Leadership spotlight: David Spencer

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.”

Director at Large
David Spencer, CBO
Building Official
Chelan County, Washington

At the young age of 14, David Spencer started his career in the private sector working at his family’s construction company. His passion for the construction industry was evident, and he worked for the company into his early 30s. Being a part of a family-owned business, Spencer worked alongside his father and learned the importance of hard work and dedication.

Through his construction experience, Spencer developed an interest in code administration. He discovered there were many opportunities within the code administration field and decided to learn more about the various inspection positions. His research and reading of code books gave him a better understanding of construction projects, which led to an even greater desire to learn more about code administration.

Spencer’s first job as an inspector paved the way for him to obtain six International Code Council certifications, including his Building Code Specialist, Certified Building Official and Plans Examiner certifications.

For the past 11 years, Spencer has worked for four different municipalities throughout the state of Washington. He served in his state chapter as the Washington Association of Building Officials Government Relations–Legislative Chair and has participated in the chapter’s Code Official Apprenticeship Program, the Technical Code Development Committee and the Washington State Building Code Council Technical Advisory Groups for the 2015 International Residential Code and Washington State Energy Code.

Not only active in his home state of Washington Spencer has also been active in Code Council Region II where he served as treasurer, secretary, vice president and president. Spencer has worked in the built environment in many capacities for more than 30 years.

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

Spencer has served on the ICC Exam Development Committees, including the Coastal Construction and Disaster Response Committee. Currently, he is serving on the ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) Board of Managers, the ICC Nomination Committee, the ICC Building Official Membership Council’s Raising the Profile Task Group, and the ICC Exam Development Committee for Property Maintenance.

More recently, Spencer joined the Code Council’s Board of Directors where he plans to be an active member. One of his top priorities is to bring greater awareness to the importance of ICC-ES and ICC-ES evaluation reports. “Code officials are important in community safety and economic growth,” he said. “It is one of my passions to continue the efforts to raise their profiles.”

Spencer lives by some simple but important principles. “When you want to succeed as badly as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.” And, “It is always important to remember the individuals and mentors you have had along the way on the journeys to your successes.”