Tomberlin: Filling our ranks for the future.
 
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International Code Council Board of Directors Immediate Past President Guy Tomberlin addresses questions during the Members Forum at the 2015 ICC Annual Conference in Long Beach, Calif.
 
Capitalizing on a team effort — to include Members and stakeholders, Chapters, the Board of Directors, and staff — outgoing ICC Board President Guy Tomberlin said the association has made great progress in its initiative to help identify and develop the next generation of industry professionals and leaders.

"We need to be prepared to fill our ranks for the future," Tomberlin said during the Annual Business Meeting at ICC's 2015 Annual Conference in Long Beach, Calif. "We need to reach out to the next generation stepping into our profession. How can you help? Identify individuals you think might be the people to help ICC and our industry move in the right direction for the future."

"We have a responsibility to motivate and inspire the next generation to ensure that public safety does not suffer due to the impending retirement of experienced code officials," Tomberlin continued. "Working toward this goal, I would like to tap into the ideas and experience of our longtime Members, and encourage them to share their thoughts with their jurisdictions and our Chapters."

Tomberlin pointed to Vision 2023, ICC's long-term strategic plan, as the foundation for several successful initiatives to ensure future success for the association. "Past Board Presidents Ron Piester and Stephen Jones created ICC's Vision 2023 Committee to analyze our business model to sustain the association and recommend adjustments to the Board," he explained. "I chaired the committee. The new plan strikes a balance between ICC as an association and ICC as a business. How we plan and work together is important, because we are paving the way for the next generation of code officials."

Some of those initiatives over the past year included:
  • The successful and ongoing implementation of cdpACCESS, ICC's cloud-based system for code development. cdpACCESS usage increased substantially during the Group A code development cycle.
  • The development of the 2015 edition of ICC A.117.1 Standard for Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities, the nationally recognized standard of technical requirements for making buildings accessible, which coincided with the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
  • ICC partnering with the Residential Energy Services Network to develop an ANSI standard to guide code officials on how to conduct residential air leakage, duct testing and airflow of mechanical ventilation systems in a code compliant manner.
  • The development of an ICC Solar Rating and Certification Corporation standard for pool solar heating and cooling, and the completion of an ICC-SRCC standard for solar water heating systems and solar thermal collectors.
  • ICC working with the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers on a landscape irrigation and emitter standard, which is helping California in its efforts to battle a historic drought.
  • Updating the standards for the design and construction of storm shelters and residential construction in high-wind regions.
  • The consolidation of the International Green Construction Code with the ASHRAE 189.1 standard.
  • Partnering with ASTM International to support sustainable building codes in the Gulf Region.
  • Becoming a partner in the Consumer Product Safety Commission's Pool Safely campaign.
"And we could not be more pleased with how ICC's High School Technical Training Program continues to grow by leaps and bounds," Tomberlin said. "The program exposes future generations to codes and career opportunities as building safety professionals and skilled building trade workers. Students learn up-to-date code knowledge and technical training that go hand-in-hand with practical education for the workplace."

Tomberlin also discussed his participation in the Inter-Jurisdictional Regulatory Collaboration Committee meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland, which has grown to include representatives from 13 countries. "Committee members represent the leading governmental code-writing authorities of their nations," he said. "Our presence at the meeting helps to establish our relationship with our counterparts around the world. The over-reaching theme was how sustainable and resilient construction is a primary concern around the globe. There also was an underlying question of how to deal with the impact of deregulation as it continues to impede the application of codes and regulations."

In conclusion, Tomberlin said the successes of the past year were truly due to a team effort. "We could not be successful without the support of our Members, strategic partners, supporting and participating organizations, the ICC staff and my fellow Board members," he said. "My humble thanks to all of you."