Our Team of five International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) and Pro Bord Certified Fire Investigators (CFIs) are dedicated to serving the needs of the insurance industry in the States of Wisconsin and Michigan.
Combined law enforcement, fire service, and private investigation experience totals over 135 years. They have conducted over 8,500 on-site scene investigations.
Our Investigators:
- Have qualified and testified as experts in both federal and state courts (criminal and civil) in addition to testifying in numerous depositions.
- Have instructed Fire Investigation and Explosion Dynamics courses throughout the state of Wisconsin, the United States of America, and in many other countries.
- Have been elected to the office of President of the Wisconsin Chapter 25 of the IAAI in addition to serving on the board of directors and coordinated training for the annual state training conferences.
- Have conducted over 300 live burn and 200 live explosion demonstrations for training activities.
- Offer Matterport documentation of fire scenes for assisting adjusters with claim processing and diagramming.
Jeffrey D. Kubitz – IAAI-CFI
Jeffrey D. Kubitz is a Certified Fire Investigator (IAAI-CFI) and the owner of Kubitz & Associates, Inc., bringing over 37 years of experience in fire service, fire investigation, emergency management and with law enforcement. Since 1989, he has specialized in scientifically based origin and cause investigations involving residential, commercial, vehicle, and marine fire and explosion losses.
In 1999, Mr. Kubitz joined Daniel G. Hughes & Associates (DGHA) as a part-time fire investigator. In 2001, Mr. Kubitz departed Waupaca County to join DGHA full-time and in 2004 purchased DGHA which was renamed to Kubitz & Associates, Inc. in 2005.
Mr. Kubitz has conducted or participated in more than 2,450 fire and explosion scene examinations and has extensive hands-on experience responding to live fire, explosion, and hazardous materials incidents. His background includes service as Fire Chief and in multiple leadership roles within the Clintonville Fire Department, as well as experience as a fire investigator and Emergency Management Director with Waupaca County.
He is actively involved in professional organizations, including the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) and the Wisconsin Chapter 25 IAAI where he has held several leadership positions. He is also a member of the Minnesota Chapter 16 IAAI, Michigan Chapter 5 IAAI, National Association of Fire Investigators, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association. Mr. Kubitz has also provided expert testimony in both civil and criminal proceedings and contributes to the field through training, peer review, and instruction.
During his career, Mr. Kubitz has been recognized with a Distinguished Service Award by the Wisconsin Chapter IAAI, Teamwork Award by the Waupaca County Sheriff’s Department and Law Enforcement Award by Optimist International.
Michael P. Quick – IAAI-CFI
Michael P. Quick is an IAAI-Certified Fire Investigator and former ATF Certified Fire Investigator and Certified Explosives Specialist, bringing more than four decades of experience in fire, explosion, and law enforcement investigations. He specializes in scientifically based origin and cause analysis involving complex, high-loss fire and explosion incidents.
Mr. Quick has conducted or participated in more than 3,100 fire and explosion scene examinations, including over 2,300 investigations since 2013 as a fire and explosion investigator affiliated with Kubitz & Associates, Inc. His extensive background includes more than 20 years as a Special Agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), where he investigated hundreds of fire and explosion incidents, served on the ATF National and International Response Teams, as a Team Member and Team Leader, and led complex investigations involving fire and explosives as well as criminal activity.
Throughout his career, Mr. Quick has provided expert testimony more than 50 times in both state and federal courts. He has instructed fire and explosive investigation techniques both nationally and internationally. He has conducted more than 300 live burns and more than 200 live explosives demonstrations. His experience also includes prior service as a Special Agent with the United States Secret Service and as a police officer, providing a strong foundation in criminal investigation and evidence-based analysis.
Mr. Quick is recognized for delivering thorough, objective, and defensible findings, supported by decades of field experience, advanced training, and adherence to accepted scientific methodologies
Kolin T. Kubitz – MS, IAAI-CFI, NAFI-CFEI
Kolin Kubitz is a fire and explosion investigator based in Appleton, Wisconsin, with more than a decade of work in forensic fire investigation. He holds the Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) certification through the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI) and Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) through the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI). Kolin also maintains his Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) HAZWOPER training certificate.
Since entering the field in 2015, Kolin has conducted or contributed to over 800 fire and explosion investigations, encompassing a wide spectrum of residential, commercial, vehicle, and marine losses.
