Highlights from the International Code Council’s 2025 Annual Conference, Expo and Committee Action Hearings

The International Code Council (ICC) concluded its 2025 Annual Conference, Expo and Committee Action Hearings in Cleveland, OH., bringing together building safety professionals from around the world. 

This year’s event was held from Oct. 19-30 and featured educational and networking sessions, the election of the 2025-2026 Board of Directors and new events for attendees to enjoy.  

Along with numerous committee and regional meetings, below are some key highlights from the 2025 Annual Conference. 

Albums with pictures from each day can be found on ICC’s SmugMug account, here (ICCAC25). 

Annual Day of Service 

Women in Code Enforcement and Development (WICED), PermitTechNation (PTN) and ICC hosted their 10th annual Day of Service on Saturday, October 18. This event allowed conference participants to volunteer at Fisher House and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northeast Ohio (RMHC). Volunteers assisted with property maintenance at both Cleveland and Akron locations. At the Cleveland Ronald McDonald House, volunteers assisted with fence painting, prepping outdoors for winter and cooking a meal. At the Akron Ronald McDonald house, volunteers assisted with carpet and wallpaper removal, deep cleaning and baking treats. Volunteers at the Fisher house supported property maintenance efforts. Watch WICED’s recap slideshow, here. 

Tenth Annual Ron Burton Golf Outing 

On Sunday, October 19, the tenth annual Ron Burton Golf Outing was held at StoneWater Golf Club. This event celebrated the life and work of William Ronald “Ron” Burton, who was a renowned code expert and worked on many code-related projects for ICC, the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). 

The shotgun-start tournament raised funds that will go towards training and resources for the next generation of code officials. 

Building Tours 

On Sunday, four building tours highlighted notable architecture and industry development projects in the Cleveland area. The first tour took participants to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.  

Participants in the second tour enjoyed a Take a Hike® guided tour of University Circle, affectionately referred to as Ohio’s most spectacular square mile.   

The third building tour took participants to the nine-story INTRO Cleveland‘s mass timber complex that showcases CLT floors with exposed ceilings, a rooftop swimming pool and a 100’ span event space. 

The fourth tour allowed participants to explore the heart of Cleveland and began at the 1903 Mall Plan. The tour continued up Euclid Avenue, once dubbed the “Showplace of America,” later transformed into a thriving commercial corridor.  

ICC Expo and Expo Talks 

ICC’s Expo, which was held on Sunday and Monday, brought together an impressive lineup of exhibitors showcasing the latest building products and technologies. The Expo featured a career zone, where attendees could get a free professional headshot taken, have their resume reviewed by an expert, view current job openings and get tips on career advancement. 

Returning this year, the Expo Talks event was held on both Sunday and Monday and offered attendees the opportunity to learn the latest and greatest in building safety technology in quick hit 30-minute presentations with each session offering ICC Continuing Education Units (CEUs). 

ICC also hosted a Technicolor Transport Challenge within the Expo. The friendly engineering competition was made up of teams who were tasked with designing and building a working machine to transport any of the four fluids to any of the 12 spots identified within the construction zone using only a combination of valves to make the colors flow correctly.   

Welcome to Cleveland 

The Welcome to Cleveland event held on Sunday allowed conference goers the opportunity to enjoy an evening of fun and live music at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Attendees stopped by “The Garage” where they picked up an instrument and jammed with the house band and other members. 

Opening Session and Annual Business Meeting 

The Opening Session, which took place on Monday, featured keynote speaker, Kristin Scroggin, Generational Consultant (genWHY). Scroggin shared insights on interacting with different generations in the workplace, including attracting and retaining the next generation.   

Immediately following the Opening Session, the Annual Business Meeting took place. John Belcik, Chief Executive Officer, ICC, highlighted findings in ICC’s State of the Building Safety Industry Report, and how ICC is updating programs, releasing new tools, and collaborating with industry organizations to foster a new generation of professionals. He also shared how ICC is expanding member services and resources, how ICC has amplified outreach and collaborated both domestically and globally, and more. 

During the Annual Business Meeting, members welcomed a new slate of officers and directors to its 2025–2026 Board of Directors. Three senior officers were elected to the Executive Committee and five directors (two sectional and three at-large) were elected or re-elected to serve on the ICC board by eligible ICC voting members. Read more, here. 

Insight Sessions and Educational Programs 

After the Annual Business Meeting, conference attendees broke into five insight sessions that covered the basics and ever-changing hot topics hosted by experts from across ICC and the building industry:    

• ICC’s New Fire & Disaster Mitigation Team 
• Code Enforcement: The Next Frontier of Building Safety 
• Capacity Building for Building Regulatory Compliance 
• Advocacy for Chapters and Building Safety Professionals 
• AI and Its Impact on the Building Industry 

Education Programs were also held all day Tuesday for attendees to grow their knowledge and expertise. The programs included topics such as Communication and Effective Writing, How to Read Truss Documentation, Modular Construction and a new track dedicated to Code Enforcement. 

Awards Luncheon 

At ICC’s Awards Luncheon, held on Tuesday afternoon, and the Chapter President’s Meeting, held on Monday, individuals, chapters and organizations were honored for their accomplishments and service to their communities, the building safety industry and ICC. Read more about the award winners here. 

“The Enchanted Night” Gala 

On Tuesday, conference attendees savored exquisite cocktails and a delicious dinner while mingling with both new friends and familiar faces. This mystical evening highlighted the installation of the ICC Board of Directors and celebrated outstanding achievements. The President’s Award was presented to the Washington Association of Building Officials.   

Committee Action Hearings  

On Wednesday, ICC hosted a short, informational session for those new to the Code Development process in preparation for the Committee Action Hearings. 

This short educational session, led by Paul Armstrong, Western Regional Manager for AWC, and Russ Manning, ICC Senior Vice President of Technical Services, provided a general overview of the process for updating the International Codes® every three years, review the differences between the codes and standards development processes and prepare attendees to observe and participate in the Committee Action Hearings. 

The 2025 ICC Committee Action Hearings (Group B #2) kicked off later in the morning, and offered code officials, architects, builders, structural engineers, fire, residential and existing building professionals, as well as those responsible for the administration of the I-Codes, the opportunity to provide input on proposed code changes. 

Join us April 19-28 for the 2026 ICC Leadership Week + Hearings (Public Comment Hearings – Groups A & B) at the Connecticut Convention Center in Hartford, CT. Learn more, here.  

To learn more about next year’s annual conference, click here.