Robert Polanco, Jr., has been awarded the title of Master of Code, “considered the PhD of building safety codes certification,” according to May issue of “Building Safety Journal.” Master of Code is awarded by the International Code Council headquartered in Washington, D.C., and regulating building safety worldwide.

Currently, only 900 ICC professionals hold this level of expertise worldwide. To obtain the title, Polanco passed 10 core ICC exams and 17 more elective certifications. Maintaining the designation will require 60 hours of continuing education units every three years.

When interviewed by the “Building Safety Journal,” Polanco said “There is always something new to learn and improve upon.”

The ICC mission focuses on health and safety in a building’s plumbing, electricity, and environmental sustainability, among many other factors.

After graduating from Alpine High School in 1991, Sul Ross State University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Art and 2010 with his Master’s, Polanco taught high school English in Marfa from 2001-2006, then served the City of Alpine as code enforcement officer/inspector/building official from 2009-2018. He was named building official for the City of Pflugerville in 2018, where he and his family now reside. He has been employed as a code inspector for 13 years.

“Robert has always been a role model,” said one of his former Sul Ross professors, Barney Nelson. “While a US Marine he learned discipline and pride in a work ethic. He has applied those lessons and sense of duty to everything he’s done since. Both AHS and SRSU should be proud of one of our local native sons for this latest in a long string of accomplishments.”