ALEXANDRIA, Va. - NACS is again representing the convenience and fuel retailing industry in the standards development arena, having been accepted as a full voting member onto the International Code Council (ASC A117) Consensus Committee on Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities.

The committee is responsible for setting minimum building codes that are accepted in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as developing the ICC A117.1, an accessibility standard that ensures buildings accessible to people with disabilities. The Department of Justice (DOJ) adopted these building codes and standard during the development of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

"It is important that NACS members are represented during the process of creating new accessibility codes and standards," said Corey Fitze, NACS director of government relations. "Convenience stores are unique in so many ways, it is essential that we have an expert in not only ADA architecture but also an architect who has worked on thousands of convenience stores to advocate practical solutions on behalf of NACS?? members."

NACS is being represented on the committee by M. Bradley Gaskins, principal and COO of The McIntosh Group, a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based firm that is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to provide accessibility solutions for clients. Gaskins is a nationally known ADA compliance expert with extensive knowledge of not only the regulations, but also the convenience store industry.

"I am proud to represent NACS as a member of a committee focused on accessible and usable buildings and facilities," said Gaskins. "The McIntosh Group will help educate NACS and its members on new technical requirements developed by the committee. My objective is to share, with the committee for their deliberations, the potential impact of the standards on NACS members and continue to advocate for commonsense solutions."