Tangye inducted into National Housing Hall of Fame

William (Bill) Tangye, former chief executive officer of the International Code Council, was posthumously inducted into the National Housing Hall of Fame by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Executive Board.

"Bill has earned the highest respect and admiration of his peers and colleagues in both the home building and public safety industries for his steadfast commitment to ensuring that our buildings are safe and structurally sound, while still promoting a positive environment for the housing industry," said David Wilson, president of NAHB and a custom-home builder in Ketchum, Idaho. "He has truly earned the right to be included among the nation's most distinguished contributors to the housing industry as part of the National Housing Hall of Fame."

Throughout his career, Tangye made significant contributions to the advancement of building safety and the code enforcement profession. Tangye worked at the Los Angeles County Flood Control District before becoming the director of Field Engineering at BOCA International. In 1975 he was hired by SBCCI as the director of Engineering Services and chief engineer. After only seven years, Tangye was promoted to chief executive officer. Though still a relatively small organization at the time, Tangye's vision and commitment resulted in dramatic growth.

Although Tangye's career achievements are many, it was his leadership of SBCCI that created his greatest legacy. In 1993, Tangye and the leaders of BOCA International and ICBO embarked on the process that would eventually lead to the merger of what were then three separate public safety organizations.

The resulting organization was the International Code Council, which yielded the nation's first fully coordinated set of building codes and standards. In 2001, the International Code Council Board of Directors appointed Tangye as its first chief executive officer.

From the organization's inception in 1994, Tangye was the driving force behind cooperation between the International Code Council and NAHB, and he worked diligently to create a mutually beneficial working relationship between the two groups.

"Bill was a visionary who understood the vital role the housing industry plays in our nation," Dominic Sims, International Code Council Deputy Chief Operating Officer, said during the induction ceremony. "He recognized that in order to grow the American dream of home ownership, building codes must be sensitive to affordability. He knew that through a strong relationship with the NAHB, the International Residential Code would help home builders provide safe and affordable housing for communities across the country."

In addition to his achievements at the International Code Council, Tangye was also appointed by President Ronald Reagan to two terms as a member of the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. Also known as the Access Board, this independent federal agency is devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. In 1988, Tangye was elected the Board's chair.

Tangye's strength of body and spirit carried him through months of struggle with cancer and complications resulting from the disease. He was laid to rest on June 4, 2002, in Birmingham, Ala.

The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 220,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. Known as "the voice of the housing industry," NAHB is affiliated with more than 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB's builder members will construct about 80 percent of the more than 1.84 million new housing units projected for 2005, making housing one of the largest engines of economic growth in the country.

The International Code Council, a membership organization dedicated to building safety and fire prevention, develops the codes used to construct residential and commercial buildings, including homes and schools. Most U.S. cities, counties and states that adopt codes choose the International Codes developed by the International Code Council.

EDITORS' NOTE: Photos are available here.