Ramani Announces Retirement from International Accreditation Service

C.P. “Chuck” Ramani, President of the International Accreditation Service (IAS), will retire effective March 2018, capping a 44-year career in global conformity assessment and construction code enforcement.

Ramani was named Founding President of IAS when it was formed in March 2002 during the International Code Council consolidation. IAS is a nonprofit, scientific, educational subsidiary of the International Code Council (ICC) that accredits calibration and testing laboratories, providers of inspection services, building/code enforcement agencies, fire prevention bureaus, and conformity assessment organizations.

“Chuck has shepherded IAS to become a key component of the ICC Family of Companies,” explained Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “Last year was IAS’s most successful growth year, which sets a new standard for continued success.”

“We congratulate Chuck on his outstanding career and express our deep gratitude for his leadership and lasting contributions to our organization and the industry,” added Sims.

“Chuck’s departure will mark the end of the first chapter in the history of IAS,” said IAS Board of Directors Chair James G. Toscas, P.E. “Chuck displayed amazing foresight when he initially pursued a dream that ultimately became IAS. He has always had a clear vision of what IAS should be, and could become. He also has a deep understanding of customer needs and an unrelenting drive to address those needs – and he has instilled this culture into the IAS organization. It is clear the organization would not be what it is today without his leadership.”

In December 2016, IAS reached a milestone by issuing its 900^th accreditation, just four years after the 500 thaccreditation was issued in April 2011.

“The ‘Race to 1,000’ now appears achievable by early 2018, which will be a major accomplishment in IAS history,” Ramani said. “This would not have happened without the wholehearted support of the IAS and C. P. “Chuck” Ramani Founding President ICC Boards, our staff, contract assessors and evaluators. I thank everyone for going well above the call of duty to help us reach these very important milestones.”

Ramani first joined the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) in 1973 as associate research engineer. He later transferred to the ICBO Evaluation Service in 1981 as a senior staff engineer, and was named Vice President of Administration and Field Services in 1986. Ramani became Vice President of Accreditation and Public Relations with ICBO in 2000, a position he held until he was named Founding President of IAS.

Ramani is a Registered Civil and Quality Control Engineer with the state of California. He is an ICC Certified Building Official, holds Lead Evaluator credentials with the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC), the Pacific Accreditation Corporation, and the IAS Building and Fire Prevention Bureau accreditation programs.

He has taught classes on codes, building and fire prevention department accreditation and large-scale fire testing. He is a globally recognized instructor on conformity assessment standards and has been involved in development of international assessment protocols for inspection practices.

Ramani is a member and former chair of the American Society for Testing and Materials E36 Subcommittee on Accreditation; a member of the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation and the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation; and a founding-member of the Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation. He has served on trade and standards delegations for the U.S. Department of Commerce including the ITAC 16 Committee on Standards & Trade.

“The most difficult aspect of my retirement will be coming to terms with not having to go to work every morning and engaging the IAS staff and clients in spirited technical discussions,” Ramani said. “I came to ICBO in 1973 just so I could work under a licensed engineer for two years prior to being allowed to take the state board civil engineer licensing exam. That was 43 plus years ago, and I’m still here! This truly is a tribute to the quality of people that built ICC and its predecessor organizations.”

After retirement, Ramani will continue to support IAS and the ICC in an emeritus role. He will remain engaged with IAS while ICC and the IAS Board conduct a global search for the next leader to assume the role as President of IAS.