Russ Leavitt is the executive chairman of Telgian Corporation. A graduate of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, he holds a Level IV certification from NICET in Water-Based Systems Layout and is a Certified Fire Protection Specialist. Russ is a licensed contractor with 43 years of experience in the design, installation, and testing of fire protection systems. He is the immediate past chair of the NFPA board of directors, where he has served since 2014. He sits on the NFPA 13 Sprinkler System Discharge Criteria and Installation technical committees and several other technical committees. He also serves on the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) Board of Governors. Russ is a long-time senior instructor for AFSA and has authored several articles and training materials, including AFSA’s ITM Inspector Development Program and the online hydraulic calculations series. Russ was the 2013 recipient of AFSA's prestigious Henry S. Parmelee Award.