Kolin earned a Bachelor of Science from Northern State University (Majoring in Biology & Minoring in Chemistry) in Aberdeen , South Dakota, followed by a Master of Science in Forensic Science from Oklahoma State University. In addition to his investigative practice, he is a recognized educator within the fire investigation community. He coordinates and instructs an IAAIapproved 40hour Fundamentals of Fire Investigation course and provides instruction on origin and cause determination, fire dynamics, and forensic methodology.
His instructional experience includes teaching for the Wisconsin, Connecticut, and Massachusetts Chapters of the IAAI, numerous Wisconsin fire departments and fire investigation units, and courses for the Waukesha County Technical College. Additionally, Kolin was selected as a presenter for the 2025 IAAI International Training Conference in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Kolin is an active member of both the International Association of Arson Investigators and the Wisconsin Chapter of the IAAI, where he currently serves as CoChair of the WIIAAI Seminar Committee, overseeing and coordinating training opportunities for chapter members.
Kevin Heimerl – IAAI-CFI
Prior to partnering with Kubitz & Associates, Inc in April 2023, Kevin Heimerl accumulated over 30 years of public service fire investigation experience, where he developed his knowledge, training, and experience in fire/explosion investigations. Mr. Heimerl spent 14 years in local law enforcement at the Columbia County (WI) Sheriff’s Office, with 11 years conducting criminal investigations and pursued training in fire/explosion investigation. In 2024, Mr. Heimerl transitioned to a position with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, where he worked as a Special Agent in the DCI Arson Bureau / State Fire Marshal’s Office.
During his nearly 20 years with the DCI Arson Bureau, with two years as the Special Agent in Charge, he responded to fire and explosion incidents throughout the State of Wisconsin and assisted local law enforcement and fire service agencies by leading the investigation and documenting the origin and cause conclusions in over 600 cases. During the same time, he participated in an equal number of investigations. The fire/explosion investigations conducted with the DCI Arson Bureau are often the most complex and challenging investigations as they involve multiple participating agencies and investigators, and often involved serious injuries, single or multiple fatalities, or large property losses. On numerous occasions, Mr. Heimerl was the lead CFI in criminal investigations that resulted in criminal charges such as homicide and arson. He has been qualified and has testified as an expert witness regarding the origin and cause of a fire or explosion in criminal courts throughout Wisconsin over 15 times.
Over the span of his career with the DCI Arson Bureau / State Fire Marshal’s Office, Mr. Heimerl provided instruction to local law enforcement and fire service personnel throughout Wisconsin. Instruction topics included: Fire Pattern/Origin Determination, NFPA 921/1033 Summary, Frye & Daubert/Expert Testimony, Witness Interview Considerations, and Fire Scene Preservation.
During his public service career, Mr. Heimerl was recognized with International Association of Arson Investigators Investigator of the Year Award and the Investigator of the Year by the Wisconsin Chapter of the IAAI. He has also been a co-recipient of investigative team awards by the WI IAAI and the Wisconsin Association of Homicide Investigators. Mr. Heimerl is presently certified as a Federal Aviation Administration, Part 107 Small UAS Pilot. He also maintains his Occupational Safety and Health Administration HAZWOPER training certificate.
Joshua D. Pudlowski – CFI, ECT, IAAI, CFEI, NAFI, WI-CFI
Josh is an experienced investigator with over 21 years of experience in fire investigations and law enforcement. Josh began his law enforcement career in 2003 and served both at the local and state levels. Josh spent over 12 of those years with the Wisconsin Department of Justice, assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s Office. During that time, Josh served as a Special Agent/Deputy State Fire Marshal, Deputy Director/Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal, and Wisconsin State Fire Marshal. Josh has responded to and managed large-scale fire and explosion events, working cooperatively with local, state, federal, and private sector counterparts.
Josh has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, and is a Certified Fire Investigator (CFI) and Evidence Collection Technician (ECT) with the International Association of Arson Investigators (IAAI), a Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator (CFEI) with the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI), and a Wisconsin Certified Fire Investigator (WI-CFI) through the Wisconsin Technical College System. Josh has also been recognized and provided expert testimony in the area of fire and explosion investigations.
Josh has provided numerous trainings in the area of fire and explosion investigations to both public and private investigators. Josh was a member of the Wisconsin Department of Justice-Training and Standards Bureau Investigations Advisory Committee from 2010 through 2025 and currently serves as a District Director for the Wisconsin Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators.