Wednesday’s Food for Thought Luncheon began with opening remarks from APCO Executive Director and CEO Derek Poarch. “Our voice gets stronger as our membership grows,” Poarch said, introducing the Chapter Growth Awards:

Chapter Growth Number Membership Award – Atlantic Chapter
Chapter Growth Percentage Membership Award – Wisconsin Chapter
Membership Density Award – Montana Chapter

Introducing the Agency Training Program Certifications, Poarch said, “Earning agency training certifications is an important achievement for the telecommunicators, the agency and the community they serve.” See the full list of agencies who earned this certification here.

Poarch also recognized the 2017 conference chair, Bruce Romero, and the Host Conference Committee, who put on a successful APCO Conference and Expo this year. Announcing that volunteers filled over 500 sessions, Romero said, “Your work was key to the success of this conference.” Attendees were then treated to a preview of APCO 2018, which will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada.

After lunch was served, keynote speaker Captain Scott O’Grady (Ret.) spoke on the lessons his harrowing experience in Bosnia taught him about preparation, teamwork and leadership. An Air Force F-16 fighter pilot enforcing the NATO no-fly zone, O’Grady was shot down over Bosnia and evaded potential captors in enemy territory for six days before being rescued.

“The most important thing we learned in survival school was the will to survive,” O’Grady said, adding that positive thinking helped him to keep up this will and emphasizing the importance of looking for and recognizing small victories.

Pointing to the example of the Marines who developed the plan and executed the successful mission to save him, O’Grady said that leadership comes down to one thing: “Take charge and do what’s right.” And a hero is not a celebrity, a movie star or a sports legend—he said looking directly at the APCO members gathered—but a person who helps other people.