Jason Barbour, ENP Continues His Extended Term As President 

Arlington, VA – A new NENA Executive Board took office during the Instillation Banquet at the 26th NENA Annual 9-1-1 Conference and Trade Show last week. The swearing in ceremony saw Jason Barbour, ENP sworn in as President while Ronald Bonneau, ENP became 1st Vice President, and Craig Whittington, ENP was sworn in as the newly elected 2nd Vice President.  After taking the oath of office, Barbour addressed the attendees, speaking about what he considered key initiatives for his year-long term. “As President I will continue to advance the issues that have been a focus over the past year to ensure we are meeting today’s challenges while planning for the future of Next Generation 9-1-1,” he said. “In doing so, there are three main priorities for me as President: 1.  Organizational & financial stability, growth and clarity, 2. Collaboration [with other public safety groups, industry, and the government], and 3. Ensuring that the Voice of 9-1-1 continues to be heard at the national level.”  Barbour currently serves as the 9-1-1 Director for Johnston County, North Carolina where he manages the coordination of communications services for police, fire, and emergency medical services personnel. In this capacity, Barbour is responsible for leading a department that was the first 9-1-1 center in North Carolina to successfully receive a Phase II wireless Enhanced 9-1-1 call. Johnston County was also the first Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) in the state to integrate emergency dispatch protocols for police, fire, and EMS.  Barbour is also a Deputy Sheriff for the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, a Captain with his home town fire department (Clayton, NC Fire Department), and an instructor for the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch. Prior to being elected to the national NENA board, Jason served as the President of the North Carolina Chapter of NENA. 

New 1st Vice President Ronald Bonneau, ENP is currently the Director of SouthCom Dispatch in Matteson, Illinois, which has been Phase II-compliant since 2003. Mr. Bonneau was presented with the prestigious NENA Hall of Fame award at the conference. He has a master’s degree from Western Illinois University, has been a certified Emergency Number Professional (ENP) for 10 years, and is a former police captain, having retired after a decorated 27 year career in law enforcement. He first became involved with NENA in 1988, when as a police sergeant he was asked to implement 9-1-1 in Riverdale, Illinois. Two years later the job was complete, but Bonneau’s dedication to 9-1-1 continued, and lead him to serve as the First Vice President of the Illinois NENA Chapter in 1992 and then as North Central Region Vice President from 1995 until last year when he was elected 2nd Vice President. “Working in 9-1-1 is a calling,” he said. “It’s all about serving people in the most critical moments of their lives. I look forward to continuing my work on the Board to ensure that all Americans have access to effective and efficient emergency services.” Bonneau will be sworn in as NENA President next June at the 27th NENA Annual 9-1-1 Conference and Trade Show in Tampa Bay, FL.

Craig Whittington, ENP was elected by the NENA membership to the position of 2nd Vice President, the first step along the way to him assuming the NENA presidency in 2009. “I am honored and humbled by the faith and trust that the members have in me,” he said. “I look forward to working with Jason, Ron, and the rest of the Board to advance critical 9-1-1 and emergency communications issues.” Serving as the 9-1-1 and Special Projects Coordinator for Guilford Metro 9-1-1 Communications located in Greensboro, North Carolina, Whittington is a 25-plus-year veteran of emergency services and has worked in nearly every area of the local government side of public safety. A member of NENA since 1991, he has been active in the North Carolina Chapter of NENA, having served twice on the North Carolina NENA Board of Directors and has served on NENA’s Education Advisory Board.Six other Executive Board members were sworn in at the Conference, including Ron Bloom, ENP, who became the Association’s first ever Private Sector Director. NENA Hall of Fame Member, John Crabill, ENP, will serve as Northeast Region Director; Bob Currier, ENP as North Central Region Director; Toni Dunne, ENP as Southeast Region Director; NENA Hall of Fame Member, Rick Galway, ENP, as Canadian Region Director; and Barbara Jaeger, ENP as Western Region Director.