Investigators

REPUTATION AND RESPECT WITHIN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY

Every member of our team stresses relationship over “business” and we pride ourselves on the friendships we have developed in this profession. Meet our team of investigators.

REPUTATION AND RESPECT WITHIN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY

Every member of our team stresses relationship over “business” and we pride ourselves on the friendships we have developed in this profession. Meet our team of investigators.

Mike Vergon
Michael A. Vergon, IAAI-CFI (based In Fishers, in Central Indiana) 

Michael A. Vergon, IAAI-CFI 

(317) 508-0527

Mike was an ATF Special Agent for nearly 24 years, beginning his career with ATF, in Miami, Florida, in 1989 and retiring in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2012. Mike spent the final 15 years of his career as an ATF Certified Fire Investigator. He also retired as a member of ATF's National Response Team, responding nationwide to large-loss fires and explosions. His experience working alongside and training with some of the most experienced and qualified fire investigators, chemists, and fire protection engineers in the country has afforded Mike the type of experience that is invaluable to our clients.

In 2012, after retiring from ATF, Mike began Vergon and Associates Fire Investigation, LLC, based in the Indianapolis, Indiana, area. He specializes in fire and explosion scene investigation, providing expert witness testimony, consultation, and training and presentation.

Mike has instructed nationally and internationally regarding fire investigation. At the ATF National Academy, he was a regular instructor at the joint ATF-IAAI Complex Fire Investigation and Court Techniques Class and at the Complex Fire Investigation for the Insurance Industry class. He has also been an instructor at the International Law Enforcement Academy in Budapest, Hungary.

Mike is twice past president of the Indiana Chapter of IAAI, former president of the state chapter of NSPII, former president of the Indiana Arson and Crime Association, founding member, and former president of the Indiana Fire Investigation Conference. He is also a member of the National Fire Protection Association.

BIOGRAPHY and Contact Info
Tom Rotering
Tom Rotering, IAAI-CFI,CFEI (Based in Ft. Wayne area, in NE Indiana)

Tom Rotering, IAAI-CFI, CFEI

(260) 438-5196

Tom joined our team in 2013. He has been a firefighter since 1989, and he has been a City of Ft. Wayne Fire Department Investigator since 1999. He has also worked in the private sector, conducting origin and cause investigations of fires and explosions since 2007.

Tom has provided technical expertise and litigation support for numerous insurance carriers and attorneys throughout the United States and has testified as an expert witness in State and Federal court in civil and criminal matters.

Tom's expertise is extensive. He has over twenty years of experience in the areas of fire and explosion:

  • Investigation
  • Subrogation
  • Liability
  • Expert witness testimony

Tom's vast experience as a firefighter and as a fire investigator has made him an invaluable member of our team.

BIOGRAPHY and contact info 
Dan Shirley
Dan Shirley, IAAI-CFI (Based SE Greater Indianapolis Metro area)

DAN SHIRLEY, IAAI-CFI

(317) 605-1585

Dan joined our team in 2021, after 20 years of serving as an ATF Special Agent.

Dan entered into the ATF Certified Fire Investigator Program in 2014 and was a member of the ATF National Response Team for his last five years with ATF, responding to large loss fire/explosion scenes around the country. As part of the ATF CFI Program, Dan received a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Science, Fire and Explosion Investigation from Oklahoma State University, Graduate College. 

Dan's training and experience is extensive, working alongside and training with some of the most experienced and qualified fire investigators, chemists, and fire protection engineers in the country.

Dan also has extensive experience as a fire investigation instructor at the ATF National Academy in Glynco, Georgia. He has provided instruction at the ATF National Academy, at the Advanced Origin and Cause and Court Techniques class, at the ATF Training Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and at the National Fire Academy, in Emmitsburg, MD.

Dan's experience and training as a former ATF CFI/NRT member have made him an invaluable member of our team.

BIOGRAPHY and Contact Info
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Kyle Vergon, Investigative Assistant, IAAI-ECT

Kyle Vergon

Kyle has been working at Vergon and Associates, since early 2020. Kyle currently serves as our investigative assistant and is a tremendous asset to each member of our team.
 
Kyle assists regularly with scene excavation, evidence collection, and scene documentation. He continues to gain invaluable experience in the investigation of fire and explosion scenes, working with and being mentored by each of our investigators. So far, Kyle has also taken over 20 fire investigation courses.
BIOGRAPHY and Contact info
Kevin Whitaker
Kevin Whitaker, IAAI-CFI (Based in Valparaiso, in NW Indiana) 

KEVIN WHITAKER, IAAI-CFI

(219) 314-2655

Kevin joined our team in 2019, after 20 years of serving as an ATF Special Agent.

Kevin entered into the ATF Certified Fire Investigator Program in 2012, was a member of the ATF National Response Team since 2013, spending his last two years with ATF as a full-time member of the ATF National Response Team, regularly responding to large loss fire/explosion scenes around the country.

Kevin's training and experience is extensive, working alongside and training with some of the most experienced and qualified fire investigators, chemists, and fire protection engineers in the country, on twenty NRT Activations. On three of these NRT Activations, Kevin served as lead CFI, running large loss, high profile, scene examinations. While a member of the NRT, his specialized skills included 360-degree photography, utilizing various camera systems, and computer-aided drafting software.

Kevin's experience and training as a former ATF CFI/NRT member has made him an invaluable member of our team.

 
BIOGRAPHY and Contact info
Robert Wirey
Robert Wirey, IAAI-CFI, CFEI (Based in Lebanon, in west Central Indiana)

ROBERT WIREY, IAAI-CFI, CFEI

(317) 590-5887

Robert's firefighting experience began in 1988. He now serves as Deputy Chief of the Lebanon, Indiana Fire Department, where he supervises all fire department's operations.

Robert has been a fire investigator since 2001, is a founding member of the Boone County Arson Task Force, was Chief Investigator for the Lebanon Fire Department, and now oversees eight county-wide fire investigators.

Robert is also an electrician with twelve years of experience as an electrical contractor, conducting electrical service calls and wiring new residential and light commercial projects.

Robert joined our team in 2015. His experience, leadership, and commitment to facilitating fire investigation-related training for numerous local, state, and national organizations has been invaluable.

BIOGRAPHY and Contact info
New Project
Kerri S. Hoogendoorn IAAI-CFI (Based in Rock Valley, Ia NW Iowa)

Kerri S. Hoogendoorn IAAI-CFI

(712) 470-9992
khoogendoorn@vergonfireinvestigation.com

Kerri joined our team in September, 2022, after serving as an ATF Special Agent for over 20 years. In 2015, Kerri entered into the ATF Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) Program, where she gained extensive experience in fire investigation, report preparation, trial preparation, and testifying in State and Federal court. She also assisted the ATF NRT in responding to incidents, such as the civil unrest in Minneapolis, MN, where 165 origin and cause investigations were conducted by ATF CFIs. As a part of the ATF CFI Program, Kerri received a Graduate Certificate in Forensic Science, Fire and Explosion Investigation, from Oklahoma State University, Graduate College. She is a recipient of the ATF Distinguished Service Medal. Kerri’s training and experience is extensive, working and training with some of the most experienced and qualified fire investigators, chemists, and fire protection engineers in the country. Kerri is based in northern Iowa, near Sioux Falls, SD. She will be covering several states in that area and is an invaluable member of our team.

BIOGRAPHY and Contact info
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