President’s Message Continued…

The objective to celebrate CPMs everywhere is a long-standing Academy goal. We do this well at the annual awards banquet with awards for Academy service, but every society has stars that have made outstanding contributions and we want more opportunities to encourage recognition of them. Help us identify and celebrate these everyday heroes with newsletter articles, e-mails, and society recognition programs.

For the Academy to be an organization for 21st Century managers, we must be willing to evolve and accept change. Many of our members will be eligible to retire from public service in the next 5 to10 years. We must evaluate our organization to ascertain whether what we offer is of value to the graduating CPMs. Our membership has begun to slip since 2005 when it peaked at over 1,700 members.

To assist in this objective two new committees have been formed. The Strategic Planning Committee, co-chaired by Mark Evans of Wisconsin and Charlene Cutting of New Hampshire, has begun working and will soon be seeking input from various stakeholder groups. Please participate when you are given an opportunity. If we want to grow by attracting new Societies to join the Academy, having a strategic plan that is relevant to new Societies and graduating Certified Public Managers® will be important.

At the 2008 HOD meeting, former AACPM president Dennis Magee made a statement that made us all think. To paraphrase the essence of his three-paragraph statement: “the organization started as a child 20 years ago and now we are heading into adulthood. Presently we view ourselves as Society members first and Academy members second. We are members of a national organization, and it is time to consider the advantage of being a member of a national professional organization first and foremost. We need to start thinking and considering what this paradigm shift could mean to our organization.”       

Magee’s statement resulted in the establishment of an ad hoc committee to investigate the ramifications of changing how Academy members think of themselves. This could result in a stronger national identity for CPMs while maintaining current, local Societies and/or Chapters. This is a discussion that needs to be held and objectively viewed. In the end, it may not change the Academy, but it is important that we have the discussion. We may find that change is desirable and can strengthen existing Societies, grow new Societies, and provide enhanced benefits to Academy members. There is no predetermined outcome for this discussion, and if the committee has recommendations, they will be openly discussed with the entire membership to facilitate consensus on any new course of action.

I hope to see all of you in Orlando in September!

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