Leadership Development, Team Building, Change and Crisis Management

Eugene Smith

Expecting Excellence

Eugene spent over thirty years in law enforcement, moving from frontline operational and command positions to executive leadership. Many incidents, relationships, and memories stand out after a thirty-year career, but the most interesting elements of the career were the unexpected and unique opportunities that developed along the way. Simply saying “yes” opened doors into emergency management, homeland security, crisis management, leadership and team development, and unique and challenging educational environments. The result was a career path far different than the original idea of responding to calls and assisting individuals, and instead focused on local, regional, state, and even federal responses to assist larger populations and communities. The shift in direction and challenges developed a much broader concept of policing and public service and created greater opportunities to support and serve our communities.

Progression through his policing career provided operational opportunities in incident response and command, culminating as an adjunct instructor for the Emergency Management Institute at the National Emergency Training Center for over a dozen years. Fifteen years participating in advanced technology research for first responders with the Science and Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security, and over fifteen years instructing at the university level in emergency management, homeland security, and criminal justice. Eugene also spent over twenty years in emergency medical response with a focus on outdoor emergency aid, care, and transport. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Center for Virtual Search, focused on open air search and rescue operations. Additionally, there have been opportunities for a graduate degree in Leadership and Crisis Management, graduate work at Northwestern University, and postgraduate work at the Senior Management Institute for Policing and the Naval Post Graduate School.

Professional and personal development continues with Eugene’s second career as the Owner and Chief Operations Officer for High Focus LLC. From this position, there is an ongoing attachment to incident response and incident management teams, outdoor emergency care and rescue, and development of leadership and high energy teams. The overarching philosophy of leadership development should be an understanding that leaders can care and build relationships, while never relenting from their true responsibility to lead through service and vision. Ongoing educational and experiential opportunities provide the backdrop and purpose for leadership and team development presented by High Focus LLC. There is an ultimate belief that we can all be a little better today than yesterday, and if we expect excellence, excellence will result. 

The combination of educational opportunities, first responder experiences, executive leadership, and service to the community, drives the mission and vision of High Focus LLC to provide opportunities and training for others to achieve their personal dreams and even more, simply by saying “yes” and looking for excellence in themselves and others.