Director's Biography
Jerrily R. Kress, FAIA
Director of the District of Columbia Office of Zoning
 Jerrily R. Kress, FAIA (Fellow of the American Institute of Architects), has been the Director of the District of Columbia Office of Zoning (OZ) since July 1999, in a role that is reorganizing and reformulating the zoning process. As the Director, Ms. Kress is responsible for operation of the administrative arm of the Zoning Commission and the Board of Zoning Adjustment. Under her leadership, the OZ has made remarkable turn around, bringing it into the 21st century.
Formerly, Ms. Kress served as President of KressCox Associates, P.C., a nationally recognized architectural design and planning firm that distinguished itself as a leading design force in the Nation's Capital, winning over 40 national and local awards during her tenure. She has over 30 years of architectural experience administrating, managing, designing and coordinating complete architectural and engineering services for small through large-scale projects. Her experience in business administration extends from her role as corporate manager of two predecessor firms prior to founding KressCox in 1981.
Ms. Kress has also enriched her career over the years by actively integrating professional and public service with her architectural work, including the following:
- American Institute of Architects, Washington Chapter, President
- Business and Professional Association of Georgetown, President
- District of Columbia Zoning Commission, Chairperson
- District of Columbia Occupational Safety and Health, Board Member
- District of Columbia Mayor's Building Code Advisory Committee (BCAC), Chairperson
- District of Columbia United Way, President
- National Capital Area United Way, Chairperson Social Planning Committee & Board Member
- Washington Board of Trade, Board of Directors
- Corporation Against Drug Abuse, Board of Directors
- National Trust for Historic Preservation, Member
- DC Preservation League, Member
- The Historical Society of Washington, DC, Member
For over 18 years, Ms. Kress has served as Chairperson of the DC Building Codes Advisory Committee, which rewrites the building codes for the District of Columbia. As Chairperson, Ms. Kress guided the committee in a line-by-line assessment of the codes, with particular emphasis on codes to reflect the unique characteristics of the District of Columbia. Currently, DC is in the process of adopting the family of the International Construction Code (ICC) with amendments.
Ms. Kress received the 1988 DC Citizen Contribution of the Year Award "In Recognition of Outstanding Effort on Behalf of the District of Columbia" and has been honored with election to the Women's Forum, an international organization for outstanding women in leadership, and to Lamda Alpha International, the Honorary Land Economics Society. She was inducted into the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 1997, for her exceptional achievements in architecture and in 2002 she received a DC Building Industry Association achievement award for her work in zoning.
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