Two Academy Members Receive Wilkinson Scholarships

By Barbara Taft, CPM, CPO, MSM
btaft@octp.org

Two Certified Public Managers® (CPM) who are working to further their education were presented with 2006 Fran L. Wilkinson Scholarships by the American Academy of Certified Public Managers® (AACPM) during the 18th Annual Professional Development Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

Annually, up to two Wilkinson Scholarships in the amount of $750 each are presented on a competitive basis to CPMs who are furthering their education in order to enhance their public sector service.

Wilkinson Scholarship Committee Chair Barbara Taft CPM, CPO, MSM of Oklahoma, a 2002 Wilkinson Scholarship recipient, made the scholarship presentations to Deidre Lynn Jones, CPM, of Florida and Greg Hyland, CPM of Arizona during the annual AACPM Awards Banquet held as part of the Louisville conference.

Attending Florida State University to attain a Masters of Risk Management Insurance degree, Jones is an Insurance Specialist II with the Florida Department of Financial Services, Division of Workers Compensation. Having served with the agency for the past six year, she has established a goal within the next five years to obtain an upper management position in the area of Risk Management Insurance. A 2003 graduate of the Florida CPM Program, she has served as a Vice President of Public Relations for her local Toastmasters Club and is a former member of the local branch of the Tallahassee Urban League Young Professionals.

Strategic Communications Manager for the City of Yuma, Arizona, Hyland is attending Walden University where he is pursuing a Masters in Public Policy and Administration degree, with an emphasis in public management and leadership. He has been in public service for more than 23 years, the past 18 of which have been working for the City of Yuma. A long-time member of the Academy and the Arizona Society, Greg is currently serving as the AACPM Member at Large of Conference & Communications. In 2007, he will become President-elect of the AACPM. For the Arizona Society of Certified Public Managers®, he has served four terms a President, in addition to other Board and committee positions. He also is a member of the Arizona CPM Program Advisory Board and has been a Henning Award nominee in 2002 and 2006. He is a 1991 graduate of the Arizona CPM Program.

In addition to Taft, members of the 2006 Wilkinson Scholarship Committee include Pamla Wood, CPM, of Kentucky; Dr. Ada Brunette, CPM, of Florida; Douglas Holt, CPM, of Kentucky; and Jeffrey Kramer, P.E., CPM, of Arizona.

2006 Wilkinson Scholars — Presentation of the 2006 Fran L. Wilkinson Memorial Scholarships were made at the Annual AACPM Awards Banquet on September 12th in Louisville, Kentucky. From left are Bill Herman, CPM, of New Hampshire, AACPM President; Deidre Lynn Jones, CPM, of Florida, Wilkinson Scholarship Recipient; Barbara Taft, CPM, of Oklahoma, Wilkinson Scholarship Committee Chair; and Greg Hyland, CPM, of Arizona, Wilkinson Scholarship Recipient.

© Copyright 2006, American Association of Certified Public Managers®