Craig B. Harman of the Odenton Volunteer Fire Company (OVFC) was chosen as the Individual of the Year Award for 2017.  

Craig joined the OVFC on November 14, 1972. Over his tenure of over 44 years, he has fulfilled many roles, including apparatus driver, line officer, and various administrative positions.  He served as company President from 1996 to 1998 and from 2000 to 2001.  While not actively participating in an emergency response role these days, Craig continues to support the company in many other ways, currently serving as a member of the Board of Directors.  He is active in fundraising events, building maintenance projects, and planning activities directed towards the future of the fire company.  Craig's strong leadership capabilities have been an asset to the company and we are proud that he has remained active for his entire volunteer service career.

Craig has also amassed an outstanding record of support to the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Association.  He served as Treasurer from 1998 to 2004 and as President from 2007 to 2009.  Craig stepped up as President in 2007 due to the sudden illness and death of President Jack Gouty.  Craig not only filled Jack's seat in an acting capacity from 2007 to 2008, but also ensured that the Association kept moving forward and was not drawn down by the sadness of the loss of a sitting President.  Craig developed an excellent working relationship with the Anne Arundel County Fire Chief and was able to negotiate several items to help the volunteer fire service.  Craig is currently serving the Association again as Treasurer.

 For the last three years, Craig has led a working group to revise the Volunteer Length of Service Award Program (LOSAP) legislation in Anne Arundel County.  These changes were directed at providing an increased benefit payment to participating volunteers while modifying the point system to ensure that active service credit is given based on an acceptable level of participation. His committee coordinated with the Chief of the Anne Arundel County Fire Department, Finance Office, Law Office, and members of the County Council on this project.  In January 2017, the County Council and County Executive approved the new LOSAP legislation, reflecting the importance of retaining active volunteers.  This is a win-win for all parties: the County benefits from the continued participation of volunteer firefighters, and the volunteers are properly rewarded for their many years of service.

Craig’s contributions to the volunteer fire service in Anne Arundel County have been recognized by his induction in the Anne Arundel County Volunteer Firefighters Association’s Hall of Fame in 2010, and by being selected as the 2017 Volunteer Firefighter Unsung Hero by the One Hundred Club of Anne Arundel County.

Craig has also expanded his volunteer fire service support by being appointed in 2009 as Anne Arundel County's representative on the Volunteer Company Assistance Fund (VCAF) Committee of the Maryland State Firemen's Association (MSFA).  As a member of the VCAF committee, Craig advises companies on the application requirements for the MSFA low interest loan program and serves as an advocate for Anne Arundel County fire companies seeking support from the VCAF loan program.  When OVFC applied for VCAF funds in 2010 for the purchase of a new pumper, Craig led the development of our application package which set a model for other fire departments in Maryland to follow.

In 2013, Craig moved up to be the Chairman of the VCAF Committee. When he accepted this position, the VCAF was suffering from an antiquated process that was so difficult that many companies were choosing higher interest bank loans over the low interest options of the VCAF.  The loan program was sitting with a large balance of funds available and no member companies were applying for loans from the program.  Craig quickly used his organizational and leadership skills to develop new marketing programs for VCAF, and met with the Maryland Military Department to develop new procedures to streamline the loan process.  Craig’s leadership has brought significant change to the VCAF program and made the loan process a true benefit that is attractive to the MSFA membership.  Craig’s contributions to improving the VCAF program were recently recognized by the MSFA with conferring of its Robert H. Shimer Administrative Person of the Year Award for 2017.

As the above testimony clearly describes, Craig has dutifully served the interests of the OVFC and the fire service in Anne Arundel County and across the State of Maryland for over 44 years.  He serves as a role model and mentor for each person he meets.