Chris Kelly is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Specialized Fire & Security Inc., a New Jersey-based corporation established in 1991. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its operations with offices in Orlando, FL, Atlanta, GA, and New York, NY. Specialized serves a wide range of sectors, including high-rise residential, mission-critical facilities, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and transportation. With a client base that includes numerous Fortune 100 companies, the organization has built a reputation for steady growth and excellence.
Chris holds multi-jurisdictional licenses in fire alarm systems, fire sprinklers, special hazards, and portable fire extinguishers. He is an active member of professional organizations such as the NFPA, NFSA, FSSA, ICC, and NAFED, further solidifying his commitment to industry standards and innovation.
Chris brings extensive expertise in fire protection systems, code enforcement, and fire service operations. His visionary leadership is reflected in Specialized’s motto, “Solutions, not Excuses,” and his ability to tackle complex challenges with innovative solutions has been instrumental in the company’s success.
In addition to his corporate achievements, Chris has dedicated over 39 years of service to the fire departments of Garfield and Wayne, New Jersey. He previously served as Deputy Fire Official with the Garfield Fire Prevention Bureau and remains an active contributor to his community.
Chris resides in Pines Lake, Wayne, NJ, where he continues to lead with passion and purpose in both his professional and personal endeavors.
James Ainsworth is the Vice President of Operations for Specialized Fire Orlando. He is certified in Fire Alarm & Special Hazards with the National Institute of Certification Engineering Technologies. In 2015, James started his Fire Alarm career with Specialized Fire as a Field Technician, learning the ins and outs of the industry at Newark Airport. From 2019 to 2021, he spent some time with Western States Fire Protection in Kansas City, MO as lead technician/project manager for the National Fire branch office. In 2021, James was hired back to Specialized Fire to start the Orlando office as a project manager. He was later promoted to Vice President of Operations due to his hard work and track record with WDW.
Prior to working in Fire Alarm, James worked in marketing for Sony Music’s The Orchard in NYC. James currently resides in Apopka, FL with his Wife, Family, and dog, Guinness.
David Santalla is the Senior Estimator and Estimating Manager for Specialized Fire, Inc. He began his career with Specialized Fire in 2016, a company already familiar to him due to his brother John’s long-standing employment and success within the company. Starting as a field engineer, David’s drive and aptitude quickly led to his advancement within the Productions Team. Prior to joining Specialized Fire, David was a successful stockbroker in the municipal bond sector. After earning his Series 7 and Series 63 licenses, he began his career working with residential investors and was soon promoted to the Institutional Trading Desk, where he managed bond transactions for large institutions.
David’s financial expertise and the rapid growth of Specialized Fire led to him being offered the position of the company’s first estimator in 2017. In this role, he has successfully established and now leads a thriving Estimating Department, which plays a key role in the company’s ongoing success.
David currently resides in West Milford, NJ, with his wife Melanie and their family. He appreciates his short commute to Specialized Fire’s headquarters in Riverdale, NJ, but remains committed to supporting the growth of the Estimating Department at any of the company’s locations.
Debbie McCreery is the VP of Finance for Specialized Fire & Security, Inc. and is a seasoned veteran with over 35 years experience in the telecommunications, insurance and fire and safety industries. She began her career at Specialized Fire in 2018 and was responsible for Accounts Payable and office administration. Over the course of several years, Debbie led several initiatives to drive operational efficiencies and cost savings within the business. Through these achievements Debbie assumed responsibility for Finance, collections, payroll, benefit, contract & office administration functions. In 2024, she was promoted to Vice President of Finance responsible for leading all financial management duties within the company. Debbie began her career as a Service associate at Verizon and quickly excelled into various leadership roles within Customer Service. Over time, Debbie expanded her focus into leadership roles within Finance, Fraud, Network & Device Management functions. While at Verizon, Debbe earned the CTIA Excellence Award for guiding the industry on implementing anti fraud technology. This technology continues to help mitigate millions of dollars in fraud losses annually to this very day. Debbie earned her BS degree in Business Administration from Montclair State University. She resides in NJ where she and her husband raise their four sons. Debbie’s focus at Specialized Fire will continue to drive operational efficiencies and cost savings while growing revenue in the business.
Jack McHugh is Vice President of Business Operations for Specialized Fire & Security, Inc. and brings to his position an in-depth knowledge of construction operations.
His career began in 1972 as an IBEW LU #102 apprentice electrician with Beach Electric Company in East Orange, NJ. During the next eight years he completed his journeyman instruction, was given a position as on-site supervisor, and promoted in 1980 to Project Manager.
