Michael Benson

Retired Fire Chief Michael Benson is a consultant leveraging an award-winning 30-year career in public service including innovations which simultaneously improved service and lowered costs. His primary focus is electrification: switching away from fossil fuel-powered tools, equipment, and vehicles to electric, and developing the infrastructure (microgrids) necessary to support that transition. Electrification saves money, makes organizations more efficient, and improves resiliency. His analyses have identified more than $50 million in value for clients, primarily municipalities, through electrification.

Chief Benson served as a volunteer and career firefighter, paramedic, and fire officer with his last eleven years as the Fire Chief for Copley Township in Summit County, Ohio. He oversaw a 65-person combination department and successfully led them through organizational and cultural change. He has extensive grant writing experience, passed multiple tax levies, and successfully created and managed community shared service initiatives, saving taxpayers millions of dollars while also improving service.

Michael Benson has a Professional Certificate in Energy innovation and Emerging Technologies from Stanford University; a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Anna Maria College; and Bachelor's and Associate’s Degrees in Fire and Safety Engineering Technology, and Fire Science from the University of Cincinnati. He is a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, and has been an instructor for the University of Akron for 20 years with a current focus on chief officer training and mentoring.

He is the Vice President of the Board for Green Energy Ohio, Vice President of Drive Electric Northeast Ohio, a member of the Critical Services Microgrid Group in Asheville, NC, and is a 19-year volunteer for Northern Ohio Golf Charities. Chief Benson has also authored several articles on public safety electrification. Michael and his wife own two electric vehicles, and he has been driving electric-only since 2018.