Managing a city or county organization, while planning for the future, is a difficult balancing act that requires skill and determination on the part of managers, assistant managers and their teams.

On October 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Sheraton Crescent Hotel located in Phoenix, the Arizona City/County Managers Association's Executive Leadership Program will feature renowned speaker, Dr. James Svara, who specializes in local government, politics and management. Read more

To download and view presentations from conference sessions, click here.

Over 180 members attended the ACMA Summer Conference held at the beautiful Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson.

The ACMA Summer Conference officially commenced Wednesday afternoon with two excellent sessions on Fine Tuning Your Supervisory Skills. Participants at these sessions learned all about selection interviewing and the process of corrective discipline. These informative sessions were directed primarily toward associate members in an effort to help them become more effective leaders within their organizations. Read more

In 2007, there will be three seats open on the ACMA Board of Directors. The ACMA Annual Business Meeting will be scheduled to take place at the Winter Conference in Sedona. As stated in the ACMA by-laws, a nominating committee has been selected to recommend a slate of ACMA Executive Board members for consideration by the membership at the business meeting. Read more

Ken Strobeck, Executive Director of the League, will provide an overview and recap of the 2006 legislative session and its impact on cities and towns. In addition, he will discuss important issues for the upcoming 2007 legislative session and explore strategies for building stronger relationships between cities and towns and the state legislature. Read more

By Bob and Janet Denhardt

Like you, we were devastated and shaken by the tragic events of September 11. Even now, each hour brings a new set of images and emotions, new thoughts and fears. As we look back on that day, we recognize that we both initially went through a period of disbelief, unable to process and accept what we were seeing over and over on the television screen. The scenes were baffling and though we found ourselves watching them repeatedly, we didn't really comprehend what was happening. Read more

Nominations for the John J. DeBolske Professional Excellence Award are currently being accepted. The John J. DeBolske Professional Excellence Award is the highest honor that a member of ACMA may receive. The purpose of this award is to recognize local government professionals who have made significant, life-long contributions to their profession, and to the communities that they have served. We hope that members will submit the name of an individual you feel exemplifies the qualities consistent with this prestigious award. Read more

Each year, through the generosity of our scholarship sponsors the Arizona Public Service Company and a partnership between Greenberg Traurig; Pinnacle One Corporation; RBC Capital Markets and the University of Arizona South; two ACMA members are offered the opportunity to attend Harvard University's State and Local Government Executive Program. As one of this year's scholarship recipients, I had the opportunity to join seventy-seven other program participants in the July 9-28, 2006 class. My classmates came from all over the United States and the world (including Australia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Ireland and Canada), and, with the exception of a few executive-level participants from the non-profit sector, all held executive positions in local and state governments. Read more

Each year, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy (DOE) honor organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. Award winners will be recognized at the ENERGY STAR Awards Ceremony on March 21, 2007 in Washington, DC. Read more

Director
Advanced Public Education Program
Arizona State University

Where are you originally from?
I am originally from Phoenix, Arizona. In fact, I was born on the spot I am now working. The ASU Mercado, in downtown Phoenix is the site of the old St. Joseph's Hospital.

Why did you decide to pursue a career in local government?
It just fit me. I loved working in Coconino County as Election Director, Assistant County Manager and then County Manager. Read more

ICMA Fellow
City Manager's Office
City of Tucson

Where are you originally from?
Since my father was in the military, I've been around. However, I consider Tucson, Arizona my home.

Why did you decide to pursue a career in local government?
I see local government management as a career that allows for continual growth both professionally and personally. As I gain more experience and diversify my strengths, I am able to better affect the lives of our citizens. I think this is a great field to be apart of if you care more about seeing that the job gets done well, than you do about receiving recognition for your efforts. Read more

Mike Hutchinson, retired City Manager of Mesa was appointed by the Board of Directors to be the newest addition to the Range Rider Program.

Mike began his career with the City of Mesa in 1977 as an intern and retired as City Manager on December 2005. During his tenure with the City of Mesa, Mike's leadership propelled Mesa through a period of rapid growth and through his dedication, established and managed a number of award winning City services and programs. Read more

If you are an ACMA member in transition and would like your contact information featured in this section, please contact Mary Vinzant at 602-258-5786 or mvinzant@azleague.org. ACMA members are encouraged to contact these individuals to offer support and/or information about employment opportunities.

Active
Doug Sandstrom, Assistant City Manager, City of Surprise
James Vlahovich, Deputy County Administrator, Cochise County
Michael Leighton, City Manager, City of Wilcox
Christopher Brady, City Manager, City of Mesa
Ruth Osuna, Deputy City Manager, City of Phoenix

Associate
Dr. Catherine Eden, Director Advanced Public Education Program, ASU
Jerome Jordan, Management Intern, City of Tucson
Jestin Johnson, ICMA Fellow, City of Tucson
Lester Godsey, D.M. Information Technology, Town of Queen Creek
Brent Stoddard, Intergovernmental Programs Coordinator, City of Glendale
Kirsten Kennedy, City Council Services Administrator, City of Glendale
Richard Wilkie, Senior Management Analyst, City of Casa Grande
Harold Stewart II, City Management Intern, City of Yuma
Kimmerly Applewhite, Management Intern, City of Phoenix
Lauren Krepitch, Management Assistant, Town of Queen Creek
Michelle Woytenko, Deputy Field Operations Director, City of Glendale
Michele Brown, Human Resource Specialist, Town of Queen Creek
Nina Waters, Human Resource Specialist, Town of Queen Creek
Susan Matousek, Senior Management Assistant, City of Glendale

Student
Rachel Hut, MPA Student, University of Kansas