City of Palm Bay Welcomes Roy Johnston as New Chief Building Official

The City of Palm Bay is pleased to welcome Roy Johnston as its new Chief Building Official. Johnston has more than 15 years of experience in building administration, code compliance, inspections, and municipal government, including leadership roles in Florida and Pennsylvania.

As Chief Building Official, Johnston will oversee the City's Building Department, including permitting, plan review, inspections, and enforcement of applicable building codes. He will work with staff, residents, contractors, and development professionals to support safe construction, consistent application of building standards, and efficient service delivery as Palm Bay continues to grow.

"Roy brings extensive technical knowledge and proven leadership experience to this important role," said City Manager Matthew Morton. "His background in building department operations, regulatory compliance, and process improvement will be a valuable asset as we continue working to improve services for our residents and development community."

Johnston most recently served as Director and Building Official at the University of Central Florida, where he oversaw building department operations, budgeting, government relations, legal compliance, personnel, and planning. Under his leadership, the department achieved AC251, IAS Accreditation Criteria for Building Departments, Code Enforcement Departments and Third Parties, Providing Building and/or Property Maintenance Code Enforcement Services.

Prior to his work at UCF, Johnston served as Building Official for Ross Township, Pennsylvania, and held several positions with the City of Pittsburgh, including Master Code Official, Plan Examining Engineer, and Senior Inspector. His experience includes building and zoning code administration, accessibility compliance, and working with design professionals and contractors on complex construction projects.

Johnston holds numerous professional certifications, including Florida Building Code Administrator, International Code Council Master Code Professional, and Certified Building Official. He also holds certifications in fire safety, building inspections, plan review, and accessibility compliance.

"I am honored to step into the role of Chief Building Official for the City of Palm Bay, and I want to express my sincere gratitude to our community for your trust and support," said Johnston. "Strong relationships are the foundation of effective service, and I look forward to working collaboratively with our residents, contractors, and partners to build a safer, more resilient future together."