ICC Honors Building Safety Professionals

Recognition includes Fowler Award, Code Official of the Year and Fire Official of the Year

The International Code Council recognized exemplary contributions to building safety and support of the ICC mission to protect the health, safety and welfare of people by creating safe buildings and communities. The awards were presented during the 2015 ICC Annual Conference Sept. 27-29, in Long Beach, Calif.

“The International Code Council is pleased to honor individuals and organizations for their outstanding achievements and excellence to safeguard the public in the built environment,” said ICC Board President Guy Tomberlin. “Much of what building safety professionals do is taken for granted. The ICC awards express appreciation for a job well done and help to raise the profile of code officials and all who contribute to building safety.”

• Ron Lynn, Director of the Clark County, Nev., Department of Buildings and Fire Prevention, and its Building and Fire Official, was honored with the Bobby J. Fowler Award. It is the most prestigious award presented by ICC and honors the memory of the first ICC Board chairman. Fowler led the charge to consolidate three regional model code organizations into one association, the ICC. The award was presented to Lynn for his contributions that advance achieving a safer built environment, and his integrity, professionalism and compassion to further building safety.
• John Darnall, Building and Fire Safety Official for Tumwater, Wash., received the Gerald H. Jones Code Official of the Year Award. He earned the award for meritorious contributions demonstrating professional abilities that serve as examples for all code officials and advance the cause of building safety.
• Joseph A. Finnegan, Madrid, N.Y., volunteer firefighter and a past president of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York, was the recipient of the ICC Fire Service Award. The award recognizes an ICC Member whose service, professional abilities and leadership have been exemplary in the development of the International Fire Code.
• Howard Hopper, Advisory Services Program Manager for Underwriters Laboratories, earned the ICC Affiliate Award for demonstrating integrity, professionalism, dedication, and personal standards representing the spirit of public service to codes and standards development in the interest of public safety.
• The Standard Bearers Awards, presented jointly by ICC and the Institute for Market Transformation, highlight states, cities and individuals who lead the way in energy code compliance. The state recipient was the State of Illinois Office of Energy and Recycling. The local jurisdiction award was earned by the Washington, D.C., Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. And the Energy Code Leader was Steve Rinehart from Harker Heights, Texas. Rinehart holds more than three dozen licenses and certifications, including ICC’s Master Code Professional.
• The ICC Community Service Award recognizes meritorious service that promotes public health, safety and welfare. There were two recipients. The Leon Valley, Texas, Fire Department was recognized for its “Cooking Safe” program that reduced cooking-related fires at a local retirement community complex. The ICC Southern Nevada Chapter was honored for several safety programs, including reducing toddler swimming pool deaths.
• The Chapter of the Year award, the top honor for an ICC Chapter, was presented to the New Hampshire Building Officials for demonstrating exemplary performance to promote the ICC mission and goals.
• ICC Chapter Merit Awards were presented to the California Building Officials and the Southern California Prevention Officers Association Chapters for distinguishing themselves through activities demonstrating the goals and objectives of ICC.
• The ICC Educator of the Year Award, recognizing excellence in education and promoting professional development among ICC Members, was presented to the ICC Colorado Chapter Education Institute.
• The ICC Global Award recipient was the International Trade Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Administration was recognized for distinguished service to the Code Council’s global mission and vision for showcasing codes and standards internationally.
• The Sacramento Coalition was recognized for diligent efforts to get the International Codes adopted in California. National and state coalitions are important to the successful adoption of the International Codes.

To download photos: http://www.iccsafe.org/about-icc/periodicals-and-newsroom/highlights-from-the-2015-annual-conference/.

About us: The International Code Council is a member-focused association. It is dedicated to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures. Most U.S. communities and many global markets choose the International Codes.