Col. Royal Mortenson to Deliver Keynote Firehouse Expo 2015

Firehouse is honored to announce that Col. Royal P. Mortenson, USMC (ret.) and director at the Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI), University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana—will be the keynote speaker at Firehouse Expo 2015 in Baltimore, Md.

Mortenson’s illustrious career includes nearly 30 years with the United States Marine Corps before joining the IFSI in 2012, working to support its mission to “help firefighters do their work through training, education, information, and research.” IFSI is the state training and education organization for the Illinois fire service and other first responders, training and educating more than 62,000 students per year.

“Col. Mortenson is a proven leader with a military track record that commands respect,” says Timothy E. Sendelbach, Firehouse Editor-in-Chief. “As the Director of the Illinois Fire Service Institute, Col. Mortenson oversees the professional development and training of the current and future leaders of the Illinois fire service. I’m confident that Col. Mortensen’s message of personal responsibility and leadership will not only resonate with attendees, but it will serve as the foundation of a historical conference.”

As director of the IFSI, Mortenson has established a strategic vision that includes creating quality leadership development and decision-making training and education curriculum for the fire service, enhancing and expanding practical hands-on training, expanding life safety research, expanding on-line educational deliveries, and growing the Institute’s partnerships, reach and reputation nationally and internationally.

Mortenson’s keynote presentation—“Leadership Maxims for the Individual: 12 Maxims that Define Who You Are as a Leader and as a Follower”— will address the foundation of good leadership specifically looking at team preparedness and cohesion and how personal accountability and priorities determine success or failure.

Mortenson’s keynote will be Thursday, July 16 at 8 a.m. at the Baltimore Convention Center.

About Colonel Mortenson

Col. Mortenson was commissioned as a Marine Second Lieutenant in April 1983 and served with distinction around the world as an infantry officer. During his 29+ year career, he commanded at the infantry platoon, company, battalion, and regimental level, and served at the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA, as a platoon commander, company executive officer and Assistant Operations Officer. He served as a platoon commander and company executive officer at Marine Barracks-Guam. He was a rifle company commander, a weapons company commander and operations officer in 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment.

Col. Mortenson served at Headquarters US Marine Corps as a current operations action officer, Commandant’s Briefing Officer, and current-operations section head working HQMC operational issues with the Joint Staff, combatant commanders, other services, and the Marine Corps component commands. He also served as II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) Expeditionary Operations Officer and Deputy Current Operations officer as well as the Current Operations officer for the 2D Marine Expeditionary Brigade before assuming command of the 2nd Battalion (infantry), 8th Marines (2/8) in December 2001. During his command tour with 2/8, the battalion deployed and participated in combat operations during Operation Iraqi Freedom as part of Regimental Combat Team-2, 2D Marine Expeditionary Brigade/Task Force Tarawa (January to June 2003). Following his combat tour of duty, Colonel Mortenson served as the G3 Operations Officer for the 2nd Marine Division.

In 2005, Col. Mortenson assumed command of The Basic School (TBS) at Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC) in Quantico. After TBS, Colonel Mortenson was assigned to the Joint Staff in Washington, DC, J5, Strategic Plans and Policies, where he served as the Central Asia/South Asia Division Chief. His responsibilities included leading the Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy and plan development for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. His Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy development work included working closely with Office of the Secretary of Defense, the White House, the Department of State, and Congress.

From July 2009 to April 2011, Col. Mortenson served as the Chief of Staff for the Commanding General Marine Corps Combat Development Command/Deputy Commandant for Combat Development and Integration, Quantico, VA. In his final year of service, Col. Mortenson was assigned as the Director of the United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College, Marine Corps University in Quantico.

Col. Mortenson’s personal military awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit with two gold stars in lieu of third award, the Bronze Star with (Valor device), Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Ribbon.

Col. Mortenson’s studies include National War College (2004-05); National Defense University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a master’s degree in Strategic Studies; Marine Corps Command and Staff College (1998-99), where he earned a master’s degree in Military Studies; the School of Advanced Warfighting (1999-2000); and the Marine Corps Amphibious Warfare School (1990-91).

Col. Mortenson is on the Board of Advisors for Leadership Under Fire, Inc., which has as its mission “advancing discipline, survival and leadership in the fire service.”

Firehouse Expo 2015

Firehouse Expo 2015 will feature more than 80 educational sessions, new preconference sessions, hands-on training, product debuts from leading fire service companies and many new special events, such as the First-Annual Fire/Rescue Competition, fast-paced "Rip and Run" training sessions, Firehouse Fit for Duty Fitness Showcase and more.

To register for Firehouse Expo 2015, visit firehouseexpo.com, email [email protected] or call (508) 743-8523 or (877) 398-6943.