Media Release

July 19, 2005

Media Contacts:

Rosann Doran

Public Information Officer

Tom Thompson announces retirement
from city after 26 years of service  

 Tom Thompson, Broomfield’s chief building official and longtime employee, has announced his intention to retire September 6, after 26 years with the city.

 Thompson, 55, said he had been “pondering” his retirement plans for some time.  He was hired September 4, 1979 as a building inspector, was appointed to plans analyst in 1980 and promoted on March 16, 1983 to Chief Building Official, a post he has held ever since.

 In announcing his retirement, Thompson said, “I have a lot of pride in the accomplishments and work effort of the Building Division over the past 26 years. A lot of departments do not get the opportunity and challenge that we have had.   

“Our work on FlatIron Crossing, various high rise buildings, the jail and nursing homes presented unique and diverse challenges to our staff…  We were able to provide all building code enforcement services in-house with our well-trained staff.”  

City and County Manager George Di Ciero noted that Thompson has earned his retirement. “We have seen Broomfield progress from a postage stamp to a first-class city,” he said, crediting Thompson as “a most important reason for the success.”

 Di Ciero added Thompson’s “professionalism, knowledge and ability to get things done are second to none… Tom Thompsons come along once in a city’s lifetime.” 

 In his resignation, Thompson returned the compliment, writing, “I appreciate very much the support given me and the Building Division during my tenure.  I have always felt the City Manager’s Office and City Council have supported a strong building code enforcement program and I have enjoyed the opportunity to build a professional team to accomplish this goal.”

 Thompson was responsible for all facets of building code enforcement for Broomfield, as well as staffing, training, budget planning and administration.

 Professionally, Thompson has been involved with code issues nationally through his active participation in the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO). He has been a regular attendee at code development meetings since the early 1980s. He served on the ICBO Board of Directors from 1989 to 1997 and was elected chairman of the board in 1996.

 He has also served on the Board of Directors for the International Code Council (ICC), and International Fire Code Institute. Early in his career, he became familiar with alternate materials and methods of construction while serving on the ICBO Evaluation Services Committee. He currently serves the ICC as a member of the Steering Committee for Code Councils, and as chairman of the Standards Council.  He is an appointed ambassador for the Building a Safer World Foundation.

 Thompson is a graduate of Colorado State University with a BA in construction management.  He also completed multiple certifications through ICBO, Colorado Office of Energy Conservation and the Council of American Building Officials, among others.

Thompson taught building code classes for Front Range Community College as an adjunct faculty member from 1993 to 2001. He has been a member of the ICBO and and ICC faculty since 1999.  His students have included architects, engineers and contractors and code enforcement personnel.  He is currently teaching online code classes for Red Rocks Community College and Trinidad State Junior College.