Climber Protection Group Board of Directors
Tommy Schuch, Founder/President
Tommy Schuch is a former tower climber, military veteran, and the Founder and President of the Climber Protection Group, a national advocacy and education organization dedicated to the safety, rights, and fair treatment of tower climbers. With a background in climbing and aviation, Tommy brings a risk-aware mindset and firsthand understanding of the challenges faced by workers at height.
His path to advocacy began on the job, witnessing the impact of cost-cutting, unsafe practices, and a lack of accountability within the telecom industry and infrastructure. He was at the forefront of an early effort to unionize tower climbers. Though that movement ultimately fell short, it helped to gain a better understanding of the problems tower climbers face on a daily basis.
Tommy is also a documentary filmmaker with a passion for real-world issues and exposing truths that most are unwilling to talk about. He is the owner of Tommy Schuch Media, a production platform focused on telling raw, authentic stories that spotlight overlooked voices and critical issues.
Through the Climber Protection Group, Tommy continues to expose systemic issues in the tower industry through firsthand interviews and real accounts from the field—while giving a voice to those who don’t have one, doing some of the most dangerous and vital work in the country.
Richard Bell, Senior Industry Advisor
Richard Bell is a lifelong tower installer and ironworker with over 60 years of hands-on experience building some of the tallest and most complex towers in the United States.
At 83 years old, Richard brings unmatched wisdom, leadership, and historical perspective to the Climber Protection Group. As the founder of Bell Tower Corporation, he has led hundreds of crew members throughout his career — with a remarkable safety record: never losing a worker or having a disabling accident under his supervision. His dedication to safety stems from a deep-rooted belief that climbers deserve a workplace that protects their lives, not just their productivity.
Richard’s approach has always centered on selecting skilled workers, designing safer towers, and implementing procedures that prioritize human life above all else. His legacy in the industry stands as a testament to what’s possible when leadership, integrity, and safety go hand-in-hand.
Bridgette M. Hester, Ph.D., Telecom Safety Advisor
Dr. Bridgette M. Hester is an accomplished academic leader and researcher with over a decade of experience in higher education. As a dissertation chair at two universities, she has guided numerous doctoral candidates through their academic journeys, specializing in both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.
With a Ph.D. in Human Services from Walden University and an M.A. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Dr. Hester brings deep expertise in research design, family services, and psychological studies to her work. Dr. Hester also operated Hubble Foundation, a telecommunications nonprofit for families of telecom fatalities from 2012 through 2022.
An active researcher and published author, Dr. Hester has contributed to numerous scholarly publications in areas including telecommunication safety, teacher burnout prevention, and healthcare workforce retention. Her work has appeared in respected journals such as The Qualitative Report and the International Journal of Science and Research. Beyond academia, she has shared her expertise through presentations at OSHA/FCC workshops and the Northeast Wireless Safety Summit, while also contributing regularly to Above Ground Level magazine and publishing Christian literature, demonstrating her ability to communicate effectively across different domains and audiences.