John reflected, “When asked what I have done to grow ASFPM and the FPM mission, I must admit not much when compared to others. However, in 1989, I did learn that while I was only one floodplain manager, ASFPM was the catalyst where thousands of floodplain managers were standing ready to accomplish whatever is needed to mitigate flood risk from coast to coast and beyond. Perhaps ASFPM’s motto should have been, “You come up with the idea and we will make it happen.”

After completing a US Navy tour in 1968, John worked for an engineering firm in Corpus Christi, TX where his first engineering assignments were design and construction of community flood recovery projects after Hurricane Beulah (1967). In 1981, after 11 years with HUD, FIA and FEMA, John joined Halff Associates where his first assignment was to get involved with ASFPM and support their FPM mission. He assisted Roy Sedwick in creating the Texas Floodplain Management Association (TFMA), now ASFPM’s largest chapter. In 1989, Dr Halff and John attended the ASFPM Conference in Scottsdale where John joined several ASFPM Committees and soon became ASFPM Region 6 director.

In 1993 John became chair of the ASFPM Professional Development Committee, with a goal to provide continuing education and professional development, not only for floodplain management professionals but to include a broad range of professions such as engineers, surveyors, planners, environmentalists, architects, federal and state partners, nonprofit associations, and general public.

ASFPM CFM Task Force

At the 1993 ASFPM Conference in San Diego, the Board of Directors sanctioned efforts to expand a Certified Floodplain Manager program being explored by Jim Owen and the California Floodplain Management Association (FMA) into a national CFM program to be managed by ASFPM. Chair Doug Plasencia and Larry asked John to chair the ASFPM CFM Task Force to create the ASFPM national Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) program. ASFPM’s creation of this program in the late 1990s resulted in a major expansion of ASFPM’s mission because becoming a CFM enabled professionals from a wide variety of professions to expand their expertise to include floodplain management. The CFM program also created international interest and helped foster ASFPM’s creation of the International Committee.

ASFPM National CFM Exam

In 1996, John’s Professional Development Committee role was expanded to include chair of the ASFPM Floodplain Manager Certification Task Force with a mission to fully develop all aspects of the ASFPM National CFM Program and Certification Exam. A Certification Board of Regents (CBOR) was established to guide this. From 1996-99, the committee created the National CFM Exam that was field tested at the 1998 annual conference in Milwaukee, WI and launched at the 1999 ASFPM Conference in Portland, OR, where 32 members became the inaugural CFMs!

In 1999, John joined CBOR as chair of the CFM Exam Work Group that reported to CBOR. The CFM Work Group conducted annual CFM Exam reviews until John retired from CBOR in 2016. In the recognition of John’s efforts in the CFM program, in 2001 the ASFPM board of directors created the John Ivey Award for Superior Efforts in Certification, which is given out each year.

Floodplain Management Quick Guide

In 1999, TFMA contracted with Rebecca Quinn to develop the Texas Floodplain Management Quick Guide. John worked closely with Rebecca and Roy Sedwick, TFMA Executive Director, to incorporate Texas requirements into the Texas Quick Guide.

CBOR Annual Certification Survey

While John was serving on CBOR, he developed and conducted an annual certification survey of over 20 national certification programs allowing ASFPM and its chapters to compare and evaluate programs across these six components:

• Membership and certification fees
• Education and experience requirements for certification
• Certification exam type and length
• Recertification requirements
• Continued education requirements
• Ethics requirements

Reliability and Validity Assessment of the CFM Program/Exam

John, as chair of the CBOR CFM Work Group, worked closely with Tom Hirt of FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute (EMI) to conduct a Reliability and Validity (R&V) assessment of the National CFM Exam. This action was expanded in 2011 by the ASFPM executive office and CBOR into a R&V assessment of the National CFM Program and CFM Exam conducted by contract with the Ohio State University. This detailed assessment determined that the ASFPM CFM Program and National CFM Exam was Reliable and Valid. The R&V assessment produced program and exam protocols adopted by CBOR that still remain in effect.

Floodplain Manager Job Description

While serving CBOR, John helped develop a job description for floodplain managers that was provided to NFIP communities, ASFPM Chapters, FEMA, and the floodplain management community.

Higher Floodplain Management Standards  

In 2004, John, a strong proponent of higher floodplain management standards, worked with Mike Howard, Texas State Floodplain Manager (NFIP State Coordinator) and Roy Sedwick, TFMA Executive Director, to develop a Texas state-wide Higher Standards Survey. He developed and managed the annual Texas Higher Standard Survey from 2004 until 2022. The Texas Higher Standards Survey was incorporated into the:

• Texas State Hazard Mitigation Plan
• Background reference to EO 13690, Establishing a Flood Risk Program
• Supporting documentation for 2015 International Building Code requiring +1’ Freeboard

In 2011, John was one of the authors of the ASFPM Higher Standards Guide developed by the ASFPM Floodplain Regulations Committee. In 2013, he joined a group of floodplain managers that updated the ASFPM Higher Floodplain Management Standards Guide. And in 2015, John was the primary author of the TFMA Higher Standards Guide and the revisions that followed. Other roles included:

• Author of Texas Water Development Board’s FPM 101. ASFPM revised into a National FPM 101 short course
• Member of ASFPM Regulations Committee’s that developed the 2011 FPM Higher Standards Guide and the 2013 major revision
• Author of TFMA’s 2015 HS Guide
• Developed and conducted TFMA’s Higher Floodplain Management Standards Survey that became a primary reference to EO 13690 and supported development of the Freeboard requirements in the 2015 International Building Code
• Developed and presented ASFPM’s FPM Ethics Webinar
• Author of TFMA revision to FEMA’s E273 creating E273.1 and 273.2
• Coauthored TFMA’s FPM Ethics Workshop with Troy Lynn Lovell that was provided to the Texas PE Board to develop mandatory Ethics training for PE’s and RPLS and presented as a ASFPM’s FPM Ethics National Webinar by John Ivey and Jessica Baker
• Author of Texas Board of Professional Engineers and Surveyors (TBPLS) Course #1027 approved for continuing education credit (PDH) for Texas PE and RPLS
• Principal researcher for TFMA’s Annual Higher Standards Survey from 2004 to 2022. This survey was referenced to support the 2015 International Building Code higher standard (Freeboard) requirement and provided documentation for E) 13690
•  Helped develop ASFPM’s CFM Mentor Program (also adopted by TFMA as “Ask the Expert” Program)
• Worked closely with Roy Sedwick and Diane Calhoun to develop the initial CFM Program and exams for TX, Ok and NM before ASFPM’s National CFM program was finalized.

Leadership Positions

John held numerous leadership positions in ASFPM and TFMA over the years, including:

• Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) – Region 6 Director; Chair, Professional Development Committee (1993-2009); Chair CFM Exam Committee (1999-2016); Regent on Certified Board of Regents (1999 – 2016)
• Texas Floodplain Management Association (TFMA) – Chair (1995); Certification Committee (1995-2018); TFMA Mentor/Higher Standards Committee Chair (2012-2018)