December 1st, 2020
by Dominic Sims, Greg Wheeler

This year, the world faced major challenges that have made us rethink the ways in which we’ve operated our daily lives. As we reflect on what has been an eventful year, the adaptability and resiliency displayed by building safety professionals around the world has been admirable. Code Council members especially, are the building safety champions in our communities.

This year has proven the tenacity of our industry as you have navigated the pandemic alongside hurricanes and wildfires and everyday challenges of the job. Our industry has persisted and thrived even in the toughest of circumstances.

The many obstacles we’ve faced this year have confirmed the immense value of digitization. Across our industry, building professionals have shifted to digital operations. The investments many have made to establish or improve their already virtual capabilities have helped to mitigate delays, kept our economy afloat, and produced lasting reductions in operation costs and timelines.

Through our digital transformation strategy, the Code Council family remains dedicated to providing solutions for building safety professionals virtual capability needs. We’ve launched Digital Codes Premium to ensure our members are digitally empowered with the complete collection of premium code titles and tools. In addition, ICC Learn Live, the first-ever Code Council virtual education event, addressed important industry issues including training the next generation of talent, the impact of COVID-19 on building safety and the economy, adopting virtual capabilities, and an in-depth overview of the upcoming 2021 International Codes.

Addressing the needs of our members remains a critical function of this association. After careful consideration, the Code Council Board of Directors determined that it is in the best interests of the Code Council and its members to reincorporate in Delaware. The recent vote amongst the membership for the reincorporation revealed your overwhelming support of this decision. We look forward to this change in location as it will provide sufficient flexibility for the association to act when needed during an emergency.

Although this has been a year of challenges and changes, the International Code Council remains positioned for long-term success. With the expertise and hard work of our members and staff, we have established a strong and enduring organization. Our family of solutions has fielded thousands of customer calls, hosted virtual training events, and offered online exams on a wide range of topics. We wrote evaluation reports, accredited laboratories, and developed custom local codes for communities. We spoke to policymakers hundreds of times throughout the year and because of our efforts, news media increase their coverage of building safety and code adoption.

The Code Council remains financially strong. While this has been a tough year, our coordinated and diligent planning has maintained our strong handle on expenses. We have overcome the challenges and continue to fulfill our mission to provide the codes, tools, and resources that members rely on, building safety professionals turn to, and manufacturers and the public trust.

Although the road to the new year may present us with new challenges, we are confident in your individual perseverance and our ability as an association to continue providing the highest quality solutions to the building safety industry.

 

Dominic Sims, CBO Greg Wheeler, CBO
Chief Executive Officer President
International Code Council Code Council Board of Directors

 

About the Author
Dominic Sims
Dominic Sims, CBO, is the chief executive officer of the International Code Council. He was appointed to the position in 2012. As CEO, Sims is responsible for the overall activities and financial performance of the association, including its six subsidiaries. During his 15-year tenure, Sims has also served the Code Council as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President. He has served on and/or chaired numerous national committees and task forces across a span of topics, including code development, government affairs and resiliency. Prior to his work with the Code Council, Sims served as the CEO of the Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI) and guided its consolidation between regional code organizations that formed the Code Council in 2003. Sims has served on the boards of SBCCI, the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) and several other professional associations. Before joining SBCCI, he was Executive Director of the Palm Beach County, Florida Planning, Zoning and Building Department, where he had responsibility for comprehensive development, construction, and licensing and compliance activities for a high-growth region in the United States.
Greg Wheeler
Greg Wheeler, CBO, is president on the board of directors for the International Code Council. He is the chief building official for Thornton, Colo.; serves on the Colorado State Board of Appeals for School Construction; and is a charter member and former president of the Colorado Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials.