Doylestown, Pa. (August 2017) - The National Tactical Officers Association (NTOA) is pleased to announce that Dr. Tony Kern will be the keynote speaker at the 2017 Tactical Operations Conference Awards Banquet on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017. The 34th annual Tactical Operations Conference & Trade Show will be held Sept. 24 - 29, at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix in Phoenix, Arizona.
Dr. Kern is founding partner and CEO of Convergent Performance, a small, veteran-owned firm dedicated to reducing human error and improving performance in high-risk environments such as aviation, military operations, surgical teams, law enforcement and firefighting. He is one of the world's leading authorities on human performance in time-constrained, error-intolerant environments, and has lectured on the subject around the globe for nearly two decades. He is also the author of seven books on the subject, including "Redefining Airmanship," "Flight Discipline," "Darker Shades of Blue: The Rogue Pilot," and "Blue Threat: Why to Err is Inhuman." In his latest book, "Going Pro: The Deliberate Practice of Professionalism" (Pygmy Books 2011), he creates a 21st century guide to extreme professionalism for individuals and organizations.
Dr. Kern also is an internationally recognized expert in applied human factors and performance improvement. He has deep operational roots as a command pilot and flight examiner in the B-1B bomber, as well as senior staff and leadership experience, having served as chair of the Air Force Human Factors Steering Group and director and professor of military history at the USAF Academy. Upon retirement from the Air Force in June 2000, Dr. Kern served as the national aviation director for the U.S. Forest Service, where he directed the largest nonmilitary government aviation program in the world in support of federal wildland fire suppression.
Dr. Kern is a graduate of the Federal Executive Institute and Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program. He has appeared frequently on talk radio and TV, including the Discovery Channel, "NBC Nightly News" and "48 Hours" with Dan Rather. He has received multiple awards for his work, including the Flight Safety Foundation Distinguished Service Award (2003) for aviation leadership and the Aviation Week and Space Technology Laurel Award (2002) for outstanding achievement in government and military aviation. He holds master's degrees in public administration and military history, as well as a doctorate in higher education, specializing in human factors training design.
Registration for the 2017 NTOA Crisis Negotiations Conference & Trade Show and the Tactical Operations Conference & Trade Show is open to all active law enforcement officers. Keep updated on the latest conference announcements by following the NTOA on Facebook and Twitter.
For more information on the National Tactical Officers Association, visit www.ntoa.org or call 800-279-9127. Join the NTOA today and start receiving the benefits of better training and stay on top of the ever-changing and challenging world of law enforcement.
About the National Tactical Officers Association:
The mission of the NTOA is to enhance the performance and professional status of law enforcement personnel by providing a credible and proven training resource as well as a forum for the development of tactics and information exchange. The association's ultimate goal is to improve public safety and domestic security through training, education and tactical excellence. www.ntoa.org.
