Hinz was selected by the SHAES Authority Board following a national search. A committee of citizens participated in the selection process.

Hinz will succeed current Executive Director Ronald Wise who will be retiring on Sept 30. He will begin his duties June 1 and will work alongside Wise.

“Brandon has a solid reputation for being a hardworking, self-motivated and trustworthy member of SHAES,” said Ross Stein, South Haven Township Supervisor who chairs the SHAES Board. “After multiple rounds of interviews he was clearly the best choice to lead the organization for years to come.”

“SHAES has been an integral part of my life,” said Hinz. “I am very proud to have been a part of this organization for the past 21 years. I will continue to lead SHAES toward all our collective goals with hard work and integrity. Together, we will further our mission of providing the residents of the greater South Haven area with the best fire, rescue and EMS services.

Hinz joined the SHAES staff in 1999. A lifelong resident of the South Haven community, he started as a paid-on-call responder and since 2005 has been a fulltime firefighter/paramedic. He currently oversees the department’s maintenance service, assists in the training program and has served as an acting Captain. In 2012 he was presented the department’s Leadership Award. He is completing Blue Card Command training which is a nationally recognized training and certification program for fire command officers.

Brandon lives in Geneva Township with his wife Dawn and sons Jake and Cal. He enjoys farming as a way to relax raising crops and pigs.