Meet the Fire Chief Finalist Tonight at Ames City Hall

Two out-of-state men and one internal candidate have been named as finalists for the Ames fire chief position and residents' chance to meet another candidate is tonight.

Current  Clint Petersen announced earlier this year that he will retire July 31, the end of the fiscal year. Petersen has worked for the city for 33 years.

Residents can meet Terry Welker from 4 to 5 p.m. tonight at City Council Chambers at City Hall. Welker is an executive director of human resources in Arizona but currently served as a fire chief, deputy fire chief and fire captain in various communities including Staunton, Va.; Clearwater, Fla.; and Chesterfield County, Va.

Julie Huisman, Human Resources Director, said the city began its search for a new chief in April. Each candidate will have a meet and greet session with the public in City Council chambers at .

The other candidates are:

Shawn Bayouth the city's Deputy Fire Chief for Support Services and Richard Mikel who has previously served as the Deputy Chief for Administration in Downers Grove, Illinois and Deputy Fire Chief for Operations in Naperville, Illinois.

Bayouth the final candidate will meet with the public from 4 to 5 p.m. July 30.

To learn more about the candidates read the excerpt of the city's press release:

Mikel has previously served as the Deputy Chief for Administration in Downers Grove, Illinois and Deputy Fire Chief for Operations in Naperville, Illinois.

He has a bachelor’s degree in Fire Science Services from Southern Illinois University and an associate’s degree in Fire Science from Triton College. He has also received the Executive Fire Officer designation from the National Fire Academy and Chief Fire Officer designation from the Commission on Professional Credentialing.

Welker currently is serving as the Executive Director of Human Resources for the City of Scottsdale, Arizona. Previously, he served as the Fire Chief for the Ak-Chin Indian Community in Maricopa County, for the Rural Metro Corporation in Mesa, Arizona, and the City of Staunton, Virginia. He was also a Deputy Fire Chief in Clearwater, Florida and a Fire Captain in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

He has a master’s degree in Finance and Human Resources from Troy State University, a bachelor’s degree in Fire Administration/EMS from Hampton University, and an associate’s degree in Fire Science from J. Sargent Reynolds Community College. He has received a Chief Fire Officer designation from the Commission on Fire Accreditation and Executive Fire Officer designation from the National Fire Academy.

Bayouth currently is serving as the Deputy Fire Chief for Support Services for the City of Ames. Previously he served a Battalion Chief for the Eagle River Fire Protection District in Avon, Colorado and the Assistant Chief of Training for the City of Urbandale, Iowa.

He has a doctoral degree in Industrial and Agricultural Technology from Iowa State University, a master’s degree in Human Resource Development from Indiana State University, a bachelor’s degree in Fire Administration and Management from Western Illinois University, and an Associate’s Degree in Fire Administration from Johnson County Community College. He has received a Chief Fire Officer designation from the Commission on Professional Credentialing and Executive Fire Officer designation from the National Fire Academy.