NYS IAAI Officers
Scott A Shear, IAAI CFI | President
Name: Scott Shear
Position: President
Where I live: Fairport, NY Monroe County
Where I work: Retired Monroe County Sheriff’s Office Investigator. Currently employed at Fire Research and Technology LLC. As the Northeast Manager and Fire & Explosion Consultant
How many years have I been an FI: 10 years while in the Sheriff’s Office, 9 years in the private sector.
How many years have I served on the Board: Approximately 8 years.
How many years have I been a member of the Chapter: Approximately 12 years.
Why I decided to join the fire service and/or become an investigator: As a public service employee, I was involved in both the Fire and Police, departments. I was always interested in solving the puzzle of how and why. This challenging field keeps me engaged every day.
Contact info: [email protected]
Ric Giampaolo | Secretary/Treasurer
Ric Giampaolo assumed the role of Secretary / Treasurer for the NYS IAAI in November 2021, having served as Vice President of the Southeastern Zone for five years prior. Ric previously served as a director-at-large in NYS IAAI for two years.
Ric joined the New York City Fire Department in 1990. Before being promoted to Fire Marshal, he spent twelve years as a firefighter in the Bronx and Manhattan. Ric served as a Fire Marshal for ten years, in various capacities within the Bureau of Fire Investigation, before being promoted to Supervising Fire Marshal. He engaged in numerous investigative and administrative capacities in his six years of experience as a supervisor. Ric was the Executive Officer to the Chief Fire Marshal and the Director of Security for the FDNY. He graduated from the Fire Officers Management Institute in 2015. Ric retired in 2018.
Ric has earned many New York State certifications, including Level I & II Fire Investigator, Electrical Fire Cause Determination II, and Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Specialist I. He is also a Pro Board recognized Fire Service Instructor II.
As a fire investigator, Ric has been qualified and acknowledged as an expert witness in the counties of Bronx and Kings and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and has testified to the origin and cause of fires.
Ric joined the IAAI in 2013 and is currently a Certified Fire Investigator. He has been a member of the International Association of Auto Theft Investigators since 2003 and the Fraternal Order of Police since 2002. He has been a NAFI Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator since 2009.
Ric has also been a member of the Hudson Valley Fire Investigators Association since 2016.
Ron Ryan | Sergeant at Arms
Ron Ryan has been affiliated with the fire service for over 48 years and has held numerous offices during that time including obtaining the rank of Chief at age 23. He is currently and has been a Fire Investigator with Onondaga County, Department of Emergency Management for 34 years. Ron is both New York State and Nationally Certified as a Fire Investigator and has conducted thousands of fire investigations over his career including several arson-homicides. Ron has testified and qualified as an expert witness in the fire investigation field in Local, State and Federal Courts. He currently is an Adjunct Professor at Onondaga Community College teaching Fire Investigation courses and an Adjunct Instructor with NYS Department of State DBSC. He is a Registered NYS Code Enforcement Official. Ron has published several fire service articles and is the author of the novel “Teflon Shelly”. Ron possesses a UAS Remote Pilot, Part 107, license through the FAA and is a pilot with Onondaga County Emergency Management UAS program.
Rick Cary | Western Vice President
Rick is currently a Fire Protection Specialist with NY State Fire. He has been an investigator for several years and is currently an Accelerant K9 Handler with his Partner “Jax”.
He has been with State Fire for 10 years and has been in the Murray Joint Fire District for 36 years and currently is the Fire Chief of the Department.
Scott Phillips | Western Director
Mr. Scott Phillips is the Vice President of Forensic and Failure Analysis, Inc. and a New York State (NYS) licensed Professional Engineer, with an extensive background in conducting investigations, testing, and troubleshooting. Mr. Phillips has been investigating fire and insurance losses for Forensic & Failure Analysis since July 2013.
Mr. Phillips is a member of the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) and the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI) . Mr. Phillips volunteers his time as a board member (Director at Large) and with the Training and Education (T&E) committee of the NYS Chapter of the IAAI. The T&E committee provides training to all levels of Fire Investigators throughout New York State.
