Neal K. Brown, VP Operations-Division Chief Fire & Fuels

Vice President Neal K. Brown's  encyclopedic fire and fuels knowledge has him sought after throughout the world for his extensive ability to develop real world solutions for optimal wildlands management. Born in American Fork, Utah, along with his wife Terri, Brown is co-founder of WMFF and has helped to bring the company to a globally professional status in less than two years.  When there is either a fire and fuels crisis or, a crisis waiting to happen, Brown is one of the primary contacts for rapid response strategic planning and implementation, especially in threatened urban areas (Wildland Urban Interface).   Brown has worked in Fire Management  within the Park Service and Forest Service as well as several  rural fire departments for 10 years prior to WMFF achieving the Rank of Captain and served in several regional committees of which he was co-0chair or VP, including the Cascade Rescue Emergency Services Team.  Neal maintains several wildland fire qualifications such as, Engine Boss, Strike Team Leader-T, Type 2 Burn Boss-T, Incident Commander, Fire Effects Monitor, Firing Boss, and B Faller.  nkbrown@wildmountainfire.com

Roger Hoverman, Wildlife Biologist/Prescribed Fire and Fuels Specialist

Hoverman grew up in Delphos, Ohio. He received his B.S. in Wildlife Management and Rangeland Science in 1980 and pursued further studies in Silviculture, Wildlife Habitat, Plant Management and Ecosystem Management at Utah State, Northern Arizona and Colorado State University.  Roger served at the USDI Bureau of Land Management as a range conservationist and the USDA Forest Service North Kaibab Ranger District, as a wildlife biologist, Assistant Fire Management Officer fuels and acting Fire Management Officer. Roger has worked successfully in the management of several high-profile fires with a specialty in project management, planning and prescribed fuel treatments and mitigation measures.  Roger maintains several wildland fire qualification such as, Type 2 Burn Boss, Engine Boss, Crew Boss, Incident Commander, Field Observer, and Fire Effects Monitor
fuels@wildmountainfire.com 

Dave Ferguson, WUI Specialist/Battalion Chief/Safety Officer

Ferguson was born is Escondido, California in 1955 and was fighting fires at age 16 as a volunteer for the Perris City Fire Department.  He continued this penchant at 17 when he joined the United States Air Force where he specialized in aircraft crash, structural, wildland and missile launch site fire control at Vandenberg AFB. He was also stationed with the Air Force in England where he worked in crash, fire and rescue primarily . He also worked with the British Fire Service.
After his honorable discharge, he eventually ended up working for the California Department of Forestry in September of 1978, then spent the next ten years in city style fire protection, followed by 20 years both managing and teaching about rural and wildland fire suppression. Dave also maintains his wildland fire qualifications such as Incident Commander, Task Force Leader, Engine Boss and Type 2 Safety Officer.
  battalion@wildmountainfire.com

Ryan Wickland, WUI Specialist/Northern Rockies Regional Director. 

Wickland hails from Bothell, Washington and currently operates our Northern Rocky Mountain Regional area as well as our fuels division. His management work includes extensive wildland fire suppression and fuel mitigation experience both within governmental and private sectors. Ryan has an intimate understanding of both the complex nature and great preventative value of proper mitigation planning to create firewise environments His vast array of services for Montana and surrounding areas include; comprehensive hazardous fuel assessments, professional planning and rapid deployment with an impressive array of state-of-the-art, low impact fuel reduction equipment. Ryan also holds several wildland fire qualifications including Engine Boss, Incident Commander, and C Faller. rwickland@wildmountainfire.com

John Jacobs, Captain/Fire Prevention Specialist

John Jacob's  is a Captain in WMFF Fire Division. His ten years of concentrated fire           management experience includes six years serving public land management agencies. He has successfully served as a Captain,, and Crew Boss, as well as an instructor for the National Wildland Firefighter Apprenticeship Program and the National Fire Prevention Academy. He's also served as an Incident Commander, Survival Equipment and Security Specialist. He is one of the nations leading fire prevention and education specialists.  John has also recently attended the Firewise/NFPA Hazard Lot Inspection Workshop in Denver, CO and is certified for commercial herbicide application.  He is also an instructor in Wild Mountain’s Wildland Training Unit.
captain@wildmountainfire.com

Howard Bronson,  Director of Communications. 

Howard Bronson is the Director of Communications for all of Wild Mountain Fire and Forestry's business concerns. The author of eleven books, including three in the areas of communication, publicity and business development, Bronson has a rich history in business development and cause marketing for worthy public concerns. His  primary task is to develop and manage all efforts which serve to communicate the need and presence of this worthy organization.  Howard has recently finished Directing 2 PSA’s an a short video for WMFF Foundation with Michael Martin Murphy in Moab, UT. hbronson@wildmountainfire.com

Walter F. Fertig, Jr, Botanist/Ecologist

When it comes to qualifications in volatile growth and bio-restoration, Walter has more letters of credential attached to his name than the alphabet. Born in La Jolla, California, Walt received his AS in Biology from Northwestern Connecticut Community College in 1986, his BS in Botany from Oregon State, his MS and received his MS and is working towards his Doctorate at the University of Wyoming. His  background is in plant taxonomy, ecology, Biogeography, computer modeling, and conservation biology. From 1992-2001 he was state botanist for the Wyoming Natural Heritage Program (originally affiliated with The Nature Conservancy, later part of the University of  Wyoming). There, he developed a database on the distribution, life history, and management needs of ca 500 rare plant species across the state. From 2002-2004 he was in charge of the vegetation management team of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument supervising 5 employees and coordinating a major research project on rating rangeland health. Since 2004, he has worked as a botanical/ecological consultant under the name of Moenave Botanical Consulting and is based in Kanab).  His clients have included the National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, US Forest  Service, The Nature Conservancy, and Wild Mountain Fire and Forestry. He is also on the state board of the Utah Native Plant Society and am currently the editor  of their bimonthly publication, the Sego Lily.  Walt helps to identify vegetation types and growth patterns prone to fire during on-site inspections, and to research fire effects on vegetation and to develop post-fire restoration plans. ecology@wildmountainfire.com

Katie Jones, Ecologist/Project Manager

Jones received her Bachelor of Science degree in environmental science and ecology from Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Driven by both a fervent interest and powerful intellect, Katie assists in researching and producing complex and involved fuels mitigation plans and complex project management. As part of WMFF's rapid response team, she can develop a quick strategic overview of emergency requirements. nepa@wildmountainfire.com

Brad Exton, Forester/Mid West Regional Director.

Brad Exton was born in Roxana, Illinois. He received his B.S. in Forest Management from the University of Missouri – Columbia, in 1973. Brad was a firefighter both for the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Forest Service. He was later trained in dispatching, security and fire information. He has extensive experience as an on-site manager of numerous active fires and was involved in the Black Hills as the Deputy Forest Supervisor and Acting Forest Supervisor with a very aggressive Fire and Fuels program where he received a Regional Forester’s Award for developing the first Participating Agreement (in the Region) with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe to do fuels reduction work on the Black Hills National Forest.  He is the recipient of several certificates of merit including three Regional Forester Awards for his work in Civil Rights and, for his outstanding work with the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota where he also received a Congressional Commendation from Senator Tim Johnson. Aside from his fire and fuels management experience, Brad prides himself in his skills in his work to enhance community relations.bexton@wildmountainfire.com

MarkWhipps

mwhipps@wildmountainfire.com

Oliver Smith

Fuels Captain-Southwest Area 

Ecologist 

captain2@wildmountainfire.com