Alan Ellis Receives 2022 ICC Educator of the Year Award
While Ellis is grateful for the honor, he was quick to clarify that EduCode is a team effort.
Each year, the International Code Council recognizes peers and colleagues who are a reflection of what the association stands for: Dedication to developing model codes and standards used in the design, build and compliance process to construct safe, sustainable, affordable and resilient structures.
The ICC Educator of the Year Award recognizes dedication and excellence in promoting the educational advancement of the building safety profession. The award is given in memory of Brent Snyder, a renowned International Code Council educator and Past Presiding Officer, for his calm and inspiring leadership and many contributions to Code Council members to further their educational pursuits, professional development and leadership. Alan Ellis, CBO, Director of the EduCode Conference and Expo, received the 2022 ICC Educator of the Year Award.
“I am beyond gratified,” Ellis said. “I really am. This is an honor I never even thought of, to be honest. I go to the Annual Business Meeting every year and am always happy for the people who win this and other awards. I even have friends who have won this award in the past, but it’s just not something that was ever on my radar. It’s phenomenal to be recognized by my peers.”
While Ellis is grateful for the honor, he was quick to clarify that EduCode is a team effort. “Al Ellis is not EduCode,” he said. “There are a lot of people who work to make EduCode happen.” Ellis praised the Board of Directors of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the Code Council for their support. He also applauded the tireless efforts of the moderators, volunteers, Code Councilstaff, sponsors, partners and everyone who works to make EduCode a success. “It really is a team effort,” he said.
As the director of EduCode, Ellis has provided nationwide training services to the construction industry since 2013 and has an uncompromising commitment to providing high-quality educational opportunities to code officials.
When classroom access was restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ellis and his team stepped up to develop the first all-virtual EduCode. Despite not having prior experience in the virtual platform, Ellis assembled, trained and directed a technical team of volunteers, procured the virtual software program, and produced a successful training platform for all attendees.
His innovation allowed students to attend classes online, from anywhere, and still have the ability to interact virtually with instructors. He also coordinated the preparation and distribution of thousands of Certificates of Completion to the online students.
Thanks to his dedication, more than 2,000 code professionals from across the country participated in the online classes and more than 20 code-related organizations and companies participated in the EduCode online expo. Despite the ongoing pandemic, more people attended the event in 2021 than in previous years.
“Normally, we have about 1,500 people at EduCode,” Ellis said. “Because it was going virtual, I expected to lose some people. If we had 300 or 400 participants, I would have been happy. As it turns out, we had over 2,400 people. I was amazed.”
Ellis said the virtual format opened up an opportunity for people who had always wanted to attend but couldn’t because of travel costs and budget cuts. He predicts that EduCode will continue in a hybrid format moving forward.
“We want to make EduCode available to the people who want to attend but can’t,” Ellis said. “Online learning is not going to go away. This year, we simulcasted. We recorded and transmitted sessions from each classroom. We had 1,000 people participate in person and 1,400 online.” Historically, EduCode has offered 80 to 100 classes. In 2023, attendees will be able to choose from 123 classes.
For Ellis, EduCode has always been about more than getting people in seats so they can earn continuing education units (CEUs). He is passionate about creating opportunities for people to develop industry relationships and connections.
“EduCode is not just an educational seminar,” Ellis said. “It’s an educational event. We don’t want people just to come and sit in a classroom and watch an instructor speak. We want people to feel comfortable interacting with the instructors and their peers. We want them to share their ideas and thoughts and have the opportunity to discuss new products and concepts. We have dinners and events after hours. We make it into an event, so people get more out of the educational experience.”
In addition to directing and coordinating EduCode, Ellis has been teaching fire prevention and fire protection systems at the College of Southern Nevada for 21 years. He is the Nevada liaison for Shums Coda Associates, does IAS assessments and works as a consultant. He is more busy now than he was before he retired from the City of Henderson in Henderson, Nev., at the end of 2018, but enjoys every minute of it.
“I really enjoy all of this stuff,” Ellis said. “Otherwise, I would have given it up. At this stage of my life, if it’s not enjoyable, why do it? I love teaching. I love all of it.”
Ellis’ career began in southern Michigan, where he was born and raised. After graduating from Michigan State University, he worked in law enforcement for a short time and then pursued his dream of becoming a firefighter. When he and his family decided to pack up and move to Nevada in search of warmer weather, Ellis retired from the fire department and found a new job working for Clark County, Nev. Four years later, he started working as a fire inspector for the City of Henderson. During his tenure with the city, he was promoted to senior fire inspector, deputy fire marshal, and ultimately manager of inspection services, which included code enforcement, fire inspections, building inspections and building license inspections.
Whether teaching fire prevention or mentoring code enforcement and building safety professionals, Ellis will always be an educator at heart.
“Honestly, I know this sounds cliché, but I really enjoy working with people and helping people,” Ellis said. “I like mentoring. I like helping people get into the right roles and working with them to help them improve. I had mentors who meant a lot to me and helped me with my career, and I want to share that with others.”
The International Code Council congratulates Alan Ellis as its 2022 Educator of the Year.
View past recipients of the ICC Educator of the Year Award.
About the Author
Suzanne Mooney writes about people, pets, health and wellness, and travel. Born and raised in Southern California, she has lived in the Pacific Northwest, Midwest and South and spends as much time as possible in Italy. When she’s not writing, you can find her running, riding her bike or snuggling old dogs. Follow her at linkedin.com/in/suzannelovesdogs.