Mr. Phillips areas of work include but are not limited to subrogation, product liability and defense, property damage claims, water losses, engineering for fire and explosion investigations, propane and gas consuming appliance testing and analysis, personal injury claims, vehicle fires and component failures, technical consultation of claim adjustments, power systems, and many more.
Mr. Phillips’ wide ranging background includes design of automated test stands for international and US DOD military products, designing and constructing high voltage isolation interface circuitry for fuel cell stack impedance measurements, high pressure fluid systems, vacuum coating systems, and material tests for electrical insulation/continuity.
Mr. Phillips has also been involved in creating reference standards, research and development, and international training in failure analysis of circuit and system level defects for consumer products on a multinational joint development programs with manufacturers in southeast Asia.
Mr. Phillips has been involved in design, prototype development, quality control, testing and operating cost analysis on a variety of technology development programs and authored (co-authored) three US patents.
As an Eagle Scout, Mr. Phillips continues his pledge of giving back to his community. He has volunteered for sixteen years as a First Robotics mentor teaching intercity high school students.
Joseph Galloway | Central Vice President
Joseph Galloway IAAI-CFI has over 30 years of experience in the fire service. He retired from the Syracuse Fire Department in 2018, where he was assigned to the Fire Investigation Bureau for 15 years, the last 5 of which he was the unit supervisor. Joe is also still active as a Youth Fire setter Intervention Specialist II.
Currently, Joe is a New York State Fire Instructor for the Investigations Bureau assisting with education and training of new fire investigators. He also teaches programs locally and across the state. Joe works with the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office as needed on fire related cases.
In addition to his work, Joe serves as the Central Vice President for the New York State Chapter of the International Association of Arson investigators, NYS IAAI.
Philip E Brousseau | Eastern Zone Director
Philip E Brousseau – Is the Eastern Zone Vice President for the New York Chapter of the IAAI.
Vice President Brousseau recently retired as Desk Sergeant with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office. Vice President Brousseau continues to service as a senior Investigator of the Fire Investigation Unit of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office.
For over 47 years, Vice President Brousseau has been an active member of the Vischer Ferry Volunteer Fire Company in the Town of Clifton Park. During his time with the fire company, he rose through the ranks, serving for twenty-six years as a chief officer. Ten of his twenty-six years as Chief of the Department, stepping down in 2019. Vice President Brousseau currently service as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fire Company. Vice President Brousseau has been the recipient of several awards including the Town of Clifton Park Life Saving Award in 2000 for his actions as the Incident Command that resulted in the successful rescue of a 12-year-old boy that fell through the Ice on the Mohawk River.
Mr. Brousseau is currently the President of the Capital District Fire Investigator Association. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Saratoga County Fire Officer’s Association and is a past member of the Saratoga County Fie Advisory Board.
Vice President Brousseau graduated from the State University of New York College of Arts and Science at Oswego with a political science degree. In 1981 the college selected him as the first recipient the SUNY Oswego Outstanding Achievement Award recognizing his contributions to the college as a student government leader and as the President of the Auxiliary Service Corporation, in conjunction with his service to his home community. Vice President Brousseau obtained his insurance agent’s license and worked for several insurance agencies and the Travelers Insurance Company prior to joining the Sheriff’s Office.
Vice President Brousseau can be reached at [email protected].
John Zboinski | Southern Zone Director
Dr. John Zboinski joined the NYS IAAI in 2014 and is currently the Southern Zone Director with the NYS IAAI have been appointed to the position in 2023.
John serves as a Captain in the East Fishkill Fire District Fire Investigation Unit as well as a Captain with the Dutchess County Fire Investigation Team.
Dr. Zboinski received his Podiatric Medicine degree in 1994. He received his Biology degree from Marist College in 1990. He is a Pro-Board Certified New York State Fire Investigator.
Jim Cuffe | Southeastern Vice President
James Cuffe is a Deputy Fire Coordinator for the Cause and Origin Team at the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services. Jim has served in this capacity since June 2003 and is responsible for management of the fire investigation personnel as well as the development and implementation of various policies and protocols related to fire investigation. Jim also acts as a Team liaison between the numerous police and fire organizations, Office of the District Attorney and Department of Labs and Research within Westchester County. He has been a fire investigator with Team since June 1998.
