Meet Our Team
"WE ARE WHAT WE REPEATEDLY DO. EXCELLENCE, THEN, IS NOT AN ACT, BUT A HABIT"
MICKEY SMITH
CEO
Since 2006, my staff and I have personally located and successfully acquired federal, state, local and corporate grants for various public safety agencies. As of this posting I have successfully acquired nearly 33 million dollars in funding for various fire, EMS agencies throughout Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, Ohio First Responder Grants has a specialized concentration on the completion and phenomenally successful acquisition of the Assistance to Firefighter Grant funding program. At the completion of the FY2019 Awards cycle OFRG has written 332 projects with a 67% success rate that has translated into well over 32 million dollars awarded to various fire departments around the state of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. Our grants, center around replacement of Firefighting and EMS Vehicles, SCBA units, Structural Fire Gear, EMS Equipment, Fire Hose, and related appliances all in order to promote a safer working environment for Ohio's first responders, so that everyone goes home!
Twenty-four years ago, I started out as a volunteer Firefighter/ EMT at the Madison Township Fire Department in Mansfield, Ohio. Over the time that is elapsed since then, I’ve worked my way up to my current position as a career Firefighter/Paramedic at the Liberty Township Fire Department located in Powell, Ohio.
RYAN HANF
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Ryan has worked for OFRG for 2 years and has 2 years of grant writing experience. As of their first year, Ryan, along with his wife Nicole,
had written 78 projects with a 55% success rate that has brought in approximately 1 million dollars while with OFRG. Ryan is currently a
Lieutenant/Paramedic with the Liberty Township Fire Department in Powell, Ohio. Ryan has 20 years in the fire service, an Associate
Degree in Fire Science/EMS and holds a B.S. in Fire Administration.
BRIAN TAYLOR
SENIOR GRANT WRITER
Brian has worked for OFRG for 3 years and has 3 years of grant writing experience, in addition to 2 years of AFG peer-review opportunities.
Brian has written 88 projects with a 56% success rate that has brought in approximately 4 million dollars while with OFRG. Brian is currently
the Fire Chief of Pleasant Township Fire Department in Grove City, Ohio. Brian has 30+ years in the fire service, holds 4 Associate
Degrees, and a member of OFE Class 12.
SHAWN YERIAN
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Shawn has been with Ohio First Responder Grants since 2019 and has 1 year of grant writing experience. Shawn is a
Lieutenant/Paramedic with the Mansfield (Richland County), Ohio fire department. Shawn has been in the fire service for 17 years.
NICOLE HANF
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Nicole has been with Ohio First Responder Grants since 2018 and has 2 years grant writing experience. Nicole is currently employed
outside of public safety, but works with her husband, Ryan, with a good understanding of the fire service.
KELLY BARNHART
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Kelly has been with Ohio First Responder Grants since 2020 and has 1 year of grant writing experience. Kelly is currently employed outside of public safety but has a good understanding of the fire service. Kelly’s husband, Josh, is a Firefighter/Paramedic with the Liberty Township (Delaware County), Ohio fire department and has been in the fire service for 21 years.
