Even though he is a newly elected member, actively serving on the International Code Council Board of Directors is customary for Ron Hoover, a 20-year veteran in code enforcement and fire prevention. “Every organization I’ve been a member of, I’ve been fully involved with from the start,” Hoover says. “I don’t just pay my dues and eat the meals at the meetings.”

Hoover is the Director of the Marion, Iowa, Building Inspection Department and Fire Chief of the Alburnett Volunteer Fire Department. In addition to representing Section B on the Code Council Board, he also serves as President of the ICC Upper Great Plains Region III. Hoover is a Past President, Vice President and Secretary of the Hawkeye State Fire Safety Association and the Iowa Association of Building Officials, is an Officer of the Linn County Emergency Management Commission, and Chairs the State Fire Extinguishing and Alarm System Certification Advisory Board. “It was a natural progression to offer my services to the Code Council by serving on the Board,” Hoover says.

After a 22-year career in residential construction, Hoover joined the city of Marion in 1990 in a dual role of combination inspector and engineering technician. As Marion began to grow in population, Hoover moved to the Building Inspection Department full-time and was named Director in 1998. He said keeping up with one of the fastest growing towns in Iowa, a suburb of Cedar Rapids, has been a rewarding experience. “We’ve had quite a few residential projects over the years,” Hoover explains. “Because of the increase in population, the school districts have had several projects, as well. Right now, we’re working on a new football stadium, the first field project we’ve had that includes bleachers as well as concession stands and restrooms. Keeping up with all of the growth has kept us pretty busy.”

While serving with the city of Marion, Hoover has earned several national certifications from the Code Council, including Certified Building Official and Master Code Professional. He was the Region III representative on the ICC Governance Committee and a member of the ICC Interpretations Committees for the International Energy Conservation, Existing Building, Fire, Performance, Property Maintenance, Wildland-Urban Interface and Zoning Codes. Hoover gladly uses his knowledge and experience while performing his most rewarding duty as a code enforcement official: being in the field. “I enjoy being able to meet with contractors and property owners to solve problems,” he says, “to make sure the job gets done right and the final solution is what everyone wants. I’ve encouraged and guided inspectors to accomplish that goal, as well.”

True to his commitment to service, Hoover joined the volunteer fire department in Alburnett, where he resides, in 1983. The department response area covers 36 square miles of Otter Creek Township including the town of Alburnett. Hoover was named Fire Chief in 1990, and while serving simultaneously as a code enforcement official he has earned a degree in Fire Science, Firefighter I and II and Fire Instructor I and II certifications from the International Fire Service. “Being an Alburnett volunteer firefighter has been a very rewarding experience for me and a great way to give back to the community,” Hoover says. Being involved in code enforcement and fire prevention at the same time provides a unique perspective, as well.

“It’s very helpful,” Hoover explains. “It’s easier to understand the need to adopt and enforce building codes when you actually witness their results in fire and emergency situations. It’s easier to see how well the two mediums complement one another. It’s also easier as a code official to maintain positive relationships with other fire officials in the Marion and Alburnett communities because of my experience as a firefighter.”

During these uncertain economic times, Hoover thinks it is important for the Code Council to adjust its business model and poise itself for a productive future. “The effects of the economy are a reminder to us that we are not independent from the rest of the world,” he says. “The challenges are to respond accordingly and to realize that we truly are a member of the global economy.”

Hoover says ICC also should continue its efforts to raise the profile of code officials and to make the organization more of a household name. “We don’t have a nationally-recognized symbol for code officials,” he says. “Building officials and fire prevention officers are not in it to be heroes; they’re in it because they believe in what they’re doing.”

Hoover and his fellow code enforcement officials displayed their commitment to public safety following the Iowa Flood of 2008, a month-long event dubbed “Iowa’s Katrina” that caused an estimated $7 billion in damages and ranks as the fourth largest natural disaster in U.S. history. Iowa chapter members organized and performed hundreds of inspections to ensure the safety of homes and buildings, but Hoover said they could have done more to assist in the recovery efforts had other governmental agencies been more aware of their availability and services. Hoover says a higher profile of the important roles code officials play in disaster mitigation and recovery efforts will be beneficial when the next disaster strikes—whether it happens in Iowa, somewhere else in the United States, or globally such as Haiti, which faces a long road to recovery following the recent devastating earthquake. “We have quite a calling tree that I think is underutilized,” Hoover says. “There is a lot of knowledge and expertise that is ready, willing and able to help.”

Despite his dual service as a code enforcement official and fire chief, an active chapter member and now an ICC Board member, Hoover stays busy while away from the office by spending time with family members, especially his grandchildren, fishing and woodworking. He is also a Certified Fireworks Shooter and dabbles in brewing vintage wine and beer.