Rodgers Presented Fowler Award; Individuals and Chapters Honored

 

 
Emory Rodgers (center), Deputy Director of the Building and Fire Regulation Division of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, receives the Bobby J. Fowler Award from Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia (left) and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.
 
Emory Rodgers, Deputy Director of the Building and Fire Regulation Division of the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development, was presented the prestigious Bobby J. Fowler Award during the Awards Luncheon by Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.

The Fowler Award, which honors the memory of the first chairman of the International Code Council Board of Directors, is given to an individual whose contributions to the building safety industry advance the Code Council's goals in achieving a safer built environment. Particular emphasis is placed on the recipient's holistic view in achieving the stated goal and displays a focus beyond local or regional concerns to issues and activities that span the globe.

For more than 30 years, Rodgers has worked tirelessly in the name of public safety in the Commonwealth of Virginia and nationwide. As an ICC Board member, he played a major role in helping guide the Council through its earliest stages, and remains a staunch supporter and advocate of I-Code adoptions.

"At Code Hearings, you will usually find him sitting in the front row, often late into the evening," Ryan said during the presentation.

Rodgers is a past president of the legacy model code organization Building Officials and Code Administrators and the Virginia Building and Code Officials Association.

"This award, in my estimation, is the crowning achievement of any professional," said Rodgers. "If I can do it, you can do it, and I challenge you to work toward those goals, to work toward an inclusive organization, one that is pragmatic in its dealings and brings together all the viewpoints for the best codes for the safe, built environment."


Fink Named Code Official of the Year

 
Michael Fink (center), Deputy Commissioner of the city of Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections, receives the Code Official of the Year Award from Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia (left) and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.
 

The Code Official of the Year Award was presented to Michael Fink, Deputy Commissioner of the city of Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections. Fink was honored for his meritorious contributions to the code enforcement profession and for his professional abilities that are recognized as an example for all members of the building and fire safety industry.

Fink serves on the Uniform Construction Code Review and Advisory Committee. In that capacity, he is responsible for providing review and advice on matters related to Pennsylvania's construction code.

"I'm lucky because I work with a great group of people in the City of Philadelphia and in our local chapter, the Liberty Chapter, a few of which are here today," said Fink. "I have a really good boss, and I'm not just saying that to butter her up because she's here today. Commissioner (Fran) Burns set a goal for us to be the leading code enforcement entity in the nation, and that's a pretty high bar to have to reach every day, but it makes you come to work and do your best every day, and gives you a true sense of purpose for showing up."







Mirkhah Honored with Fire Service Award

Azarang "Ozzie" Mirkhah, Fire Protection Engineer for the Las Vegas Department of Fire and Rescue, was presented the Fire Service Award, which is given to an individual for their service, professional abilities and leadership that are exemplary in the development of the International Fire Code, and for their efforts that are an example to all fire prevention and fire protection professionals.

"Ozzie is actively involved in the development of fire and life safety codes," Ryan said. "He has spent countless hours writing, speaking and spreading the word about the need for fire prevention."

Mirkhah's accomplishments include revitalizing research and ongoing communications on behalf of the 1947 President's Conference on Fire Prevention, which was established to combat fire deaths after several high-profile fires that took the lives of hundreds in the 1940s, including the Coconut Grove fire in Boston that left 492 dead and the Atlanta Winecoff Hotel fire that killed 119.


Phillips Presented Affiliate Award

 
Thomas Phillips (center), Code Compliance Manager for Target Corporation's Property Development, receives the ICC Affiliate Award from Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia (left) and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.
 

Thomas Phillips, Code Compliance Manager for Target Corporation's Property Development, was the recipient of the ICC Affiliate Award, which is presented to a member of the building industry who consistently demonstrates the qualities of integrity, professionalism and dedication.

Phillips is leading a major initiative to streamline the approval process for replicable buildings. He believes corporations that want to streamline the construction process through replication stand to benefit greatly from nationwide adoption of the International Codes.

