Fall 2024

Dear CCMF Members,

Our 2024-25 program year is now underway, and we are looking forward to an exciting season with many long-anticipated events ahead. Thank you, as always, for your ongoing support of CCMF. If you know anyone in the city management community who isn’t yet a CCMF member, I encourage you to invite them to join and take advantage of the valuable resources and networking opportunities we offer. While we’re excited about the months ahead, I’d like to take a moment to share some important updates.

On behalf of CCMF, I am pleased to announce that Santa Clarita Assistant to the City Manager Michael Villegas and Burbank Assistant City Manager Courtney Padgett are the recipients of our 2024-25 Executive Education Grant. Mr. Villegas used his grant to attend the Harvard Leadership Decision Making program, and Ms. Padgett used the grant to attend the Stanford University Local Government Summer Institute.

I also wanted to remind you about our new online series, “Retired and Inspired: The Next Chapter,” which will feature in-depth interviews with one city manager at a time, similar to our “Profiles in Management” series. This series is dedicated to retired and in-transition members, providing former city managers with a platform to share their post-career experiences and pursuits. If you’re interested in participating, please contact the CCMF team at info@cacitymanagers.org. To nominate a specific retired or in-transition city manager for consideration, reach out to CCMF through the contact form on our website.

Looking ahead, we’re thrilled to host the New and Future City Managers (NFCM) Seminar, the “crown jewel” of CCMF, from Nov. 6 to 8 at the Westin Hotel in Pasadena. This annual workshop is designed to help new city managers and those aspiring to the role in the future. We are proud to provide this learning forum to our members as part of our ongoing mission to support excellence in the city management profession. The 2024 NFCM Seminar participants have already been selected, and we look forward to connecting with this year’s cohort.

If you missed the application period for this year’s NFCM Seminar, please do not worry. There are more events and networking opportunities ahead, including our Annual Member Appreciation Dinner in February. This event, held during the 2025 League of California Cities City Managers Conference in Rancho Mirage, is a fantastic chance to connect with city managers from across the state. It’s also a special evening to recognize our corporate sponsors and the individuals who have significantly contributed to expanding CCMF’s mission. Don’t miss out on this evening of camaraderie, celebration and awards—more details to come soon.

As always, CCMF is here to support you. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me or CCMF Executive Director Ken Pulskamp. We’re just a phone call away: 844-CCMF-411.

Once again, thank you for your continued support of our city leaders and the city management profession. Wishing you a happy and healthy fall season!

Sincerely,

Ken Striplin
CCMF President