The California City Management Foundation (CCMF) is pleased to award Kurt Wilson the second $5,000 Harvard Leadership Program Scholarship in the 2017-18 program year.
Kurt Wilson is the City Manager of Stockton. He holds two masters degrees, one in Business Administration and the other in Education Administration. Additionally, he has earned a variety of post-graduate and professional certifications, including project management, labor relations, human resource management, real estate leadership, and licensing as an emergency medical technician.
Having joined the City of Stockton as Deputy City Manager in 2012, Kurt was appointed City Manager in January 2014. Kurt’s leadership was essential to successfully ending the City’s bankruptcy; he has guided the City in implementing a renewed focus on economic development, the institutionalization of public safety enhancement, and permanent financial control measures. In addition to his experience and background in local government, Kurt was a founding member of the U. S. Department of Homeland Security.
Though Kurt brings over two decades of public sector experience serving in both elected and senior staff capabilities for four cities and two state agencies, the Leadership Decision Making program will provide him with an opportunity for learning new concepts and strategies for designing better decision environments. Moreover, Kurt’s senior expertise will make him an invaluable asset to his cohort, allowing for greater learning as a team.
This scholarship is open to active CCMF members who have been accepted to the Harvard Kennedy School’s “Leadership Decision Making: Optimizing Organizational Performance” program. There is still one scholarship left to be awarded in our 2017-18 program year; learn more about how to apply at cacitymanagers.org/harvard-scholarship. The Leadership Decision Making program teaches leaders to answer tough questions, improve the accuracy of estimates, and more effectively structure negotiations.
“Kurt is one of our steady rocks in the California city management community,” said CCMF President Wade McKinney. “He has already accomplished great things on behalf of his City and I know this program will empower him to become an even greater public servant.”
On behalf of us here at CCMF, congratulations to Kurt!