In 1993, Jack became President of Beach Electric Co., Inc., responsible for all the contracting operations throughout the state as well as the administration and the profitability of the district office. In 2000, he was promoted to Executive Vice President of Fischbach & Moore Electric, Inc., Beach Electric’s parent company, responsible for F&M’s six U.S. regional offices, making use of an extensive background in field operations, management, and administration skills. His range of experience in the construction industry includes site development, office, institutional, commercial, data centers, pharmaceutical operations, and traffic systems.
From 2005 to 2010 Jack served as Executive Vice President of Schoonover Electric Co., Inc., in Mountainside, NJ and after some private consulting joined Specialized Fire and Security, Inc. in 2012 where his focus is the “business” side of the business, concentrating on policies, procedures, contracts and profitability.
Jack currently resides in Ponte Vedra, Florida and works from his office at home. He is licensed by the State of New Jersey as an Electrical Contractor and an Electrical Inspector and holds an Unrestricted Low Voltage Contractors license in the State of Georgia as well as Electrical Contractor and Alarm I Contractor licenses in the State of Florida.
Throughout his career, Mr. McHugh has been particularly successful in coordinating construction efforts within the restraints of schedule and budget and has remained dedicated to the principle of “Customer Satisfaction”.
Michael Fischer is the Vice President of Field Operations for Specialized Fire , Inc. He began his career here in 2008 as a Field Engineer/Project Manager and through his hard work and dedication, was promoted to VP of Field Operations.
Michael brings with him, 20 years of knowledge in the Construction Industry. He is certified, Fire Alarm Level III & Special Hazards II, with the National Institute of Certification Engineering Technologies.
During his tenure, in multiple positions within the company, he has developed a proven model for success as a Field Engineer and a Project Manager.
Michael resides in West Milford New Jersey with his son, Carson who is also employed by Specialized Fire and has been an Estimator and is now a Field Engineer.
Specialized Fire & Security has expanded its footprint to multiple offices. Michael will focus to continue the growth of the New Jersey Operations Team, while maintaining the excellence and quality type service that has been crucial to the success of Specialized Fire & Security.
Steve Drabik joined the electronic life safety industry in 1983, starting as an IBEW LU-3 technician focused primarily on work within New York City, holding a number of positions including Chief Technician before moving to an office position first as Application Engineer and rising to Chief Engineer. In the ensuing time, Steve has worked with a number of companies, bringing cost-effective solutions to numerous projects of all sizes. In 2021, Steve joined Specialized Fire, overseeing the Engineering Group’s efforts in support of projects across numerous geographic areas.
Steve completed programs in Electrical Engineering Technology and Computer & Information Sciences from Walden University, holds numerous certifications including NICET-IV Fire Alarm and membership in industry professional organizations such as NFPA.
As a long-time member of Rockaway Township #4 fire company, Steve has served as both Chief and President.
Stephen DiRenzo is the President of Specialized Fire & Security, Inc., a premier company in the fire alarm and suppression industry. Since beginning his career with the organization in 2000 as a Field Engineer and Project Manager, Stephen’s dedication and exceptional leadership have propelled him to his current role as President.
Stephen graduated in 2000 from Moravian College in Bethlehem, PA, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics. He holds multi-jurisdictional fire alarm licenses and is certified at Fire Alarm Level III by the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET). In addition, he is an active member of leading professional organizations, including NFPA, NFSA, FSSA, ICC, and NAFED, underscoring his commitment to excellence in the field.
Over the course of his career, Stephen has been a driving force in building a successful operational model that has positioned Specialized Fire & Security as a market leader. The company has established a strong presence in multiple markets and expanded its footprint to numerous offices. Residing in Sparta, New Jersey, with his wife, Amy, and their family, Stephen remains focused on the strategic growth of the organization. His commitment to maintaining the highest standards of service and quality continues to underpin the success of Specialized Fire & Security.
Francisco Garcia is the Vice President of Sales at Specialized Fire & Security, Inc., where he leads the company’s sales strategy, business development, and the growth of the sales team. With a strong focus on integrated building systems, Francisco ensures clients receive comprehensive fire protection and security solutions while supporting and mentoring his team to achieve excellence.
Francisco began his career as an Estimating Engineer intern at Schneider Electric while attending the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Upon earning his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, he was hired full-time as an Account Executive. Over six years, Francisco developed strong relationships in the NYC market, working closely with top construction companies on new construction projects and major building retrofits. During his tenure at Schneider Electric, he collaborated with multiple business units, leveraging cross-functional expertise to deliver tailored solutions for clients.
In addition to his degree from NJIT, Francisco holds a technical degree in Digital Electronics and Micro-Computation from the Salesian Technical Institute. His client-focused approach, strategic vision, and dedication to building high-performing teams have been instrumental in driving growth and innovation at Specialized Fire & Security.