ICC Global Membership Council Profile: Nicholas W. Hill.

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Nick Hill is the current Chief Executive of the Building Officials Institute of New Zealand (BOINZ), the peak body representing the building surveying and building controls sectors in New Zealand and a group that is dedicated to improving the professionalism and ongoing skill sets of its members and the building and construction sector. Over the last four years, Hill and his team have transformed BOINZ from technical insolvency to a financially successful and internationally respected organization. He has championed the qualification requirements for building surveyors and ensured that the Institute is at the forefront of the development of qualification course material. "My mission is to galvanize a commitment to and the mood of professionalism amongst our Institute members," Hill says. "The commitment to compliance has always been a given but in New Zealand the level of respect for building control officials in particular was not that high. A commitment to qualification requirements, driven by BOINZ and the subsequent post-disaster contributions by BOINZ members following the Canterbury/Christchurch earthquakes were significant factors to energizing our people and changing public perceptions." Hill also is an active participant in the not for profit and charitable sectors. He was recently elected president of Australasian Society of Association Executives (AuSAE). Besides his participation in the ICC's Global Membership Council, he also is an Australasian Certification Authority for Structural and Reinforced Steels (ACRS) board member, a New Zealand Construction Industry Council (CIC) member, a District Counselor for the New Zealand Automobile Association in Wellington, as well as serving as a board member or industry advisor/representative on a number of Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment initiatives. Prior to joining BOINZ, Hill held senior executive roles within the General Electric Company New Zealand (GEC NZ Ltd) and the Motor Trade Association of New Zealand. Professionally and personally, Hill believes it is important to network and form partnerships to succeed. "Partnerships are win-win in my view," he confirms. "I see my involvement in ICC's GMC as a benefit for both BOINZ and the international community as we share our experiences." He's particularly keen to get the international inspector exchange program — an innovative program that sends key staff and young achievers to participating countries — to a level where contributing organizations can benefit. He's also a strong proponent of the post-disaster sharing initiative that was in work for the 2015 ICC Annual Conference in Long Beach, Calif. When asked about his expectations of the GMC, Hill offered the following words: "One is only as good as the knowledge they have. The world is getting smaller as advances in communication give us access to a greater variety of situations and scenarios. Soon it will no longer be acceptable to profess ignorance of best practice if it emanates from a country other than your own. I believe the GMC has a strong role to play in nurturing shared experiences, such as the international inspector exchange program. As we become a stronger and more relevant group, our membership and member involvement will grow. As the saying goes, 'Mighty oaks from small acorns grow.'"