Noblesville Mayor John Ditslear has announced that Greg Wyant will serve as the new Noblesville Fire Chief following the retirement of Ken Gilliam. Wyant, who currently serves as assistant fire chief, will assume his new role on Friday, May 22.
“For the past 20 years Assistant Chief Wyant has served the fire department proudly, risen through the ranks and become a leader within the department,” Ditslear said. “We didn’t feel the need to do a national search because we are fortunate with the talent we have in-house here in Noblesville. For the past five years, Greg has worked alongside Chief Gilliam and will provide a familiar, stabilizing voice as we transition.”
Wyant, 47, began working for Noblesville Fire Department in 1994.
“I am honored. The consequences of this job are big. It is a lot of responsibility and I don’t take that lightly. It is a position that only a small group has held in Noblesville and I’m really proud to be joining those men. I’m very happy the mayor and chief feel I have the capabilities to do this job,” Wyant said.
Born at Riverview Health, Wyant has lived in, out and around Noblesville most of his life. He attended elementary and middle school at Hamilton Heights and graduated from Hamilton Southeastern High School in 1986. Wyant joined the U.S. Navy on Jan. 12, 1987 and served six years as an engineer with tours on the U.S.S. Forrestal and U.S.S. Detroit. He served a year-commitment in the Red Sea during Operation Desert Storm.
Wyant has a master’s degree in public management from Indiana University-Kokomo. He also has a Chief Fire Officers designation from the Center for Public Safety Excellence and graduated from the four-year National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer program in 2009. Wyant was appointed by Gov. Mitch Daniels and reappointed by Gov. Mike Pence to the Indiana Board of Firefighting Personnel, Standards and Education and has served as chairperson the past two years. He also is active as vice chairman of the Hamilton County Leadership Academy.
“The view I have now compared to the view out of the front seat of a fire engine are very different yet very similar because the outcome is we are helping people, we are keeping this community safe,” he said.
Wyant was hired by Gilliam in 1994 and has worked in an administrative role since 2004 including being the division chief of training.
“I have enjoyed working for Chief Gilliam; I couldn’t have asked for any better. To be able to succeed him is surreal,” Wyant said. “Having served next to the chief for the past five years, we made changes as we went and those were joint ventures. I’m sure there will be changes in the future, but at this time I don’t anticipate any major ones. Our department is moving in the direction I envision it should be going.”
Wyant lives in Sheridan with his wife of 20 years, Sheila, and their two children, Sam and Abby. In his free time, he raises cattle and enjoys being outdoors.
Gilliam, who will retire May 22, began working for the Noblesville Fire Department in 1974 and has served two stints as fire chief (1993-1995 and 2004-2015).
“Greg will do a fantastic job,” Gilliam said. “I’ve told Greg, ‘I hope you’ve learned some things to do as chief and I’m sure you’ve learned some things not to do as chief by working with me.’”
