International Code Council Board of Directors Immediate Past President Guy Tomberlin (right) presents the Bobby J. Fowler Award to Ron Lynn.

Lynn presented ICC's prestigious Bobby J. Fowler Award.

Ronald L. Lynn, Director and Building and Fire Official for the Clark County, Nev., Department of Building and Fire Prevention, was presented the prestigious Bobby J. Fowler Award during the Annual Banquet at ICC's 2015 Annual Conference in Long Beach, Calif.

The Fowler Award honors the memory of the first chairman of the ICC Board of Directors who led the charge to consolidate three regional model code organizations into one association. The award is presented to individuals whose contributions to the building safety industry advance the Code Council's goals to achieve a safer built environment. Read more.

From left: International Code Council Board of Directors Member and Awards Committee Chairman Robert Drexler (left); Gerald H. Jones Code Official of the Year Award recipient John Darnall (center); and Code Council Board of Directors Immediate Past President Guy Tomberlin.

ICC honors individuals for contributions to safety and resiliency in the built environment.

The International Code Council honored several individuals for their contributions to safety and resiliency in the built environment during the Awards Luncheon at the 2015 Annual Conference in Long Beach, Calif. John Darnall, Building and Fire Safety Official for Tumwater, Wash., received the Gerald H. Jones Code Official of the Year Award. Joseph A. Finnegan, Madrid, N.Y., volunteer firefighter and a past president of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, was presented the ICC Fire Service Award. Howard Hopper, Advisory Services Program Manager for Underwriters Laboratories, earned the ICC Affiliate Award. The ICC Community Service Award was presented to the Leon Valley, Texas, Fire Department and the ICC Southern Nevada Chapter. The ICC Colorado Chapter Education Institute received the ICC Educator of the Year Award. The ICC Global Award recipient was the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The Chapter of the Year award, the top honor for an ICC Chapter, was presented to the New Hampshire Building Officials, and ICC Chapter Merit Awards were presented to the California Building Officials and the Southern California Prevention Officers Association Chapters.

View more photos and information from the luncheon.

Gress presented ICC President's Award.

ICC Board of Directors Immediate Past President Guy Tomberlin presented his 2015 President's Award to Gregg Gress, a Senior Technical Staff member with ICC's Codes and Standards Development Department, during Tuesday night's Annual Banquet. The award is based on the selection by the President of a recipient worthy of special recognition for service to the International Code Council.

Olszowy: Throw deep to the next generation.

Newly elected ICC Board of Directors President Alex "Cash" Olszowy, on the heels of themes from previous board presidents, encouraged Annual Conference attendees to serve as mentors to the next generation of code officials and to lead by example. "Lead with courage and resolve," Olszowy said during Tuesday night's Annual Banquet. "ICC Past President Jimmy Brothers encouraged us to 'throw deep.' Immediate Past President Guy Tomberlin challenged us to 'prepare for the next generation.' I am not here to present a new resolve to our Membership, but to piggy back on the great vision of my predecessors: Let's throw deep to our next generation.

"Past President Steve Jones challenged you to be active," Olszowy continued. "In that same sense, I challenge you to find that individual who will fill your shoes, walk in your footsteps, and who you will mentor."

View more photos from the banquet.

Congratulations, Dad.

2015-1016 ICC Board President Alex "Cash" Olszowy was sworn into office during Tuesday night's Annual Banquet by his son, Alex IV, who is a Navy Petty Officer, 2nd Class, with the Naval Support Unit in Arlington, Va. "By placing their trust in you dad... your fellow Code Council Members have shown their confidence that you will faithfully discharge that trust," son Alex said. "I know you will endeavor to conduct the affairs of the association at all times in a manner that will promote its public safety mission, with constant attention to the good of the Code Council and its Members."

Olszowy also was joined on the stage by four peers and friends who have been instrumental in his career advancement and success: Jeff Camp, President of the Code Administrators Association of Kentucky and Chief Building Inspector for Elizabethtown, Ky.; Dewey Crowe, Director of Building Inspection for Lexington, Ky.; Ron Dill, Life Director of the Code Administrators Association of Kentucky and Director of General Services and Assistant City Administrator for Fort Thomas, Ky.; and George Mann, Retired Deputy Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Housing, Buildings and Construction.

Seminar leads journey into leadership in code administration.

ICC's Past Presiding Officers conducted an education seminar, "Journey to Leadership in Code Administration," during Tuesday's events at the 2015 Annual Conference in Long Beach. The seminar, led by PPOs James T. "Tim" Ryan, Wally Bailey, William D. Dupler, Henry L. Green, Stephen D. Jones, Ronald L. Lynn and Steven Shapiro, examined the future roles of code officials in the building safety industry; the competencies necessary to be effective leaders; how to embrace the next generation of dynamic and diverse code officials; lessons learned from current leaders; and possible next steps for professional development.

Other presenters included Kris Bridges, who led the discussion, "Code Official Leadership from a Small Jurisdiction;" Scott McDonald, who examined career paths; and Caprice Hollins, who led the discussion, "Strategies for Getting Others Involved in Creating a Welcoming and Inclusive Environment."

View more photos from the education programs.

GR Forum examines resilience with workshop at Annual Conference.

This year's Government Relations Forum featured the Resilience Workshop, guest speaker Jesse M. Keenan of the Center for Urban Real Estate at Columbia University, Danfoss Public Affairs Director Mark Menzer, a report on the Coalition for Current Safety Codes, and other updates about national and state and local activities.

Professor Keenan presented "Understanding and Applying Resilience in the Built Environment" and spoke about an increase in extreme weather events and an emerging understanding of the impacts of climate change and other global changes, local governments and built environment professionals are struggling to define and apply the concepts of resilience and adaptation.

Menzer shared information about changes in air conditioning and refrigeration system components, a technology shift resulting in the HVAC industry moving to a whole new family of refrigerants, and how the codes may be impacted in the future.

View more photos from the forum.

ICC Annual Conference sponsors