The staff of the Joshua Tree Group brings extensive expertise and understanding of the fire service community. We draw from a wide range of resources and personnel. Meet our leadership team: Michael D. Finney, Principal. is a 22-year veteran of the fire service, having served at all ranks from Firefighter to Chief. He served as the Director of Public Safety Services for Great Oaks Institute of Technology and Career Development. Mike is also the Fire Chief for the Village of Glendale, Ohio. Michael has been honored to serve with such organizations as the International Fire Service Training Association/ Fire Protection Publications and with the South Carolina Fire Academy. He is also an adjunct instructor with the National Fire Academy for the "Fire Service Course Design" program. He has authored/edited several books and numerous magazine publications in leadership and training for the fire service. He has also performed extensive research in issues related to fire service training. Michael holds a Bachelors degree in Economics from the University of South Carolina, a Masters of Divinity from Columbia International University, and is currently completing a Doctorate in Education from Oklahoma State University and is listed in the 2003 edition of Who's Who in America and in the 2007 edition of Who's Who of Emerging Leaders. Mike can be reached at: Michael.Finney@joshuatreegroup.com.   Douglas Cline. is a 25-year veteran and student of the Fire Service serving as the Fire Chief with the Eden (NC) Fire Department. Chief Cline is a North Carolina Level II Fire Instructor, National Fire Academy Instructor, Faculty for Great Oaks Institute of Technology Public Safety Services Division in Cincinnati, Ohio and an EMT-Paramedic instructor/coordinator for the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Services. Cline is a member of the North Carolina Society of Fire Service Instructors and the International Society of Fire Service Instructors where he serves on the Board of Directors as The Second Vice President. Cline also serves as peer reviewer for the Fire Act Grants and as the Northern Director for the North Carolina Fireman's Association Piedmont Region. Cline was honored as the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI), 1999 Instructor of the Year. Chief Cline is also a member of National Association of EMS Educators (NAEMSE). He holds a Bachelors Degree in Social Services with a Minor in Education from Concord College. Chief Cline is a well known international speaker presenting programs on instructor development, officer development, rapid intervention team training and firefighter safety and survival. Chief Cline also is a highly published author with the most recent publications being with Thomson-Delmar Learning. The Publications are the Company Officer Test Preparation Guide Book with a scenario training DVD and technical content advisor and contributing author to the instructor support materials for the Rapid Intervention Team Book. Cline also has multiple training videos with the Fire and Emergency Training Network and American Heat. Doug can be reached at: Doug.Cline@joshuatreegroup.com. R. Craig Richardson, MA.  has been an active member and student of the fire service for over 18 years.  He is currently Assistant Chief of Operations in Nanaimo Fire Rescue in Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada where he manages two shifts of firefighters in a city of 75,000 residents.  Craig began his professional career in 1990 with the City of Surrey Fire Department in British Columbia, Canada, holding many positions including, Hazmat Technician and Training Officer.  While in Surrey, he developed and delivered programs for recruit firefighters, hazardous materials technicians, and fire officers. Academic achievements include a Masters Degree in Leadership and Training from Royal Roads University and a British Columbia Provincial Instructor Diploma from Vancouver Community College. In 1996, Craig began instructing NFPA 1001 recruits, NFPA 472 hazardous materials response, and NFPA 1021 fire officer programs as an independent contractor throughout Canada and internationally.  As an academic program consultant, he has developed several comprehensive training programs and worked extensively in the accreditation process for both IFSAC and Pro Board. As a fire service consultant, Craig designed an audit system based the Insurance Services Office (ISO) standards, for the rating of First Nation fire departments in British Columbia through the Fist Nations Emergency Services Society of BC. In 2004, Craig was appointed International Director for the International Society of Fire Service Instructors (ISFSI) based in Tennessee, USA, and in 2007 he was elected to the Board of Directors for the Nanoose Fire Protection Society which administers the Nanoose Bay Fire Department in British Columbia, Canada. Craig can be reached at: Craig.Richardson@joshuatreegroup.com. James Whitworth. began his career in the fire and emergency medical service as a volunteer with the Golf Manor Fire Department, a suburb of Cincinnati, while working in the manufacturing industry. During his tenure with Golf Manor, he was instrumental in transitioning the department from a basic life support provider to a provider of advanced life support. After serving in progressively responsible positions in both arenas, Jim made fire and EMS his career. In 1981 he joined the Blue Ash Fire Department where he played a major role in adding paramedic level emergency medical service to an agency that did not previously have an EMS. In 1992 Jim left Blue Ash to become Chief of the newly formed Miami Township Fire and Emergency Medical Service in Clermont County, where he serves today.  Jim’s background also includes many years as an Ohio Certified Paramedic, Ohio Certified Fire Safety Inspector, Hazardous Materials Technician, Emergency Medical Technician Basic Instructor, Instructor for various Weapons of Mass Destruction programs, President and member of the Greater Cincinnati Hazardous Materials Unit, member of the Clermont County Local Emergency Planning Committee, and 9 years with the U.S. Army Reserves 311th Station Hospital in Sharonville, Ohio.  In addition to his Chief-ly duties, Jim serves as Chairman of the Ohio Response System Incident Management Team Technical Advisory Committee, is an Incident Command System instructor for Ohio EMA, is chairman of the Clermont County Terrorism Advisory Team Training Committee, and serves as a board member of the Great Oaks Foundation. Jim can be reached at: Jim.Whitworth@joshuatreegroup.com.