International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) General President-Elect Edward A. Kelly has announced appointments to his transition team and senior staff. Kelly has developed a team of experienced leaders representing a cross-section of the IAFF who will provide a critical perspective to help tackle the challenges facing IAFF members across the United States and Canada.
“The announcement of the transition team is the first of many steps in addressing the issues facing our members, and I am confident that the individuals serving in these roles share the same excitement and enthusiasm as I do in delivering effective and efficient services to our dues- paying members,” says Kelly. “My team looks forward to working seamlessly with General Secretary-Treasurer-Elect Lima’s Transition Team, which will be announced in the coming days.”
Kelly has selected IAFF 4th District Vice President Andrew K. Pantelis to serve as the Transition Team Chair. In this role, Pantelis will bring his extensive executive leadership experience to ensure a seamless transition for the incoming administration. As Chair, he will be responsible for the overall implementation strategy for the transition team.
The transition team also includes:
Matthew Vinci, Transition Team Vice Chair for Continuity of Operations
Vinci will be responsible for continuity of operations, ensuring that all programs, services, resources and other deliverables continue seamlessly from the IAFF’s Washington, DC, and Ottawa, Ontario offices. Vinci has also been tapped to serve as Kelly’s Chief of Staff. He brings a depth of experience at the local, state and national level to this role.
Additionally, Kelly has announced that Corrine Griffin will serve as Executive Assistant to the General President. Griffin has served as Kelly’s assistant for the past four years in the office of General Secretary-Treasurer.
Jay Fleming, Transition Team Vice Chair for Vision/Mission
Fleming will be responsible for transforming the vision created by Kelly into an actionable strategic plan in service to IAFF members across the United States and Canada.
Kurt Becker, Transition Team Vice Chair for Non-Profits and Subsidiaries
Becker will be responsible for assessing the IAFF’s non-profit and subsidiary activities, including the IAFF Financial Corporation (IAFF-FC) and IAFF Foundation, as well as the IAFF partnership with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).
Kelly has selected three Senior Advisors: Alex Forrest (Operations), Mathew Golsteyn (Strategic Planning) and Lori Moore-Merrell (Policy), who will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the transition process.
Kelly has assembled a robust communications team for the transition, which will be coordinated by IAFF Director of Communications Jane Blume, Greensboro, NC Local 947 member Jamie Burgess and Hoover, AL Local 4035 member Josh Jordan.
“The transition team will be announcing a more comprehensive list of transition team members, including IAFF officers and state and affiliate leaders across our IAFF, in the near future. This team of experienced leaders will help carry out the objectives established by General President- Elect Kelly,” says Transition Team Chair Pantelis.
General President-Elect Kelly continues to stress his commitment to hit the ground running on day one of his administration; the transition team will provide the foundation to develop strategies and initiatives to review and improve the services that the IAFF provides to its members.
Last week, Kelly also met with General Secretary-Treasurer-Elect Frank Lima to discuss his intention to work collaboratively with the General Secretary-Treasurer’s office. Kelly and Lima have adopted a #OneIAFF platform. While meeting in Los Angeles, California, General President-Elect Kelly received a phone call from President Biden, who expressed his congratulations to Kelly and Lima and thanked the members of the IAFF for their continued service throughout the pandemic.
Both Kelly and Lima have committed to working collectively to address the issues affecting IAFF members in every county, city, town and township protected by IAFF members across the United States and Canada.
