In 1955, Edison Hubert Johnson, P.E., then Chief Building Inspector for Durham, and Kern E. Church, P.E., then Assistant State Fire Marshal discussed the future life safety of the citizens of North Carolina and the building code that governed the construction of buildings in North Carolina. At the conclusion of this discussion, both agreed that North Carolina was in need of a one and two-family dwelling Code and that personnel should be available to enforce the code throughout the state. These two dedicated gentlemen further discussed the possibility of organizing a state building inspectors’ association. As a direct result of this meeting between these dedicated professional engineers, the North Carolina Building Inspectors’ Association was organized and chartered on June 26, 1956, at the first meeting which was held in Raleigh. Ed Johnson became the Association’s first President and Kern Church became its first Secretary/Treasurer.
Some organizations are made great by circumstance, but this organization became a great organization through the hard and dedicated work of many inspectors, both regular and associate members and also persons who were non-members with the “can do” and “wilco” (will cooperate) attitude. Without the courage, faith, and perseverance of those personnel who were charter members, the organization would not be here today. With characteristic foresight, they saw the need for a professional building inspectors organization to assist in the protection of the health and safety of all citizens of this great state.
