Four candidates have been selected as finalists from a field of 45 applicants for the position of fire chief for the Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Services Authority. The selection team will interview the candidates on Thursday, January 11. Current Fire Chief Pat Parker is retiring next spring.

The candidates and their backgrounds are as follows:

Paul Mackin
Paul Mackin has been serving as the Fire Chief for the North Palos Fire Protection District, IL since 2017. Previous to his time as a Fire Chief, he has been a Deputy Chief, a Battalion Chief, and a Training Bureau Supervisor for the North Palos Fire Protection District. Paul has a Masters in Public Administration from Governors State University, a Bachelors of Science/Fire Service Management from Southern Illinois University, and an Associates in Applied Science/Fire Science from Moraine Valley Community College.

Tony Posey
Tony Posey is currently the Operations Chief at the Grand Traverse Metro Emergency Service Authority (GTMESA) since March 2021. Prior to his time as an Operations Chief, Tony was a Shift Supervisor - Captain, and a Firefighter. Concurrently, he has been working as the President and CEO for Posey Construction LLC since May 2010.

Nicholas Earley
Nicholas Earley most recently worked as a Fire Battalion Chief for the Savannah Fire Department in Savannah, GA. Prior to his time as the Fire Battalion Chief, Earley served as the Fire Captain, as well as a Master Firefighter and an Advanced Firefighter for the Savannah Fire Department. Nicholas has a Masters in Public Administration with a concentration in Emergency Services Management, and a Bachelors of Science in Fire Science from Columbia Southern University. Earley also possesses an Associates degree from Delta College.

Matthew Burns
Matthew Burns has been serving as the Battalion Chief for the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue in Fairfax, VA since 1998. During this time, Burns has also served as an Operations Chief at Fairfax County Urban Search and Rescue in Fairfax, VA. Matthew is also an Adjunct Instructor for the Department of Fire Programs at Commonwealth of Virginia since 1997. Burns is currently pursuing a Bachelors in Homeland Security from American Public University.