Larry Sagen

FIRE 20/20 Executive Director

Larry has been actively involved in marketing, community organizing, organizational development, and change management for 30 years. He has worked with fire and emergency service departments throughout the US and Canada in the areas of selection and teamwork training.

Larry helped Ergometrics and Applied Personnel Research, Inc. to launch and implement their 2005 IPMAAC award winning FireTEAM Video Selection Testing and Training Program. From that work, Larry became aware of the need to increase the qualified pool of people of color and female applicants and help departments to reinvent their marketing and recruitment efforts. That need inspired Larry to start FIRE 20/20.

Prior to his work with the fire service, Larry founded and directed the non-profit International Youth Hall of Fame (IYHF) for twelve years. IYHF helped communities around the country to come together to acknowledge and celebrate the positive contributions of more than 5,000 everyday school-age youth. IYHF was awarded honors by the Points of Light Foundation, the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. In 2002, IYHF was merged with the Points of Light Foundation.

Larry is a well respected speaker and workshop presenter. He has presented at numerous regional, national and international conferences and meetings including International Association of Black Professional Firefighters, National League of Cities Annual Congress, IAFC Human Relations Committee Meeting, Search Institute’s International Healthy Communities-Healthy Youth Conferences, and the National Association of Radio Talk Show Hosts Conference.

Larry has a Masters Degree in Social Work from Washington University.