New Executive Committee sworn in before dinner and dancing
By Richard Goldstein
The last act of APCO 2025 came with the Connect and Celebrate Dinner in the Baltimore Convention Center on Wednesday, July 30. It featured the swearing in of the 2025-2026 Executive Committee, a summing up by the outgoing president and the vision of the incoming one.
Before the speeches, APCO CEO and Executive Director Mel Maier presented the Life Member Award to James “JJ” McFarland. The award recognizes exceptional dedication and significant contributions to public safety communications.
APCO President Stephen P. Martini oversaw the formal swearing-in of the new Regional Representatives to APCO’s Board of Directors. Representatives from regions and the Commercial Advisory Council pledged their commitment to uphold the association’s mission.
Martini and 2024-2025 President Becky Neugent swore in the incoming Executive Committee. Jack Varnado assumed the presidency, O’Connor became first vice president and Jennifer Reese became second vice president. Martini became immediate past president and Neugent rotated off the Executive Committee.
Martini highlighted the growing international character of APCO International and expressed confidence in the association’s progress on legislative and regulatory fronts. He also touted the educational offerings of the Institute and the expansion of IntelliComm and other APCO services to improve emergency communications center (ECC) operations.
“Thank you, APCO, for your commitment to our shared mission. Bind it on your hearts as you head into this new year,” Martini said. “Take the things you learned this week, and the relationships you made home with you, seeking opportunities to advance people and projects in your corner of the world — even just an inch.”
Jack Varnado then delivered his inaugural address as president of APCO International.
Varnado laid out five goals:
- Elevate the field’s professional status by advocating for the formal classification of public safety telecommunicators as protective service employees to reflect their true role in emergency response.
- Enhance training by expanding access to high-quality, cutting-edge instruction for professionals at every stage of their careers.
- Prioritize mental health through peer support, counseling and education.
- Drive innovation by leading technology integration, working with industry partners and agencies to ensure new tools enhance ECC operations.
- Strengthen the unified voice for public safety professionals, bolstering partnerships and advocacy efforts at the local, state and national levels.
Varnado urged every APCO member to consider serving the profession in some capacity. “Your input, your voice, your ideas are essential to this journey. Every one of you has something vital to contribute to the future of this profession,” Varnado said.
He acknowledged that the field stands at a crossroads with both challenges and breakthroughs ahead, particularly in technology and public expectation. Varnado emphasized that APCO’s greatest strength lies in its members’ willingness to lead with compassion, commitment and collaboration.
“Our work begins behind the scenes — often the darkest moments in someone’s life. But in those moments, we become the light. A voice of reason. A steady presence. A lifeline,” Varnado said. “Thank you — and God Bless each of you as you travel home and get back to the work and the responsibilities that our communities expect and deserve from us.”
With that, Varnado yielded to dinner and the Baltimore dance band Go Go Gadget after gaveling out APCO 2025.
