For Immediate Release: October 12, 2023

St. Louis, MO. – During its 2023 Annual Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, the International Code Council recognized individuals and organizations within the building safety industry who continuously go above and beyond in their respective roles. 

The Code Council honors the following individuals and organizations: 

The Bobby J. Fowler Award honors the legacy of the organization’s first chair of the Board of Directors. The award is presented to a leader who demonstrates compassion, professionalism and integrity in their duties. James (Jimmy) Brothers, Past President of the Code Council Board of Directors and retired Building Official for the City of Decatur, Alabama, was presented with this year’s Fowler Award. 

The Chapter of the Year Award is presented to a chapter that best promotes the goals and mission of the Code Council. This year’s winner is the Building Inspectors Association of Nassau County.  

The Chapter Merit Award is dedicated to chapters exhibiting the Code Council’s goals and objectives. This year’s award went to the ICC Midwest Region V.  

The Community Service Award is given to those with outstanding service and promotes the public health, safety, and welfare of their local community. This year’s recipient is the City of St. Cloud Health & Inspections Department.  

The Educator of the Year Award acknowledges excellence in promoting professional development and is given in memory of Brent Snyder, a renowned Code Council educator, and past presiding officer, who was known for his calm and inspiring leadership qualities. Rob Neale, Owner and Principal of Integra Code Consultants, was named the 2023 Educator of the Year. 

The Excellence in Public Safety Award recognizes a member who has shown exceptional integrity, professionalism and dedication to public service. This year’s winner is Charles Simpson, Code Enforcement Officer of Killeen, Texas.  

The Gerald H. Jones Code Official of the Year Award is given to an individual who has helped promote the code enforcement profession and carries out the Code Council’s mission. Presented in honor of the founders of the three model code organizations, this year’s winner of the Code Official of the Year is Raj Patel, President of JAS Pacific Inc. 

The Global Award acknowledges distinguished service to the Code Council’s global mission and vision. The 2023 recipient is the Pakistan Engineering Council. 

The National Leadership in Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Award recognizes contributions to the growth and enhancement of codes or public policy related to sustainability and energy efficiency. The winner of the 2023 Leadership in Sustainability Award is Gayathri Vijayakumar, Principal Mechanical Engineer at Steven Winter Associates.  

The PMG Leadership Award is given to an individual or organization for exceptional service to the plumbing, mechanical, fuel gas, and swimming pool/spa (PMG) industry. This year’s recipient is Lee Clifton, Former Principal Inspector for the City of Los Angeles. 

The Raising the Profile Award recognizes acts or contributions that raise public awareness of accomplishments by code personnel that improve public safety in the built environment. Dan Carlson, Building Official from Wilsonville, Oregon and Adjunct Professor at Chemeketa Community College BIT Program, was presented with this year’s award. 

The Regions Spotlight Award is presented to a regional chapter that has demonstrated strong cooperation among the chapters that make up the region, advancement of professionalism among its members, strong community service, and growth in membership. This year’s recipient is Region I of the International Code Council, highlighting the contributions of Tim Spears through Region I Radio. 

The Robert W. Gain Fire Prevention Leadership Award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and longstanding dedication to the support of fire codes and fire prevention. Greg Rogers, Deputy Chief/Fire Marshal for the Spokane Valley Fire Department, is the 2023 recipient. 

The Trailblazer Award recognizes an outstanding mentor in the building safety industry who guides and inspires others in their code-related careers. This year’s award is presented to Silvia Gonzalez of the Twin Cities. 

The W. Scott Copp Chapter Leadership Award recognizes a chapter or individual that champions the Code Council mission and inspires others to become Code Council leaders. This is the inaugural year for this prestigious award, which honors the memory of Scott Copp, a true leader who dedicated his career to advancing building safety at the local, state, regional, and national levels. This year’s award is presented to the Oregon Permit Technicians Association. 

“The Code Council would like to thank all of our members and organizations for their hard work and dedication to improving our organization and the safety, resiliency and sustainability of our communities,” said Code Council Chief Executive Officer Dominic Sims, CBO. “Congratulations to our 2023 award winners for their incredible achievements and well-deserved recognition.” 

For more information on the Code Council Awards Program, click here.  

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About the International Code Council 
The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. Code Council codes, standards and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide.