The 2015-2016 International Code Council Board of Directors Officers, elected by the ICC Members during the 2015 Annual Business Meeting, are (from left): Immediate Past President Guy Tomberlin, CBO, Branch Chief Residential/Light Commercial Inspections, Land Development Services, Dept. of Public Works and Environmental Services, Fairfax County, Va.; President Alex "Cash" Olszowy III, Building Inspector Manager, Lexington Fayette Urban County Government, Ky.; Vice President M. Dwayne Garriss, Georgia State Fire Marshal; and Secretary/Treasurer Jay Elbettar, P.E., CBO, Building Official, city of Mission Viejo, Calif.

ICC Voting Members elect 2015-2016 Board officers, directors.

International Code Council Voting Members elected Board Officers and Directors during the association's Annual Business Meeting at the 2015 Annual Conference in Long Beach, Calif. Alex "Cash" Olszowy III, Building Inspection Manager for the Lexington Fayette Urban County Government in Lexington, Ky., was elected President of the ICC Board. Georgia State Fire Marshal M. Dwayne Garriss was elected Vice President and Mission Viejo, Calif., Building Official Jay Elbettar was elected Secretary/Treasurer. Voting Members also elected representatives to sectional and at-large positions on the board. Read more.

Public Comment Hearings begin tomorrow.

The 2015 Group A Public Comment Hearings begin Wednesday, Sept. 30, at 8:00 a.m. at the Long Beach Convention Center. Download the schedule. The hearings, along with the Opening Session and Annual Business Meeting, will be webcast live on the ICC website.

The Group A codes consist of the International Building (Egress, Fire Safety and General), Existing Building, Fuel Gas, Mechanical, Plumbing, Property Maintenance, Private Sewage Disposal, Residential, Swimming Pool and Spa, and Zoning Codes.

ICC, Chapters are journeying to future success.

In order to develop the next generation of leadership and to strengthen the partnerships between ICC and its Chapters, the "Partners for Future Success" workshop was held during the Chapter President's Meeting at the 2015 Annual Conference. The workshop focused on key issues and expectations between ICC and its Chapters, and laid the groundwork for future workshops that will identify existing strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities and threats and how to manage them for future success.

"We're trying to carve out specific time for us to get together and have current discussions about what’s going on in the industry today and what's going on with our Chapters," ICC Board of Directors President Guy Tomberlin explained at the onset of the workshop. "I believe this is going to be the first example of what we're going to be getting into called the 'Journey to Success.' This is how we're going to be effective and we have to clearly identify expectations and goals.

"You have to be able to sit down, willing to negotiate and come up with the best solution for everybody," Tomberlin continued. "That's what we're challenged with, and that's why I think this is going to be a great solution for the future."

View photos from the meeting.

Five are chosen as Honorary Members.

ICC voters approved five individuals as Honorary Members during Monday's Annual Business Meeting. Qualified candidates for the Honorary Member distinction have demonstrated outstanding service to the ICC or one of the legacy model code organizations. This year's honorees are: Robert G. Boyer, Code Product and Training Coordinator for the Palm Beach County, Fla., Planning, Zoning and Building Department who is a former ICC Board Member; Ron Nickson, Vice President of Codes and Standards for the National Multifamily Housing Council; Patrick Parsley, Community Development Director and Building Official in Hiawatha, Iowa, and a former ICC Board Member; former ICC Board President Ronald E. Piester, Director of the New York Department of State Division of Code Enforcement and Administration; and Ravi Shah, Director of Development Services for the city of Carrollton, Texas, who also is a former ICC Board Member.

A list of ICC Honorary Members is available online.

View photos from the Opening Session and ICC Members Forum.

Gleeson: What makes a good leader?

Monday's Networking Luncheon, sponsored by AGA and Koffel Associates, featured special guest speaker Brent Gleeson, a Navy Seal combat veteran with multiple tours to Iraq and Africa. Upon leaving SEAL Team 5, Gleeson turned his discipline and battlefield lessons to the world of business and has become an accomplished entrepreneur, writer, and acclaimed speaker on topics ranging from leadership to entrepreneurship and marketing.

View photos from the luncheon.

Global Forum focuses on earthquake preparedness with renowned speakers.

With the theme "Earthquake Preparedness and Recovery within the Frame of Disaster Risk Reduction in the World: Are Building Codes the Ultimate Solution?" the 2015 Global Forum — sponsored by the International Accreditation Service and ICC Evaluation Service — addressed different programs in earthquake preparedness; earthquake recovery and disaster risk reduction; how they interact with building regulations, codes and standards; and their enforcement around the world to save lives and preserve property.

Dr. Lucy Jones, renowned seismologist with the US Geological Survey and a Visiting Research Associate at the Seismological Laboratory of Caltech, was the Keynote Speaker at the Global Forum.

View photos from the forum.

Workshops enhance Members' careers at the ICC conference.

ICC, in partnership with Sequence Staffing, offered an in-depth Career Planning Workshop at the 2015 Annual Conference specifically customized to ICC Members. Participants learned about new channels, evolving trends and what it means to create brands for themselves. The workshop also gave attendees opportunities to align their job searches with evolving trends, approaches and demands in the workplace. The ICC Resume Clinic featured private- and public-sector hiring managers and others who spent time with attendees reviewing resumes and offering customized job search advice.

View photos from the workshop.

Host Chapters roll out the red carpet in Long Beach.

The year was 1926. Calvin Coolidge was President, airplanes had taken flight, and behind closed doors — the flappers danced, the champagne was cold and the band played on. California's Host Chapters rolled out the red carpet for a unique tour back in time to old Hollywood for the Welcoming Event at the 2015 Annual Conference. The Federal Bar, which is housed within the confines of an ornate 1905 art deco bank building, provided the perfect venue for the ultimate evening of fun for conference attendees.

View photos from the event.

ICC Annual Conference sponsors