The Altus Kiwanis Club will meet Friday, Jan. 8, at noon in the WOSC Cafeteria. Kiwanian of the Day will be Aaron Burleson. Our program will be given by Kerry Pettingill, Director of the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security. He will talk about the about the Office of Homeland Security and initiatives to prevent, reduce and minimize terrorist attacks within the state.

Director Pettingill has served the people of the State of Oklahoma for more than a quarter of a century. He is a Mangum native and began his career in law enforcement in 1982 as a State Trooper for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP). He spent his first six years assigned to the Troop M District headquartered in Altus.

He currently holds the rank of Lieutentant Colonel in OHP. Throughout his OHP tenure, he has served in specialized positions utilizing his training as a bomb technician, hazardous materials technician and in tactical operations. He served as commander of the OHP Bomb Squad and Tactical Teams, as liaison to the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), and Deputy Director of Homeland Security.

It is Director Pettingill’s experiences of tracking and apprehending criminals, executing high risk warrants, conducting render safe procedures on improvised explosive devices (IEDs), developing intelligence contacts, assisting in the establishment of the Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security and being one of the first on the scene of the Alfred P. Murrah Building bombing on April 19, 1995 that led Governor Brad Henry to appoint him as his Homeland Security Director in January 2004.

Director Pettingill has received a Governor’s Commendation, two Commissioner’s Commendations, a Medal of Valor from the Oklahoma Chief’s of Police and a Commendation for Bravery from the Oklahoma House of Representatives. He is a graduate of the 39th OHP Academy, Leadership Oklahoma Class XIX, FBI National Academy, FBI Hazardous Devices School and has his Bachelor of Science from Southern Nazarene University.

Community residents are welcome to attend to learn more about the Oklahoma Department of Homeland Security. There is a cost for the meal, payable at the door. Kiwanis is an international service organization dedicated to meeting the needs of young children.