About Us

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Craig A. Haigh is a retired fire chief and the author of the book, The Dynamic Fire Chief:

Principles for Organizational Management. Chief Haigh began his fire service career in 1983 as a volunteer firefighter and then served more than 30 years as a fire chief leading departments in both Illinois and North Carolina. He has also served as an Interim Village Manager and was the long-term school board chair of Medinah Christian School. He was named the 2012 Illinois Career Fire Chief of the Year and is the recipient of the 2019 International Association of Fire Chiefs - Chief Alan Brunacini Executive Safety Award. He has published more than fifty trade journal articles on a variety of leadership topics. He is the Principal of Haigh Solutions LLC, a boutique consulting firm skilled in custom-designed project management, strategic planning, internal investigations, administrative support, grant writing, and professional speaking and teaching. His consulting work regularly extends into the private business sector as well as religious institutions. He is a regular speaker and presenter sharing his experiences and insights with both emergency services and private sector leaders. He facilitates two “think tanks” (one fire service and one private business). He continues to serve as a volunteer firefighter/paramedic and is the spokesperson for the congressionally mandated National Firefighter Registry for Cancer (NFR). The NFR is a program of the National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health / Center for Disease Control and is focused on tracking cancer in the fire service.

Elizabeth A. Haigh (“Beth”) is the co-owner and business manager of Haigh Solutions LLC. Beth has a long history in the banking and accounting industry. In high school, she worked as a bank teller for a small-town savings and loan. After college she gained administrative assistant/accounting experience in the Engineering Department of Eagle Food Centers and was promoted to the Lease Administrator position before becoming a stay-at-home mom, supporting Craig’s work as fire chief and raising Melody (Berendt) and Leland. While caring for the children at home, she managed to work part-time for Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Department of Neurobiology & Anatomy, and she also acquired her state license as a health insurance agent. When both children reached school age, she began working in the Accounting Department at Professional Mortgage Partners (PMP). PMP was ultimately acquired by Wintrust Mortgage where she created their Interim Loan Servicing Department. She retired from Wintrust in 2018 as an Area Vice President. After retirement, she worked seasonally managing wholesale operations for a local amusement farm. Beth has also volunteered countless hours in the fire service as an administrative assistant and in various support roles

Melody Berendt is the grant manager for Haigh Solutions LLC. She has a degree in Middle Level Teacher Education from Illinois State University, and from 2018-2022 she worked as a 7th grade ELA teacher in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the last 10 years, she has also worked as a coach for a variety of gymnastics gyms throughout Illinois and Arizona, as well as coaching cheerleading at the AllStar, Middle School, and High School levels. Basically raised in the firehouse, Melody has done formal ride time with Hanover Park Fire Department (and informal ride time in the back of dad's Chief vehicle). She also attended IFSI's Explorer Cadet Fire School in 2010. She currently devotes most of her time to raising her two young children, Cade and Noelle, and is the head coach for Wheaton Academy Cheer.