It’s been a quarter century since Kevin Lindahl first walked through the doors of FPPA as General Counsel. Now in his fourth year serving as Executive Director, Kevin sat down with our staff to discuss FPPA’s evolution over the past 25 years.

What drew you to working for FPPA?
I was very involved with scouting in my youth, where I earned merit badges in citizenship that grounded me in the value of serving others. While I never saw myself becoming a police officer or firefighter, I was drawn to serving those who dedicated their lives to protecting their communities.

What was the FPPA office like back then?
A lot smaller! There were only 23 of us at the time, and we all wore multiple hats. When we did field visits in Denver, nearly everyone would pitch in. It was truly all-hands-on-deck.

Is there a story or moment that encapsulates FPPA’s mission for you?
A local fire chief left an impression on me as a young attorney in Eagle County. He did whatever it took to take care of people, doing everything from organizing food deliveries to connecting people to church-sponsored resources. He was more than a first responder— he was the glue that kept the community together.

Over 25 years, you have witnessed and led a great deal of change at FPPA. What stands out?
Early in my time here, we modernized aspects of the Death & Disability Plan to better support first responders who get injured—an example of this is when we expanded coverage to include both temporary and permanent occupational disabilities. More recently, creating and rolling out the Statewide Retirement Plan was especially meaningful for me, since I was able to see that through from beginning to end.

You have served as Deputy Executive Director and now Executive Director for the past seven and a half years. What inspired you to step into those roles?
I had a vision for evolving FPPA into a truly mission-driven organization. With support from the Board and mentorship from leaders I respected, we focusedon building a culture centered on service. I was honored to get the opportunity to lead this change and it’s something I’m immensely proud of.

How has FPPA changed over 25 years?
Technology has changed how we do business. When I started, we had just launched our first website and relied primarily on paper mailings to communicate with Members. Today, we have more sophisticated tools to serve our stakeholders effectively and efficiently.

And how has FPPA’s Membership changed?
When I joined, we had very few retirees. Most hadn’t yet reached the years of service required. Now the number of new retirees increases every year, and we’re seeing more and more generations of first responders move through our defined benefit plans.

If you had to boil down the last 25 years, what are you most proud of?
FPPA, as an organization, is incredibly strong. To me, that means we can help provide peace of mind for the brave people that put their lives on the line when we most desperately need help. It also means our staff is truly dedicated to our mission. From the front desk to our board of directors, people here are committed to serving those that serve our communities.

If you could give one piece of advice to yourself in 2000, what would it be?
Keep pushing—if you can imagine it, you can make it happen. In the end, it is worth every bit of effort.