City Building Official Earns International Award

August 30, 2023 — The City of Wilsonville’s Building Official, Dan Carlson, is the 2023 recipient of the International Code Council’s (ICC) Raising the Profile Award, which recognizes an individual or organization for contributions that raise the public awareness on the importance of building safety codes or accomplishments that improve public safety in the built environment.

Carlson received the award earlier this month at the Oregon Building Officials Association (OBOA) annual meeting in Redmond, Ore. Carlson is the second Oregonian in three years to win the award, joining 2021 recipient Jason Bush of Cottage Grove.

In addition to this role with the City, Carlson serves as Adjunct Professor for the Chemeketa Community College Building Inspection Technology Program. Carlson was instrumental in motivating the school to resume the program, after a five-year absence, in order to develop the next generation of building safety professionals.

“Dan’s success as an educator is marked by his innovative approach to teaching his students,” said Mike Boso, Director of the International Code Council Board of Directors, when presenting the award. “By incorporating technology and hands-on experiences into his lectures, he creates a dynamic and engaging learning environment that captivates his students' attention.”

Carlson served on the workgroup that restructured the program to meet the current needs of the construction industry while also aligning it with Code Council Certifications, and is a member of the Advisory Committee that proposes changes and improvements to the program.

Last year, he started a scholarship fund through the Chemeketa Foundation that has raised more than $30,000 to provide much-needed financial support to students in the program who are in need of assistance.

“The best part about resurrecting the Building Inspection Technology Program is seeing the life-changing impact that it makes for students,” Carlson said. “The program is providing students stable employment, financial stability and a vocation with meaning and purpose.”

Carlson, who joined the City of Wilsonville in 2016, has more than 20 years of experience as a code professional. The OBOA’s Building Official of the Year in 2013, Carlson has served as the President of the Oregon Building Officials Association, and was appointed by then-Governor Ted Kulongoski to serve on the Oregon Building Code Structures Board, where he helped develop the Oregon State Building Code.

The International Code Council is the leading global source of model codes and standards and building safety solutions. ICC codes, standards and solutions are used to ensure safe, affordable and sustainable communities and buildings worldwide. With more than 60,000 members in 41 countries, ICC is the largest international association of building safety professionals.

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