then Governor of Oregon, Tom McCall. From 1972 to 1977 I worked at the VA Regional Office in Louisville, and then on to Washington DC to become part of a team that planned VA hospital replacement or renovation. I worked my way up to Regional Construction Manager and retired in March of 1994. After retiring my wife and I purchased a larger motor home, sold our Missouri home, and traveled full time for 6 years. It was during this time in 2003 in Kerrville, Texas I took the appropriate exams and reinstated my ham license. After moving to Kentucky my wife (KI4UGT) and I converted a county ambulance to an emergency communications vehicle and breathed life in to the Tri county ARES. It more than proved itself during the Great ice storm of 2009. My one great interest these days is to see ARES serve every county in Western KY.
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 1: John Hudson, KO4XJ ·Graduated Paducah Tilghman HS 1979 US Army 1979-1983 Ft. Gordon, Ga Signal School (1979 -1980)- MOS 32G10 Fixed Station Installation and Repair – Crypto Electronic tech White House Communications Agency –(1980-1983) Provided direct communications to the President and White House Staff M28 TTY repair Tech Control ops Xerox repair BUNCHES of other fun stuff trained on!! Lots of portable operations, kinda like field day but different Paducah Fire Firefighter 1984 – 2005 – Retired as Captain US Army Reserve and US Coast Guard Reserves – (1985-1991) T.R. Arnold and Assoc. (1994 – 2009) Worked 16 years as a manufactured building inspector. This job required me to drive thousands of miles over the years and this allowed me to operate mobile HF and had a blast work mobile Worked part time for a local ambulance service for many years Developed a USCG approved firefighting curriculum for Seamen’s Church Institute for BASIC Inland Waterway Firefighting. Lead instructor for 3 years Currently went back to work for Paducah Remediation Services, dismantling unused buildings at Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant, for now... Licensed in Nov 1988 as KC4HGX, upgraded to Tech then General in about 6 months and then to Advance in 1991 and changed my call to KO4XJ Past president of the Paducah Amateur Radio Association Currently my radio interest are HF contesting (RTTY is my favorite) DX’ing (DXCC Mixed #42,286 awarded) (252 countries worked – 184 confirmed) Just don’t send a lot of cards out J WAS awarded (also Triple Play #305 Award) SSB,PSK31, RTTY modes Antenna building Rag Chewing when I get time EmCom Was appointed McCracken EC after the Ice Storm and then District 1 DEC shortly after and we are still developing the county ARES and also the District Married to Balinda and we have 3 children and 3 grandsons, oh yeah 3 dogs and 3 cats!!!
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 2: Christopher Nelsen, WD9HIK Mr. Nelsen was first licensed in 1967 as a Novice and currently holds the Extra Class Amateur license and the commercial class radiotelephone license. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic Engineering and has worked for the Navel Ships Research and Development Center, Magnavox and ITT Aero/Optical on various military projects. He was issued US Patent (#4683753) in 1987 for a unique vibration sensor. Mr. Nelsen has been employed by a tier one automotive parts supplier since 1973 and is currently the quality assurance manager at their Hopkinsville, KY plant. He has served as the ARES EC for Scotland County, NC and held various club offices in both IN & NC amateur radio clubs. He has had experience in providing communication support for served agencies (local government, fire departments, salvation army, etc.) during hurricanes and tornadoes in the South. He is a lifetime member of the ARRL and owner/trustee of the 224.78 repeater in Hopkinsville. Mr. Nelsen had completed the ARRL courses for Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Level 1, 2, & 3 and is an ARRL volunteer examiner. Mr. Nelsen is also a private pilot and lifetime member of Experimental Aircraft Association.
