Raymond Brooks is a senior executive (retired) who sets high standards and achieves them across the broad spectrum of community improvements, emergency medical response, community education and progress.  He has a consistent record of introducing change that produces better value and improves public safety and professionalism of personnel, while delivering enhanced service to the community. Ray has served communities both large and small, before retiring as the fire chief in Compton, California. (Ray served as the Assistant City Manager in Compton for one (1) year.)

Prior to that appointment, Ray served as fire chief in Birmingham, Alabama, where he managed a department of 700+ employees.  While in Birmingham, he enhanced emergency equipment purchases, as well as presented a plan that secured all emergency 911 transports being provided by  the department.  Ray’s plan enhanced revenues for the community over and above previous funds for this endeavor.

Ray was fire chief in San Jose, California prior to coming to Birmingham.  He provided the leadership necessary for the San Jose Fire Department to become an accredited local academy through the State Fire Marshal’s office and monitored the performance of Fire Department personnel assigned to the Building Department.  He directed the development of an informational technology master plan, and redirected the department’s capital budgeting toward multi-functional equipment that served the community better at a much lower cost.  Ray greatly reduced overtime expenditures and worker’s compensation claims.  He also revised the promotional system to produce greater objectivity and application of management criteria.

Prior to San Jose, Ray served as fire chief in Alhambra, California, where he was noted for his attention to community education through fire and crime prevention programs.  He promoted disaster preparedness, revised the inspection and training programs to make them more relevant to field situations, and provided contractual services that earned revenue through cooperation with an adjoining community.  Earlier, Ray served as fire chief in Evanston, Illinois and in Michigan City, Indiana, which led to his appointment in Alhambra.

Ray holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Fire Science Management.  He has trained at the National Fire Academy and completed two years of management studies at Purdue University. Ray is the current Chairman of the Black Chief Officers Committee, a senior fellow with the American Leadership Forum and completed Leadership Birmingham.   As a leader in his profession, he served an instructor at the Executive Development Institute located at Florida A&M University and Dillard University.  In addition, he has served as Legislative Liaison for the Illinois Fire Chiefs’ Association, First Vice President for the Indiana Fire Chiefs’ Association. A Facilitator at the National Fire Academy, as well as serving on numerous other professional boards.

Ray is an energetic, personable leader, an innovator, and an individual who can be depended on to use resources to obtain the best possible results.