Leadership spotlight: Kris Bridges

The International Code Council Board of Directors are responsible for steering the association and its family of solutions towards a sustainable future while adhering to the stated mission of building safety. To carry out this charge, the board meets multiple times a year to provide oversight and strategic direction, ensure adequate financial and program resources, and oversee and evaluate the chief executive officer.

The board is comprised of four officers, eight at-large directors and six sectional directors who all serve the interests of code professionals in the building safety industry through advocacy, education and research. They act as the voice of the association’s 64,000 members across the country and around the world.

“We are very grateful to have a board of directors with such extensive expertise in the building safety industry,” said International Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “These officers and directors volunteer their time to make our buildings safer and our communities more resilient. We thank them for their leadership.”

Sectional Director
Kris Bridges, MCP
Building Official
Martinsville, Virginia

Before pursuing a career in the building code industry, Kris Bridges served in the United States Navy for 10 years. During this time, Bridges was involved in safety projects that helped develop his interest in furthering his code education. He attended Baker College and graduated magna cum laude with an associate degree in code administration.

“If you want something you don’t have, you have to do something you haven’t done,” Bridges said.

In 1995, he began his career as a property maintenance and amusement inspector for Danville, Va., gaining valuable experience in inspecting and ensuring compliance and maintenance of property and amusement devices.

After six years, Bridges secured a position as a combination code inspector in Martinsville, Va. In this position, he investigated and advised multiple stakeholders on building safety issues. As one of his many achievements, Bridges created and implemented work practices to help mitigate the economic downturn for the highest unemployment rate in Virginia by enabling participation at state, regional and national levels.

Currently, Bridges is the building official for the city of Martinsville, Va. He is a Master Code Professional who maximizes the safety and integrity of buildings by uncovering and recommending effective remediation strategies for overt and latent issues.

Bridges holds 22 certifications, including Certified Building Official, Combination Inspector, Commercial Combination Inspector, Commercial Building Plans Examiner, Commercial Energy Inspector, Commercial Energy Plans Examiner and Commercial Building Inspector. In addition, he was appointed to the Virginia Manufactured Housing Board by the governor, is the past president of the Virginia Building and Code Officials Association (VBCOA) and is currently serving his second five-year term as ICC Region VII Treasurer.

He has received multiple awards, including the 2010 VBCOA President’s Award; the 2010 Martinsville Fire and Emergency Medical Service Unit Citation for Exemplary Customer Service; the 2011 Fire Safety Commendation, National Society, Sons of the American Revolution; the 2014/2015 ICC Region VII Chairman’s Award; and the 2015 VBCOA Meritorious Service Award.

Related:

Code Council board winter meeting highlights

Code Council board summer meeting highlights

Code Council board spring meeting highlights

Code Council voting members elect 2019–2020 board officers, directors

As a new member of the International Code Council Board of Directors, Bridges looks forward to supporting the members and bringing brand recognition to the Code Council. He believes that the Code Council plays a significant role in building safety and hopes to promote the association’s reputation and the important job of the code official.

Bridges demonstrates his commitment to building safety through his participation as chair for several Code Council committees, including the International Residential Code Committee and the International Swimming Pool and Spa Drafting Committee. Bridges previously served on the ICC Evaluation Service Board of Managers.

In his spare time, Bridges is active in Boy Scout Troop 326 and has served on the Disabilities Services Board and Mental Health Association Board. Grilling and cooking for family and friends is one of his many hobbies.