In 2010, the Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) established the Ronny Jack Coleman Leadership Legacy Award (RJCLLA). We designed this annual award to recognize individual who exemplify the ability, character, and dedication to lifelong learning and display the leadership attributes embodied by Chief Ronny Jack Coleman in developing the personal self-assessment process that is the basis for our officer designations.
The RJCLLA recognizes an individual who holds a designation through CPC and has exhibited superior leadership and actions that have elevated the Fire and Emergency Service profession through mentoring, teaching, advocating, and sharing outstanding contributions.
The winner of the CPC Ronny Jack Coleman Leadership Legacy Award for 2019 was Assistant Chief Derrick S. Clouston, Stoney Point Fire Department, Fayetteville, North Carolina. This award recognizes an individual committed to elevating the fire and emergency service profession through mentoring, teaching, advocating and sharing outstanding contributions. Chief Clouston obtained his CFO in 2008 and then shortly after that became a peer reviewer for CPC. He has mentored a number of chief officers within his own agency for their CFO designations and is now mentoring several midlevel officers for the Fire Officer (FO) designation process. In 2009 he chaired the technical working group for the Commission on Professional Credentialing (CPC) in developing the Fire Officer Realignment and Fire Officer Mentorship program. He then participated in the beta testing for the Chief Training Officer (CTO) program and became designated in 2012. He continues to promote the CPC programs and has served as guide and mentor to 150-plus designees. He is an outstanding and generous role model who is highly regarded by every member within his department. His genuine compassion and passion for teaching and mentoring is obvious, and demonstrated by his intense and obvious dedication for our firefighter and fire officer learning and achievement