CEO / Fire Chief
Fire District 3
White City, Oregon
Bob Horton is the CEO/Fire Chief for a special district in Southern Oregon, serving a population of 54,000 residents dispersed over 167 square miles the beautiful Rogue Valley. Chief Horton was appointed Fire Chief in 2017 and had previously served as the Assistant Fire Chief for Las Vegas Fire & Rescue where he started as a Firefighter in October of 2000. Chief Horton has served in various positions and on numerous committees in his 20-year plus public safety career. His leadership and direction have led to advancements in community risk reduction, EMS service delivery, technology integration in field operations, as well as numerous employee health and wellness programs.
In addition to his role as Fire Chief, Bob has been elected to serve as Vice-President of the Western Fire Chiefs Association. Bob is also appointed by Governor Kate Brown to serve on the Oregon Governor’s Fire Service Policy Council.
Bob is a scholar-practitioner conducting applied research at the intersection of behavioral economics, public policy, and community risk management. His focus is on the use of evidence to evaluate program effectiveness and to examine policy-relevant questions. Bob is a doctoral researcher-in-training in public policy at Old Dominion University and is a research affiliate with Oregon State University’s Policy Analysis Laboratory. He has an MPP from Oregon State University, an MPA from the University of Oklahoma, and an Executive Certificate in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School. He is a Certified Public Manager and has the Chief Fire Officer designation. Bob is a conference speaker on topics related to impact evaluation, executive decision-making and negotiations and is the host of the popular podcast Assuming Command, where he interviews thought leaders, innovators, and influencers in public service.
In his spare time, Bob and his wife Jennie like to travel, hike, obstacle race, golf, and relax by taking in the local wineries and music scene. They live in Central Point, Oregon with their three dogs Stella, Stanley, and Bruce.
Disclosure information not submitted.
Wednesday, August 24, 2022
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Thursday, August 25, 2022
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM