AC Powell will lead the National Institute of Building Sciences as its next president and CEO. In his role at the nonprofit, he will head efforts to expand programs and markets, and to grow membership, according to an Aug. 12 board of directors announcement..

Powell, who starts on Sept. 12, will be NIBS' fourth permanent lead executive. The group has recently been led on an interim basis by Stephen T. Ayers, who stepped in earlier this year after former CEO Lakisha A. Woods left for an executive role at the American Institute of Architects. NIBS was previously led by David A. Harris, for nearly 28 years, and Henry L. Green, for nearly a decade.

NIBS was established by Congress in 1974 to serve as a bridge between the buildings sector and the government, to help advance regulations and the adoption of new technology. Today, it is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit. The group produces reports on topics like disaster preparedness, building code regulations and building performance.

The Next Chapter

In a statement, NIBS Board Chair Anne Ellis said Powell would guide the organization “into this next chapter, convening and collaborating with the building [sector] and public and private sectors in our collective efforts to prepare the nation’s built environment for the 21st century and beyond.”

Powell is currently executive director and CEO of the Association for Facilities Engineering, which provides professional development and leadership conferences for operators of commercial high-rises, industrial plants, medical centers and other facilities. He is also an adjunct professor at Stratford University. 

His prior experience includes independent consulting, the DC Chamber of Commerce’s business resource center and Allstate Insurance Co., according to Powell’s AFE biography. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Denison University in Granville, Ohio, and a Juris Doctor from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.