The ICC Annual Conference

 
 
Read about some of the excellent sessions from the 2017 ICC Annual Conference below. Next year's conference will be held on Oct. 21–31, 2018, in Richmond, Va. The 2018 conference will include top-notch education sessions, building tours, valuable networking events and the opportunity to help finalize the Group A 2021 International Codes. Mark your calendars now!

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Generational Divide in the Public Sector

At the 2017 ICC Annual Conference in Columbus, Ohio, participants attended educational sessions and interactive tours. One session, "Generational Divide in the Public Sector," covered the cultural changes taking place across multiple industries. Presenters, Matthew Wheeler and Rajesh Patel discussed how different generations intersect and how generational collaboration is the focus of the business culture. For the first time in modern history, four generations are working together, including the silent generation, baby boomers, Generation X and Generation Y. With millennial's entering the work space, employers question how to utilize Generation Y effectively for success within the company.

Companies are finding ways to satisfy Millennials needs and wants through compromise by utilizing incentives such as loan forgiveness, flexible hours and service-based missions. The culture shift has enabled millennials to make social media a prominent tool for businesses, which creates a demand for employees that know how to utilize the technology. Businesses that acknowledge every generation's contributions helps to increase productivity for progression in the company and across multiple sectors of the industry.

Ethics in Code Administration

An educational session on "The Ethics in Code Administration" was presented at the 2017 ICC Annual Conference. Participants discussed ethical practices and had the opportunity to discuss specific scenarios during an in-depth questions-and-answers session.

Ethical decision-making is an essential part of our daily lives and has significant influence over our professional workspaces. With the constant development of new facilities and structural improvement projects, getting the appropriate approvals can be long and tedious. Industry professionals want code officials to inspect and approve swiftly. The educational session gave examples of negative situations that code professionals have experienced throughout their careers, including contractors, offering bribes for signing off on paperwork. Presenter Steve Thomas gave friendly guidance and cautioned against not performing assignments by procedures. The session helped participants to differentiate what is acceptable and non-acceptable in approving paperwork and receiving compensation.

Palace Theatre/Hotel Leveque Building Tour

As a part of the Educational and Certification learning sessions, the 2017 ICC Annual Conference offered educational tours of buildings that showcased the importance of building codes. Code Council members and other participants had the opportunity to experience, learn and understand more about model codes and standards that are used in designs. The tours introduced participants to four building tours in Columbus, Ohio, including the Palace Theatre and the Leveque Hotel.

The Palace Theatre, built in 1926, and connected to the Leveque Hotel, is currently under renovation. Previously serving as an aerial lighthouse, the beautiful hotel has an elegant interior design and is still undergoing renovations. Tour guides gave participants a view into the past and firsthand knowledge on future construction plans.