Jim Canter to Lead Building Inspections in Fairfax County

Jim Canter has been promoted to chief of the Fairfax County Land Development Services’ (LDS) Building Inspections Branch, a role that oversees nearly 160,000 commercial and residential inspections annually. With his 25 years of construction experience, Canter joined LDS a little over two years ago as a combination inspector and was promoted only last year to a supervising combination inspector. In his new role, he will oversee 46 inspectors and seven supervisors.

“As the new Branch Chief I am looking forward to working with our amazing staff of inspectors, supervisors, and support staff as we serve the ever-changing and challenging Fairfax County building industry,” Canter said. “We are intent on continuing the good work accomplished before, while constantly training for the future as new inspection techniques, technologies, and processes are being developed and implemented. This will help us achieve our goals of delivering speed, consistency, and predictability to our clients.”

Canter has many years of experience as a construction manager for firms such as Stanley Martin Homes, and owned his own consulting business providing residential energy audits. His first day as chief was November 12, 2018.

Canter takes over for Guy Tomberlin as chief, who is moving into an advisory role in support of succession planning, after a 33-year career with the county. Tomberlin has held several positions within the building division and has plans stay on another year before retiring. He has also served as president of the International Code Council, the Virginia Building and Code Officials Association and the Virginia Plumbing and Mechanical Inspectors Association, among other accomplishments.

“My time at the county has been one of the greatest most rewarding experiences of my life. I have been extremely fortunate to have participated and been involved and exposed to all the wonderful aspects of the building construction industry, as I have, on behalf of Fairfax County,” said Tomberlin. “I am confident Jim Canter will continue the momentum forward to the next level and strive to make this the branch and division where everyone wants to work.”

Inspections, required during the construction of new structures and the alteration of existing ones, are integral to LDS’s mission to facilitate the safe and sustainable building of Fairfax County communities. Learn more about LDS at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/landdevelopment.