Chairman of the Conference, Gary Sigrist

Gary Sigrist is a nationally known speaker, consultant, author and expert on emergency preparedness. Sigrist earned a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education from Ohio University and a Master of Science degree in education administration from The University of Dayton. His career spans more than 30 years as an educator, administrator and police officer. Sigrist’s background in both education and law enforcement gives him a unique perspective on safety and preparedness, which he brings to his work with clients of Safeguard Risk Solutions. Sigrist was an educator and administrator for South-Western City Schools (SWCS) for 30 years. He is also a retired police officer with more than 23 years of experience working with schools and communities throughout Ohio. Sigrist is a certified Department of Homeland Security trainer for both the Law Enforcement Active Shooter Emergency Response (LASER) and Screening of Persons through Observational Techniques (SPOT) organizations. Sigrist has extensive experience in emergency preparedness training and exercises. He designed, coordinated and conducted large district tabletop and full-scale exercises using funding from Ohio Homeland Security.

In 2008, he was named Project Director for Readiness and Emergency Management in Schools. SWCS is only one of a handful of school districts to win the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Grant two times in 2008 and 2010.

In addition, Sigrist has extensive experience in emergency preparedness training and exercises. He designed, coordinated and conducted large district tabletop and full-scale exercises using funding from Ohio Homeland Security . His specialized training includes courses in hostage negotiations, school violence threat assessment, terrorism and WMD in the workplace, event security planning, stranger abducted/missing children, and active shooter situations, among many others.