International Code Council Board of Directors President Ron Piester presided over the Chapter Leadership Breakfast Monday morning at the 2013 Annual Conference in Atlantic City.
"Our Chapters are one of our association's greatest resources and do an outstanding job of providing professional development and networking opportunities," Piester said. "Chapters also provide a great deal of support for I-Code adoptions and other important mutual initiatives from Building Safety Month to the Code of Honor Scholarship Program, and increased public awareness of the value of code compliance. I thank all of you for the support."
International Code Council Chapters provide means for their members to stay current with building safety compliance, network with colleagues, increase their knowledge, continue their education, and enhance their reputation in the community. The Code Council confers the Chapter of the Year award as the top honor for its Chapters. To earn this distinction, the Chapter must demonstrate a high degree of professionalism in promoting the vision, mission and goals of the Code Council. The Chapter distinguishes itself through the development and implementation of programs designed to increase the professionalism of its members and code officials everywhere. It also participates in local, state, regional and national activities to increase public awareness of safety in the built environment.
Piester announced the Northwest Building Officials and Code Administrators (NWBOCA) of Illinois as the recipient of the 2013 Chapter of the Year Award. The Illinois Chapter emphasizes the importance of professional certifications, education and community service. It subsidizes training conducted at monthly meetings, hosts an annual three-day training event and arranges field trips. A new Chapter program, Helping Hands, assists those with financial constraints to overcome accessibility and weatherization challenges. Northwest BOCA hired a consultant to guide its members on building and elevator safety issues and is active in the Illinois legislative process related to building safety.
Chapter President Bill Regner accepted the award for the Northwest Building Officials and Code Administrators.
Piester also announced three Chapter Merit Award Winners for 2013: the Kansas City Metropolitan Association of Permit Technicians; the New York State Building Officials Conference; and the Wyoming Conference of Building Officials. The 2013 Chapter Merit Awards are presented to Chapters that distinguish themselves through activities that demonstrate the goals and objectives of the International Code Council.
The Kansas City Metropolitan Association of Permit Technicians (KCMAPT) worked with fellow Kansas Chapters to secure a gubernatorial proclamation recognizing Building Safety Month statewide. Chapter members visit schools presenting programs that promote safety through role playing as inspectors and builders. The Permit Technicians Chapter is working with three school districts, builders and local business to adopt ICC’s High School Technical Training Program. The Chapter also is a strong proponent of cdpACCESS, actively supports the Coalition for Current Safety Codes and participates in the pay it forward program that funds fellow Chapters hosting ICC Conferences. Chapter President Tamara Hagerman accepted the award for the Kansas City Metropolitan Association of Permit Technicians.
After Superstorm Sandy made landfall, New York State Building Officials Conference (NYSBOC) members and teams of code officials from throughout the state performed rapid damage assessment reports in hard hit areas. As a result, communities and property owners were able to quickly apply for relief with a starting point for reconstruction.
With the economic downturn and reduced state funding, NYSBOC offers numerous regional seminars, providing state mandated continuing education for code officials, and partnering with colleges to provide programs for construction technology and engineering students.
NYSBOC also partnered with the state to create a disaster response certification training program.
Chapter President James Morganson accepted the award for the New York State Building Officials Conference.
Code development and code adoption is of paramount importance to the Wyoming Conference of Building Officials (WCBO). The Chapter supports its commitment to safety with six, $1,000 scholarships to attend code development hearings.
With a diverse membership that includes building officials, inspectors, plans examiners, architects, engineers and contractors, the Wyoming Conference of Building Officials, with input from its members, organizes training, especially updates to codes. It also sponsors continuing education to accommodate contractor licensing requirements. Many Chapter members volunteered countless hours to help develop and organize the Region 2 ICC Chapter.
Chapter President Keith Bowar accepted the award for the Wyoming Conference of Building Officials.
The ICC Chapter Program continues to grow, and now has 353 Chapters worldwide, including its two newest Chapters: the MetroWest Building Officials Association in Massachusetts the Wisconsin Fire Inspectors Association, Area 1. "Congratulations to our newest Chapters and welcome to the International Code Council family," Piester said. "We hope you will play an active role in ICC. We look forward to building a partnership with you that will be beneficial to all of us."
Piester thanked this year's Chapter Leadership Breakfast sponsor, Underwriter's Laboratories, and invited Marguerite Carroll, Regulatory Services Manager for Underwriters Laboratories, to the podium to say a few words.
The Chapter Leadership Breakfast's keynote speaker, Don King, Vice President of Facilities Operations for Kaiser Permanente, who is sponsored by the American Society of Healthcare Engineering, spoke on how to follow the money that flows through the health care system, the problems facing the health care industry at large, and how that ties into some of the work Kaiser Permanente and ICC are doing together to develop codes and standards.
Piester recognized the host Chapter of this year's conference – the New Jersey Building Officials Association (NJBOA). "The Members of this Chapter worked so hard to help make this conference a success," Piester said. “They have been working closely with Code Council staff for more than a year to plan this week's events."
Jim Zaconie, President and Chair of the NJBOA Host Chapter Committee, was presented a plaque recognizing his leadership and all he has done as Chair of the Host Chapter Committee, and a second plaque to Bob LaCosta, First Vice President, for the New Jersey Building Officials Association in recognition of its contributions to this year's Conference. |
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| Code Council Board of Directors President Ron Piester opens the Chapter Leadership Breakfast. |
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| Marguerite Carroll, Regulatory Services Manager for Underwriters Laboratories, at the podium. The Chapter Leadership Breakfast was sponsored by Underwriters Laboratories. |
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| The Chapter Leadership Breakfast's keynote speaker, Don King, Vice President of Facilities Operations for Kaiser Permanente. |
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| Jim Zaconie, President and Chair of the NJBOA Host Chapter Committee, was presented a plaque recognizing his leadership and all he has done as Chair of the Host Chapter Committee. |
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| Bob LaCosta, First Vice President, was presented a plaque for the New Jersey Building Officials Association in recognition of its contributions to this year's Conference. |
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| Jim Zaconie and Bob LaCosta. |
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