"As I walked the halls of the conference the last couple of days, I realized that the ICC is no longer just an association of building code officials," said Phillips. "We are building officials, we are fire officials; we are architects, engineers, builders and business people. This is, in part, a result of an execution of a concept established by your Board for the blueprint to the future. But it's also a reflection of the ICC's success in raising public awareness of the impact that the codes will have on everybody who lives, works and plays in buildings across the country and around the world. Together, we really believe that we can help, and we will build the best communities ever."




 


Suffolk County Chapter Honored for Community Service

 
The Building Officials of Suffolk County (center), a New York Chapter of the Code Council, receive the ICC Community Service Award from Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia (left) and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.
 

The Building Officials of Suffolk County, a New York Chapter of the Code Council, was presented the ICC Community Service Award, which are presented when circumstances warrant recognizing meritorious service that promotes the public health, safety and welfare in communities by initiating activities or actions that are considered to be above and beyond the normal expectations.

"For 20 years, the Chapter has managed an annual golf outing to raise funds for children's charities," Ryan explained. "The Building Officials of Suffolk County Chapter has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charitable organizations, including St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Ronald McDonald House, Schneider Children's Hospital and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation."







 


Chapter of the Year Announced, Merit Awards Presented

 
Steve Kanipe (center), President of the Colorado Chapter of the ICC, receives the ICC Community Service Award from Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia (left) and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.
 

The Colorado Chapter of the ICC was named Chapter of the Year during the Awards Luncheon. To earn this designation, a chapter must demonstrate a high degree of professionalism in promoting the vision, mission and goals of the Code Council. The Chapter of the Year also distinguishes itself through the development and implementation of programs designed to increase the professionalism of its members and code officials everywhere, and participate in local, state, regional or national activities to increase the public awareness of safety in the built environment.

The Colorado Chapter offers disaster assessment evaluator training, and a train-the-trainer program. When the most devastating tornado in Colorado's history struck on Memorial Day weekend, Chapter volunteers assessed more than 1,000 damaged structures and then worked with local officials to process more than six-thousand repair permits.

"It took us 56 years to get here, so I accept this for more than four and one half dozen past presidents, hundreds of Board members, and at least 1,000 men and women on chapter committees that have served over those past five decades," said Chapter President Steve Kanipe. "As we all know, the more involved individuals become, the greater the chance of success for the larger group."

Merit Awards were presented to the Code Administrators Association of Kentucky (CAAK), the Virginia Building and Code Officials Association (VBCOA), and the Washington State Association of Permit Technicians. Merit Awards are presented to chapters that distinguish themselves through activities that demonstrate the goals and objectives of the association.


   
Alex "Cash" Olszowy (center), president of the Code Administrators Association of Kentucky, receives the Chapter Merit Award from Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia (left) and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.
 
James Collins (third from left), president of the Virginia Building and Code Officials Association, and Lynn Underwood (second from left), Sergeant at Arms Kris Bridges (third from right), and Second Vice President Vernell Woods (second from right), receive the Chapter Merit Award from Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia (left) and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.
 
Judy Pozarich (center), President of the Washington State Association of Permit Technicians, receives the Chapter Merit Award from Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia (left) and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.

Stripling Named Educator of the Year

 
Terrell Stripling (center), staff instructor for the International Code Council, receives the Educator of the Year Award from Code Council Board President Adolf Zubia (left) and Board member/Awards Committee Chairman James Ryan.
 

The Educator of the Year Award was presented Code Council staff instructor Terrell Stripling for the exceptional manner he displays while carrying out the Council's continued tradition of excellence in its training programs.

Stripling is a seasoned ICC instructor with 20 years of fire service experience and also has worked in the construction industry. At the collegiate level, he has served as a department chair and adjunct professor while teaching Fire Science.

"In the classroom, Terrell utilizes code theory along with hands-on, practical application to achieve the Council's vision of protecting the health, safety, and welfare of people by creating better buildings and safer communities," Ryan said.