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 3: Nick White, NV9V ARRL: Kentucky ARES DEC, District 3 Emergency Coordinator ARRL Kentucky Section Public Information Coordinator ARRL Legislative Action Assistant (LAA) Western Kentucky Managing Director Green River ARES, Inc. (GRARES Inc.) GRARES, Inc. is a non-profit organization of the EC's and ARES members in KY District 3. Ohio Co. RACES Officer REPEATER: Owner/Trustee, Ohio Co. ARES repeater KI4HEC; 145.17 MHz (144.570 MHz), PL tone 136.5. VE: Extra Class Accredited Volunteer Examiner (VE) 4th District Net Control Operator (Friday Night). Net called every night 9:00PM, 02:00Z, 147.165 MHz, No tone. All amateur radio operators welcome to check-in. Radio/Communications Continuing Education: ARRL Courses: ARES Emergency Communications Courses EC001-EC002-EC003; EC-005 HF Digital Communications Course. FEMA Courses: IS-1, IS-3, IS-22, IS-26, IS-100, IS-195, IS-197.EM, IS-200, IS-208, IS-230, IS-235, IS-244, IS-271, IS-292, IS-393, IS-700, IS-704, IS-800, and IS-836. KY Department for Public Health Courses: 1) Introduction to Terrorism Awareness, 2) Bioterrorism, 3) Chemical Terrorism Awareness, 4) Pediatric Terrorism Awareness Other Education: University of Kentucky, BS-Applied Mathematics, Physics minor; Graduate Studies: International Commerce and Diplomacy. Languages: Russian Hobbies: Private Pilot, PADI Dive Master/Master Scuba Diver
Region 2:
	Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator-Region 2: Mike Lodico, K1EG Michael has a rich background in radio communication and electronics including research and development know how in military electronics and experience in companies such as Raytheon. During his career he worked on strategic projects like the Apollo XI Moon Landing Program, Over the Horizon Radar, Side Scan Sonar, and Fleet SATCOM for the US NAVY. Originally a resident of Massachusetts, he served as the communications officer for Civil Defense, the precursor of FEMA, and later in the capacity of police and fire dispatcher, on call fireman, and EMT. Michael has been a licensed amateur radio operator for over 20 years, holding an Extra Class License as well as a FCC Commercial Radio License. He has also worked with county emergency management to use and develop emergency amateur radio communications. In Kentucky, he has been involved with ARES over the last five years, serving as an AEC for Barren County. Presently he is a lifetime member of the Mammoth Cave Amateur Radio Club, serving on the repeater committee. Michael is also a member of ARRL and the Radio Society of Great Brittan (RSGB). Committed to the healthcare profession, Michael has returned to college for a BA degree in Healthcare Management, which he can leverage to further his career goals, as well as, aid in building the Region 2 ARES organization. According to Michael, “one of the challenges for District 4 and 5 is the need for more people to be involved in ARES”, and I couldn’t agree more. Recruiting more amateur radio operators for the Amateur Radio Emergency Service is one of best ways to ensure ARES can continue to provide critical communications support for Kentucky’s first responders.
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 4: Bill Schlicht, KJ4DGW Born in 1946 in Buffalo, New York, Bill Schlicht is currently the Emergency Services Director of the American Red Cross of South Central Kentucky. He continues a lifetime of service to the nation and the community. Originally drafted in 1966, Bill trained as a radio teletype writer operator and spent 16 months traipsing around Germany in a RATT rig. He then reenlisted in 1968 to support the county’s efforts in Vietnam, then returning to Germany. As a result of his service he contracted Hodgkin’s disease after having been exposed to Agent Orange and in 1974 was placed on temporary disability. After recovering from surgery and radiation, Bill went to work for the Erie County (New York) Emergency Health Service where he was instrumental in establishing communications and training procedures for the Erie County Medical Emergency Radio System (MERS) and the City of Buffalo Ambulance Dispatch and Inspection (ADI). After being declared “in remission” from cancer, Bill re-joined the Army in 1976 and throughout his career drafted and presented numerous programs to train soldiers in communications procedures and equipment maintenance. Bill served in Turkey twice and South Korea for a year interspersing a 12-year off and on relationship with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell. Upon returning from Operation Desert Shield/Storm in both Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Bill retired from the Army, completing twenty-five years of service. In the fall of 1991 Bill was employed as a Convenience Store Manager for Mapco Petroleum. He quickly improved the store appearance and profitability to rise from the verge of closing to sixth in profitability among over 100 stores. Over an eight year span Bill’s store improved an average of