Communications

The Academy Newsletter was a focus of attention this year. To fulfill an early Strategic Goal of the Academy, a contest to name the Newsletter was held in 2003. The Newsletter under the newly named masthead “The CPM Connection” was published for the first time this year. The Communications Committee produced five issues of the newsletter, including a Special Edition in January.

The Academy Web Site was completely redesigned, updated and put on line early in the year to fulfill a promise made to the HOD in 2003. The Web Site is now the primary communication tool of the Academy. The Web Site format was completely changed and made more user friendly. Academy related information of interest to Academy Members, the Societies and others was posted on the Web Page. For example, “The History of the Certified Public Manager” authored by Tom Patterson and the New Hampshire CPM Project Survey “The Value of the Certified Public Manager’s® Education and Designation” were both posted to the Web Site.

The relationship and partnership between the Academy and Consortium grew this last year. Board Members from each group attended and participated in each other’s Board and selected Committee Meetings and members of each group authored articles for the others Newsletters. For the first time in Academy and Consortium history, the Academy President and Consortium Chair hailed from the same state.

Building upon the Consortium’s success to secure trademark protection for the term “Certified Public Manager”® and the resulting use agreement of that protection between the Academy and the Consortium, the Academy undertook an effort to protect the name of the organization. That effort was nearing successful completion at the end of the year with an anticipated approval in early 2005.

The Consortium granted continuing accreditation to Alabama, Kentucky, New Jersey and Utah and granted associate membership to the United States Virgin Islands and to the Center for Organizational Effectiveness (a San Diego, California-based Program).

The Committee Reviewing Electronic Communications for AACPM and Member Society Leadership was formed at the HOD Meeting as a result of a successful motion as follows: “The Academy develop an electronic communications system to connect Society Presidents, President-Elects and Past Presidents and the Academy Board within three months”. After appointment of the members, the direction to the Committee was “To review and evaluate the alternate options and report back to the Board two months from today with a suggested list of recommendations that the Board should consider in how best to implement the motion.” The Committee surveyed the Member Societies to determine their needs. E-Mail Distribution Group listings of Academy Board Members and designated Society Officers were developed and posted on the Web Site (ID Name and Password security protected) to enhance communications between the Academy and Society Officers and among the Society Officers.