2026

Trooper Ben is known across the Midwest and beyond for his positivity, authenticity, and ability to connect with people through real-life stories and encouragement. After 26 years with the Kansas Highway Patrol, he retired on October 1, 2025, and now delivers meaningful, inspiring talks nationwide.

With a large and growing social media following, he uses his platform to uplift others, share hope, and remind people of the good in the world. His simple message to #HelpMore has inspired thousands to lead with kindness, live with purpose, and support one another, both online and in everyday life.

Follow along at facebook.com/TrooperBenKS.

Presentation
In his keynote, “How Far Can You Go & Grow,” Trooper Ben shared his life journey, marked by growth, resilience, and the guidance of others. Through stories from his career and personal life, he showed how support, connection, and perseverance can take us further than we ever imagined.

Dr. McRoberts is a seasoned leader in the natural gas industry with 39 years of experience, including 18 years focused on advancing safety practices and culture. His career reflects a deep commitment to protecting people, assets, and the environment through innovative safety strategies and operational excellence. Holding a PhD in Safety Science and the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) credential, Dr. McRoberts combines academic expertise, professional certification, and real-world experience to deliver impactful insights into safety leadership. Throughout his career, Dr. McRoberts has led numerous initiatives that have significantly improved safety performance, reduced incident rates, and fostered a proactive approach to hazard prevention across natural gas operations. 

Presentation
“Evaluation of the Association Between Supervisory Support Dimensions, Leadership Style, and Safety Engagement Among Lone Workers.”

The goal of the study was to understand how the Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theory, in the context of perceived supervisor safety support, leadership styles, and supervisor motivation type, affects the safety engagement (safety motivation and safety participation) of lone workers in hazardous industries.

Jay has spent more than 25 years in construction, safety, and workforce training. After 15 years in hands-on construction and safety roles, he founded the Damage Prevention Academy, where he spent over a decade delivering in-person, virtual, and eLearning solutions to the utility and damage prevention industry. Today, as co-founder of Training Pulse, he focuses on strengthening knowledge retention and workforce readiness to ensure training leads to safer performance.

Presentation: 
“Why Completion Isn’t Enough: Building Safety Training That Sticks”

Training plays a critical role in worker safety and damage prevention, yet most programs still rely on a simple assumption: once someone completes training, the job is done. In reality, learning doesn’t work that way. This session explored why attendance and final scores don’t reflect real readiness, why retention is the missing metric, and the practical steps organizations can take internally to begin tracking retention, identifying knowledge fade, and strengthening safety readiness using the resources they already have.

Captain Mike Searcy has served in the fire service since 2001 and with the Kansas City Kansas Fire Department (KCKFD) since 2004. Captain Searcy serves on Rescue 1 and as the Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) K9 Handler for KCKFD. In addition to his service with KCKFD, he is a Canine Search Specialist, Rescue Specialist, Water Rescue Specialist, and Boat Operator with Missouri Task Force 1 (MO-TF1), responding to natural and man-made disasters nationwide.

Presentation:
“Complacency kills, and how you can help first responders on your worst day.”

This presentation focused on complacency on a worksite, the risk-reward trade-off in emergencies, and how to assist first responders. Discussions were frank conversations on how to support first responders in helping you, what to avoid, the inherent risks of this work and how we can go home to our families every day.

Adam has over 15 years of experience in the landscaping and construction industries and has led safety efforts at Doctor’s Lawn and Landscape since 2021. Drawing on his own real-world jobsite accidents and hard-earned lessons, Adam offered a practical, honest perspective on why safety matters beyond rules and policies.

Presentation:
“Surviving the Accident, Living the Lesson”

Surviving the Accident, Living the Lesson shares his experience with a severe workplace injury and the lasting physical and mental challenges that followed. He discussed the hidden cost of complacency, the importance of continuous improvement in safety practices, basic operational knowledge of machinery for first responders, and how one moment can change a life forever. This presentation encouraged a deeper, more human understanding of why safety must remain a daily priority.

Mark is currently the Director of Training and Safety Manager for Sellenriek Holdings Company, Inc., a family of utility construction companies including:

• Sellenriek Construction
• Utilisource
• Sellenriek Energy
• Selcon
• Anderson Underground
• Sellenriek Services

Mark is the current President of the Missouri Common Ground Alliance, and a Chief Planner for both the International Utility Locate Rodeo and Vacuum Excavation Rodeo. He has twenty-six years of experience in professional safety management. 

Mark’s experience includes risk management, workers compensation insurance consulting, managing workers compensation claims, employee & management-level training, compliance, and safety management in the construction, insurance, warehousing, trucking and emergency services industries.  

Mark has presented on a national scale at events such as the American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds, Midwest Energy Association, National Safety Council’s Congress & Expo, Public Risk Management Association Conference, American Society of Safety Professionals and National Common Ground Alliance.  

Mark can be reached at [email protected] | cell 573-289-5990.

Brian Smith has 3 decades of practical experience in safety experience in the Construction Industry as a Project Safety Manager, and as a trainer.

Smith earned a Bachelor of Science degree in safety management from the University of Central Missouri in 1995. He is a CIT, CHST, STSC and MSHA IS and IU. He was the Regional Safety Trainer for The Builders, a chapter of the AGC for the Safety, Health, and Environmental Services Department for over 20 years teaching approximately 4,000 contractor employees per year. He is currently a Safety Trainer – Safety Manager with JE Dunn Construction in Kansas City, MO.

Smith and his wife, Pamela, currently live their best life on Lake Tapawingo, Missouri—and love the 5 children who grew up at the lake, and wish they would visit home more often, like most parents.