The Building Officials Association of Texas (BOAT) will present the following annual awards and scholarships at the 2026 Annual Conference on Thursday, August 6, in Waco, Texas.
SCHOLARHIP APPLICATIONS and AWARD NOMINATIONS may be submitted until 5:00 p.m., June 30, 2026.
Awards Available
Building Official of the Year (Jim Whatley Award)
This award was established to honor outstanding professionals in the field. The award will only be given to a building official (a manager in charge of construction code enforcement). The nominee should be an individual who is dedicated to life safety and public welfare.
Code Professional of the Year
This award honors individuals who provide service to protect public health, safety and general welfare as they relate to the construction, occupancy of buildings and structures, and maintenance of those structures and communities. Those eligible include, but are not limited to, permit technicians, plans examiners, inspectors, supervising inspectors, building officials, code enforcement officers, and fire officials. Nominations are accepted from a director, building official, mayor, or city manager.
Administrative Professional
This award is intended to honor individuals on the front line or rear echelon who diligently promote and enhance service delivery to the citizens of Texas. Nominations are accepted from a director, building official, mayor, or city manager.
Excellence in Code Enforcement
This award recognizes a municipality or organization that promotes/enhances/takes steps necessary to provide world class service delivery through certification/education/ quality inspection processes. Municipalities or organizations can be nominated by any member of any municipality.
Texas Chapter of the Year
This special award honors the BOAT chapter that has made the greatest contributions to enhance and promote code officials across the state. Nominations are accepted from any member of any chapter.
Public Official of the Year
This merit award is intended for those public officials who promote safety in the built environment. Anyone can nominate any public official who stands out as a promoter of public safety in the built environment.
BOAT Scholarship
The Building Officials Association of Texas has a strong desire to advance the visibility and importance of building safety throughout the construction industry while also assisting students who have a sincere interest in continuing their education. Scholarships are provided directly to each recipient to assist with tuition, fees, equipment, and other school related expenses. Scholarships range from $500 to $2,000, as determined by the BOAT Executive Board each year.