2025 Annual Conference Working Agenda
October 21-23, 2025 | Graduate by Hilton Hotel, Fayetteville, Arkansas
This is a working agenda, please check back as updates are ongoing.
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
1:00 - 4:00 pm
1:00 - 5:00 pm
5:00 - 8:00 pm
Board Meeting - Johnny Cash
Registration - 2nd Floor Atrium
Vendor/Exhibits Move-in - Brodie Payne (CD)
Exhibits Open with food with Vendors - Brodie Payne (CD)/Spoofer's Stone
Wednesday, October 22, 2025
7:30 - 8:30 am
8:00 - 9:00 am
9:00 - 10:00 am
Registration - 2nd Floor Atrium
Exhibits Open - Brodie Payne (CD)
Opening Ceremony - Brodie Payne (AB)
Welcome, Introduction of President and Board of Directors
Welcome, Arkansas Fire Chiefs Association
Justin Scantlin - Chief, Bonteville, AR
Welcome, Fayetteville, AR
Brad Hardin, Chief - Fayetteville, AR.
Molly Rawn, Mayor
9:30 am - 10:50 am
Keynote Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
Progress Through Pressure
Bob Norton
10:00 am - 6:00 pm
10:50 - 11:00 am
11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Exhibits Open - Brodie Payne (CD)
Break - 2nd Floor Prefunction
General Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
Tom Jenkins (UL-FSRI) - Research Manager, UL's Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI)
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
12:00 - 1:00 pm
1:30 - 5:00 pm
Significant Others Event - Lunch and Activity - Offsite
Lunch with Vendors - Brodie Payne (CD)
Education Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
Daniel DeYear - DFD Retired Deputy Chief
2:30 - 2:45 pm
2:45 - 3:45 pm
Break - 2nd Floor Prefunction
Education Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
Jason Jackson - Vice President, Walmart's Global Security Operations Center (GSOC)
3:45 - 4:00 pm
4:00 - 5:00 pm
Break - 2nd Floor Prefunction
General Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
Gordon Lohmeyer - Assistant Agency Director, Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX)
5:00 - 6:00 pm
6:00 - 9:00 pm
Committee Meetings - Spoofer's Stone
Evening Social
Hosted by: Arkansas Fire Chiefs Association
Thursday, October 23, 2025
8:00 am - 4:00 pm
9:00 am - 2:00 pm
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
9:00 - 10:00 am
Registration - 2nd Floor Atrium
Exhibits Open - Brodie Payne (CD)
Education Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
General Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
Troy Thurman - Information Sharing Coordinator, Missouri Office of Homeland Security; Missouri Department of Public Safety, Office of the Director
10:00 - 10:15 am
10:15 - 11:45 am
Break - 2nd Floor Prefunction
General Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
Les Stephens - Fire Chief, San Marcos Fire Department
11:00 am - 3:00 pm
12:00 - 1:00 pm
12:00 - 1:00 pm
1:30 - 4:00 pm
1:30 - 2:30 pm
Significant Others Event - Lunch and Activity - offsite
Lunch with Vendors/Presentation - Brodie Payne (CD)
Past President's Lunch - offsite
Education Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
General Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
​Panelists:
Kay Goss - Senior Fellow, National Academy of Public Administration
Battalion Chief Carl Keller III - Planning & Accreditation Chief | Special Operations Program Coordinator
Geboo Song - Professor of Political Science, Public Policy, and Statistics & Analytics, University of Arkansas
2:30 - 2:45 pm
2:45 - 3:45 pm
Break - 2nd Floor Prefunction
General Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
Keith Elkins - Retired Battalion Chief, Nampa Fire District
4:00 - 5:00 pm
General Session - Brodie Payne (AB)
Brad Hardin, Chief - Chief, Fayetteville, AR
6:00 - 9:00 pm
Installation Banquet - Spoofer's Stone