Former FEMA exec takes ICC reigns

WHITTIER, Calif.—The International Code Council (ICC) recently named Richard P. Weiland as its new chief executive officer. For the past three years, Weiland has served as the ICC chief operating officer; and prior to that, as the regional director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

While at FEMA, Weiland participated in the launch of Project Impact, a nationwide endeavor to encourage local communities to step up their efforts to reduce the risk of future disasters. Over the past decade, FEMA has spent billions of dollars to repair and rebuild disaster-stricken areas. The goal of the Project Impact program is to mobilize resources, stimulate the development of partnerships, spur mitigation activities, and enable communities to cope more effectively when disasters occur, so as to reduce long-term losses.

When asked about his vision for the organization, Weiland emphasized, "It’s critical that the ICC continue to foster the strong relationship with the structural engineering community and pursue technological innovations, products, and services that benefit citizens at home and abroad."

The need for strategic partnerships is particularly clear in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami in Southern Asia, earthquakes in California and the Middle East, and future disasters that can strike at a moment’s notice.

"In my years with FEMA, I witnessed firsthand how much even simple acts of mitigation mean to those trying to stay out of harm’s way—and how much the failure to plan and prepare costs in needless suffering and loss. We all need to do more to use the lessons we have learned and the technical experience we have gained as a basis for truly global standards," Weiland concluded.