Texas Border Business
Norma Yado, Chief Building Official for the City of McAllen, was recently reappointed by Governor Greg Abbott to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners (TSBPE), for a term set to expire on September 5, 2029. The Board licenses master plumbers, journeymen, plumbers, and plumbing inspectors.
“As a board member of the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners, it is our responsibility to regulate the plumbing industry in Texas through the administration and enforcement of the Plumbing License Law,” said Yado. “The TSBPE ensures safe plumbing practices within the State of Texas to safeguard the Texas citizens’ health and safety by guaranteeing clean drinking water, uncontaminated air, and safe medical gases through regulated plumbing systems.”
Yado is one of only a handful of women to be appointed to this licensing board.
Yado’s career with the City of McAllen began in the Building Permits and Inspections Department as an Inspection Clerk in 1991. During her tenure, she has held various positions from Permit Technician, Residential and Commercial Plan Examiner, Building Inspector and Supervisor Building Inspector. Yado is the first female Chief Building Official with the City of McAllen since it was established in 1904.
One of many firsts in her career has also been to become the first female president for the Valley Building Official Association, established in 1959. She is also the only female south of San Antonio to hold a Medical Gas Endorsement under her Plumbing State License from the Texas State Plumbing Board of Examiners. Yado also proudly serves on the South Texas College HVAC Advisory Board,
“Through perseverance and determination, Norma has overcome challenges in a male-dominated field,” said McAllen Assistant City Manager Michelle Rivera. “We are so proud that the professionalism, qualifications, licenses and endorsements she uses in her daily work for the City of McAllen have been recognized by the State of Texas to help continue to maintain a safe quality of life for residents throughout Texas.”
