Board Profile: Doug Murdock
"I think we're well on our way to being respected in every state in the United States," says Code Council member Doug Murdock. "We still have a lot of cities and municipalities and districts that need to adopt our code, but 10 years down the road, I'd like ICC to be seen as the leader in the world for safe building codes, whether it's here or in Peru or Paris. I think we have the ability to be the organization that every country looks to get the codes that they need to build with. We provide the members with as much service as we can, and as much education and training as we can to make them the best they can be."
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Doug Murdock is one of the newest members of the ICC board,
having been elected at the 2006 annual conference in Orlando,
but he brings plenty of skills and a vision to the table that
will serve the board well during his term.
 "I've
always been active with the code development process even
back in the legacy days," he says. "I feel that
I can contribute on the board. I hear; I listen well. I hear
the members, and I bring their concerns to the board. I can
build consensus in most cases. We have a long way to go to
finish getting ICC to where it ought to be, and I wanted to
be a part of that and help in that process to take us to the
next level."
Murdock says that member service is critical to ICC's success.
While he isn't hearing many complaints about services, he
recognizes the need to continue finding out what members want
and how ICC can meet their needs.
He also understands that effective communications will be
necessary to take ICC to that next level. "We want to
make sure we keep the members abreast of what's happening
and make sure the information trickles down. After all, without
the members we wouldn't have an organization," he points
out.
But of all the issues Murdock will be asked to address as
a board member, the one closest to his heart is the certification
of all members. He is working toward getting ICC certifications
accepted nationally and eventually internationally. At this
time Code Officials with ICC certification may have to take
additional examinations to work in other states.
"I'd like to see a seamless transfer," he says.
"If you are a building inspector certified with the ICC,
then you should be able to go to any state in the union to
work. That ICC certificate should be sufficient. Once the
portability is seamless, I think that you have a tremendous
opportunity with the workforce already out there. Now we put
roadblocks up and make them take different examinations when
they've already been certified with the organization. Those
are the barriers I'm trying to break down here in Florida
and anywhere I can speak in other states."
 Murdock
recognizes that it will take some time to reach the point
of seamless transfer. "Usually you have to work with
the department of community affairs in every state to convince
them that the certificate we offer is equivalent to what they
have, and is probably better than what they have in some cases,"
he explains. "We have it all. We have a recognized testing
facility, we have a great board that oversees the certification
process for ICC, and we just need to make sure we put that
word out there to everybody we talk to. We still have a long
way to go, but we've made some very good inroads in some states.
I don't think we're 50 percent yet, but it's a worthwhile
task that deserves attention by members of our board.
"The board is very receptive," he continues. "All
of us are so extremely busy in our own profession and our
cities that it can be difficult to get the time you need to
do all the things you really want in order to make ICC successful.
But we all have to try and make the time. Follow through;
go visit the people you need to and get the ball rolling.
I think our board is good enough to make those commitments
whether it is this issue or any other issue."
 Murdock
sees the potential for ICC because of the success they've
already had. "I think we're well on our way to being
respected in every state in the United States. We still have
a lot of cities and municipalities and districts that need
to adopt our code, but 10 years down the road, I'd like ICC
to be seen as the leader in the world for safe building codes,
whether it's here or in Peru or Paris. I think we have the
ability to be the organization that every country looks to
get the codes that they need to build with.
"We provide the members with as much service as we can,
and as much education and training as we can to make them
the best they can be," he sums up. "They have to
take what they learn and apply it consistently. Hopefully
they apply it consistently to every job they do."
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