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Tom Campuzano, our good friend and a dedicated California Conference of Arson Investigators Board member passed away in 1999.  Tom served on the Board of Directors for CCAI from 1995 until his passing.  He became very active during the 1995 IAAI Conference, which was hosted by CCAI in the City of Los Angeles.  He had decided, after much persuasion, to work his way through the chairs in CCAI.  He had announced that he would accept the nomination for the office of Second Vice President, which he would have assumed in January of 2000 in San Luis Obispo.

Shortly after his passing, the Board of Directors established the "Tom Campuzano Memorial Scholarship Fund."  The goal of the fund is to promote, recognize, and foster dedicated service in the field of Fire Investigation.  The fund will be financed through donations, with a recurring donation of $1,000 per year by Attorney Sandy Burnette (those wishing to make a donation to the Tom Campuzano Memorial Scholarship Fund should contact any Board Member to make arrangements).

This notice is being sent in hopes that some needy fire investigator out there may be interested in attending the next CCAI Conference, compliments of the Tom Campuzano Memorial Scholarship Fund. The CCAI Board of Directors will award a $500.00 scholarship for each seminar to a worthy, needy investigator who may not otherwise be able to attend the January or July seminars.

Nikki Studt, Arson Investigator for the Santa Barbara City Fire Department and member of the CCAI Awards Committee, is responsible for evaluating and recommending an individual to receive this Scholarship. All nominations will be evaluated and a recommendation will be presented to the Board of Directors by Awards Committee Chair Fred Herrera for approval at the April and September Board Meetings.

Please provide ALL of the following information in your nomination of yourself or another.

1. Name of nominee, their Department or Employer, Years of Service, Rank, and Duties.
2. Fire investigation related experience, including classes, seminars, on the job training, etc., should also be included.
3. Reasons why you or individual you are nominating should be chosen for the award. Include any information showing the need to attend the conference (i.e. lack of department training funds, etc.)
4. How you or the nominee nominated would use the education and experience gained from attending CCAI.

Nominations can be sent by e~mail, fax or snail mail to:

Nikki Studt
Santa Barbara City Fire Department
121 W Carrillo St
Santa Barbara CA 93101
(805) 564-5702
Fax (805) 564-5715
nstudt@ci.santa-barbara.ca.us

Prior recipients of the award:

Brad Johnson, Sacramento District Attorney's Crime Lab -July 2003
Michelle Sarubbi, US Forest Service - January 2003
Mike Pierce, La Mesa Police Department - July 2002
Allan Campbell, Ventura County Fire Department- January 2002
Mary Tedesco, Alpine Fire Department - July 2001

As always, please pass on this opportunity to any and all interested within your department or organization. Who couldnât use a little extra educational $$! Keeping in mind, not only would you gain additional education and experience at the Conference, but also the contacts made here can last not only a career, but a lifetime.