twelve percent yearly to over $3 million in annual total sales. In May of 1999 Bill moved to Bowling Green to become the Operations Manager of a six-store cellular telephone chain. In the next three years he aided in the expansion of the chain to ten stores across South Central Kentucky. In 2001 Bill suffered a heart attack and had a quadruple bypass to correct a series of blockages. In April 2002 he retired to become a full-time volunteer for the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity. After travelling across America for three years building houses for Habitat and responding to disasters, Bill and his wife Bonnie returned to Bowling Green to “settle down”. Bill spent a year working for Lee Masonry Products as a fork lift operator where he designed and implemented a weekly inventory system to increase stock accuracy. Bill then added to his Red Cross duties by being hired as Health, Safety and Preparedness Coordinator as well as serving as Chair of the Disaster Committee. After 18 months, Bill resigned Health and Safety to become the Chapters full time Emergency Services Director as a volunteer. Over the course of the past eight years Bill has completed over 40 Red Cross courses and taught 112 courses across Kentucky and in Ohio, Minnesota and Mississippi. Bill continues to train and organize volunteers in disaster services and Amateur Radio across ten counties of South Central Kentucky. He is the father of four educators and grandfather of eleven.
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 5: Joe Kendall, AJ4TZ No information available:
Region 3:
	Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator-Region 3: Kenny Heavrin, KY4COP Kenny Heavrin has a long, professional career in law enforcement, including four years with the Jefferson County Police Department and seven years with the Kentucky State Police.” In addition to his training in law enforcement, he has gained special experience in analyzing and managing life and property threatening events as a Hazardous Devices Investigator (Bomb Squad) for the KSP and Jefferson County as well as working as an EMT for the Emergency Medical Services. Most recently, he has served in the capacity of a Security Specialists. Kenny has first responder training including IS-100, Incident Command System, IS-300-400, Advanced ICS, IS-700 National Incident Command System, WMD Response and Operations, plus ARRL Emergency Communications training, having completed EC-001. A Kentuckian, he graduated from Meade County High School, received an Associate Degree from Elizabethtown Community College, and attended Indiana University Southeast, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He holds a General Class amateur radio license.
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 6: James Vaughan, K4TXJ No information available.
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 7: Vacant
Region 4:
	Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator-Region 4: Vacant
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 8: Larry Dixon, KI4PSW 2006 licensed as KI4PSW as a Technician and then graduated to General in 2007 with the assistance and encouragement of N4EWW Terry Stewart, Dixon Currently serves as DEC for Region 8. He has been a Regional Manager for the KY Division of Emergency Management for seventeen years. Completed the NIMS ICS courses and in addition to regular duties as Regional Manager serves as instructor for many of the Emergent Management courses the agency delivers. Originally from Knott County where he managed a NAPA auto parts store, served on the Hindman Volunteer Fire Dept. for eighteen years. He owned a Radio Shack Store that installed PBX phones systems and security alarms systems, also owned and operated a portrait studio in Knott County. Dixon was the County EM Director for nineteen months before taking his current position with the state. During that same time frame he served as the counties Director of Tourism. He also worked part time at radio station WKCB in Hindman for several years, this was before simulcast and one had to read the news and spin the records. For the past nine years served on the EMAC Executive Task Force which writes national guidance and policy as to how states will share state owned resources during disasters. During those years he has deployed several states to assist with disasters, 2000 Montana Wild fires, 2003 North Carolina Hurricane Isabel, 2004 Florida Hurricanes, 2005 Florida and Mississippi Hurricane Katrina and Rita
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 9: Scott. Jacobs, NZ4AA No information avaialble
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 10: Vacant
Region 5:
	Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator-Region 5: Tom Mansfield, KG4TND No information available..
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 11: Vacant
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 12: Vacant
	District Emergency Coordinator - District 13: Jim McDonnell, W2LTB No information avalable.