Jim served nearly twenty-fire YfarS with tp.e Town of North Castle Police Department, holding the rank of Sergeant for over fifteen of those years. In addition to patrol supervision duties, Jim was assigned to the Department’s Emergency Service Unit as its commanding officer since 2006, having been originally assigned to ESU as a PO from its inception in 1994 due to his training as an EMT and fire service background. He was the Department’s Accreditation Program Manager from 2012 until his retirement from the PD in August 2018. Additionally, Jim’s emergency service experience includes: almost 40 years in the fire service with the Independent Fire Company of the Mount Kisco Fire Department, having previously served as Captain; over 32 years of EMS experience with the Mount Kisco Volunteer Ambulance Corps, having served as Captain and President.
Jim holds professional and organizational memberships in the International Association of Arson Investigators, New York State Chapter 23 Fire Investigators, serving as Vice President of the Southeastern Zone since 2021, and the Hudson Valley Fire Investigators Association, serving as Vice President since 2018. Jim is certified as a fire investigator with the IAAI, Pro Board@, New York State OFPC, and is a Pro Board@ Certified Fire Service Instructor II. Jim is also a NYS EMT and CIC.
Gary Patnode | Director (at large)
Gary P. Patnode is currently Deputy Coordinator for the Genesee County Office of Emergency Management Services. As part of that role, he is responsible for the management of the County’s HazMat Team, Rope Rescue Team, Fire Investigation Team and assists in the coordination of emergency services and direction of appropriate operations in normal daily emergency management activities. Gary has been a New York State Fire Instructor since 2013. Prior to working for Genesee County, Gary worked in construction for 25 years. He holds an Associate’s Degree in Building Construction from Alfred State College.
In 1997, Gary joined the Town of Alabama Fire Department and served that agency in various positions including Board of Dire.c.tor. He worked through all the line officer ranks culminating his 13 years as Fire Chief.
Gary is a pro-board certified fire investigator and holds national and NYS certifications in a variety of disciplines. He is a member of FASNY, NYSEMA, NYS Chapter 23 Fire Investigators, and the International Association of Arson Investigators.
For the past 20 years, Mr. Russo has been an instructor for the FDNY Bureau of Fire Investigation, where he teaches advanced fire investigation curriculums. Mr. Russo has served as an instructor for the Fire Department Instructors Conference, the International Association of Arson Investigators, the Insurance Committee for Arson Control and the National Insurance Crime Bureau “SIU Training Academy.” He has lectured at over 40 training conferences throughout the United States and Canada. And has participated on numerous committees for the chapter.
Nick Fletcher | Director (at large)
Nicholas T. Fletcher is currently Director-at large.
Nicholas is currently finishing a law degree at Albany Law School of Union University in Albany, New York. Nicholas was accepted into the New York State Office of Court Administration’s Pro Bono Scholars program and is therefore sitting for the February 2020 bar exam before graduating in May 2020.
Nicholas has an A.A.S. in Fire Protection Technology from Onondaga Community College and a B.A. from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences.
Prior to law school, Nicholas worked as a Fire Investigator for the Onondaga County Department of Emergency Management. While an investigator, Nicholas lead and assisted in fire investigations leading to the arrest and conviction of multiple individuals for arson, homicide and other offenses. Nicholas has presented on various fire investigation topics throughout the state of New York.
Nicholas joined the Sherrill-Kenwood Volunteer Fire Department in 2009 and holds various national fire service certifications, including a national certification in fire investigation.
Nicholas joined the board of directors in 2014 and currently serves on the membership committee. You can email Nicholas at [email protected].
Kevin Winton | Director (at large)
Kavin Winton is currently a Director-at-Large.
He is employed by New York Central Mutual as a Certified Fraud Investigator. A graduate of Morrisville College, in his 30-plus years of insurance experience he has received multiple insurance designations, certifications and degrees.
Kavin joined the New Berlin Fire Department in 1989 and served that agency in various positions, including Assistant Chief. He gravitated toward fire investigation and joined the Chenango County Office of Emergency Services Investigative Unit in 2007. Promoted to Assistant Deputy Coordinator and Assistant Supervisor in 2010, Kavin also co-chairs Chenango County’s Juvenile Fire-Setter Intervention Program.