VETERAN ADMINISTRATOR NAMED TO
RUN BUILDING SAFETY

(BOISE) – Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter today appointed Kelly Pearce, a veteran administrator of state agencies over three decades, as administrator of the Division of Building Safety.

Pearce takes over the state office responsible for compliance with statewide building, energy conservation, public works contractors, industrial safety, logging, electrical and plumbing codes, standards and regulations.

“You’d be hard pressed to find anyone more qualified or experienced to effectively and efficiently manage the varied elements of this regulatory agency,” Otter said. “His record and range of public and community service is truly astounding, and I’m very fortunate that he’s agreed to take on this new responsibility for the people of Idaho.”

Pearce is a former Army intelligence officer, probate judge, magistrate and executive director of the Lava Hot Springs Foundation who was special assistant to Democrat Governor John Evans before becoming director of the Idaho Department of Law Enforcement in 1977. He was managing partner of the Idaho office for New York Life Insurance Co. until becoming executive secretary to the Idaho Area President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 2001.

Pearce’s community work includes serving as chairman of the Idaho Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, state chairman of the American Cancer Society, Pocatello area board chairman for the Salvation Army, United Way director and various positions with the Boy Scouts of America.