INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb has appointed Alan L. Blunk as the new Indiana State Building Commissioner.
Blunk, a six-year leader of the Indiana Department of Homeland Security Plan Review Section, has supervised a team of building plan reviewers responsible for more than 70,000 construction design releases during his tenure. By law, the IDHS Plan Review Section must approve all plans and designs for Class 1 structures (non-residential, publicly accessible buildings) before construction begins. Blunk also has worked with architectural and engineering firms and is certified in Indiana and Arizona with the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).
Blunk served as the section chief under Craig Burgess, the previous State Building Commissioner who recently retired. Blunk said he plans to continue business as usual in his new role while streamlining the business review process and improving customer service to builders across the state.
“I’m proud to have earned this appointment and look forward to working to ensure a timely, consistent, fair, accurate, and thorough project experience for each client while continuing to foster goodwill for IDHS across the state,” said Blunk, who will begin his new role on Nov. 13.
Blunk began in 2013 as a Senior Plan Reviewer with IDHS. He is a certified fire inspector, commercial building inspector, and plans examiner by the International Code Council. He earned bachelor’s degrees in architecture and science in environmental design from Ball State University and since has served as an architect or project manager on 150 projects across 34 years in the industry.
IDHS Executive Director Joel Thacker praised Blunk for his longstanding achievements in the industry and the consistency and leadership he will bring to the role of State Building Commissioner.
“Alan will continue to serve the state of Indiana well in this role as he has for the past decade,” Thacker said. “He leads a high-functioning team of plan reviewers and is the best choice to ensure public safety in future construction across the state.”
