Awards

ACMA has developed the following awards and scholarships to ensure that members are recognized for outstanding service and have the opportunity to challenge themselves by participating in an international professional development program. The ACMA Board and membership is also very active in recruiting students in the field of local government management. This commitment is reflected in some of the scholarships ACMA offers.

  • John J. DeBolske Professional Excellence Award

    The John J. DeBolske Professional Excellence Award, was created in 1997 to recognize City/County Managers who demonstrate the highest level of professional excellence in local government and who have made life contributions in serving the profession. This award is the highest honor that ACMA may bestow upon a member. The namesake of the award, Jack DeBolske, was the Executive Director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns for 40 years. The award winner is recognized at the Winter Conference.

    Previous John J. DeBolske Professional Excellence Award Recipients

    2024 Bryant Powell, City Manager, Apache Junction

    2023 Susan Thorpe – ACMA Senior Advisor

    2022 Chuck Potucek, City Manager, Sierra Vista

    2021 Larry Rains, City Manager, Casa Grande

    2020 Michael Ortega, City Manager, City of Tucson

    2019 Patrick Banger, Town Manager, Town of Gilbert

    2018 John Kross, Town Manager, Town of Queen Creek

    2017 Bob Flatley, Former City Manager, City of Coolidge

    2016 Gayle Mabery, Town Manager, Town of Clarkdale

    2015 Gilbert Davidson, Town Manager, Town of Marana

    2014 Chris Brady, City Manager, City of Mesa

    2013 Ken Buchanan, Town Manager, Town of Fountain Hills

    2012 Cynthia Seelhammer, Retired Deputy City Manager, City of Phoenix

    2011 Jimmy Jayne, County Manager, Navajo County

    2010 W. Mark Pentz, City Manager, City of Chandler

    2009 Terry Ellis, Retired City Manager, City of Peoria

    2008 Jim Thompson, City Manager, City of Casa Grande

    2007 George Flores, Retired Deputy City Manager, City of Phoenix

    2006 Mike Hutchinson, Retired City Manager, Mesa

    2005 Lloyd Harrell, Retired City Manager, Chandler

    2004 Frank Fairbanks, City Manager, Phoenix

    2003 Stephen Cleveland, City Manager, Goodyear

    2002 Paul Nordin, Town Manager, Fountain Hills

    2001 Dick Bowers, City Manager, Scottsdale

    2000 Ed Beasley, Asst. City Manager, Glendale

    1999 Louis Sorenson, City Manager, Kingman

    1998 Marty Vanacour, City Manager, Glendale

  • Catherine F. Connolly Outstanding Assistant City/County Manager Award

    The Catherine F. Connolly Outstanding Assistant City/County Manager Award was created in 2007. The award recognizes an outstanding assistant city or county manager who has demonstrated exemplary service to their organization, the community, local government and ACMA. The namesake of the award, Catherine F. Connolly, was the executive director of the League of Arizona Cities and Towns for eight years and served more than 20 years as the deputy director. This award is conveyed annually at ACMA’s annual Winter Conference.

    Catherine F. Connolly Outstanding Assistant City/County Manager Award Recipients:

    2024 Victoria Yarbrough, Assistant City Manager, Sierra Vista

    2023 Natalie Lewis – Deputy City Manager, Mesa

    2022 Gina Montes, Deputy City Manager, Phoenix

    2021 – Not Awarded

    2020 – Not Awarded

    2019 Milton Dohoney Jr., Assistant City Manager, City of Phoenix

    2018 – Not Awarded

    2017 Karen Osburn, Assistant City Manager, City of Sedona

    2016 Rick Naimark, Former Deputy City Manager, City of Phoenix

    2015 Bryant Powell, City Manager, City of Apache Junction

    2014 Mike Townsend, Deputy County Manager, Coconino County

    2013 Pat McDermott, Assistant City Manager, City of Chandler

    2012 Karolyn Kent, Deputy City Manager, City of Mesa

    2011 Susan Thorpe, Deputy City Manager, City of Peoria

    2010 Cynthia Seelhammer, Deputy City Manager, City of Phoenix

    2009 Tami Ryall, Assistant Town Manager, Town of Gilbert

    2008 Mary Jacobs, Assistant City Manager, City of Sierra Vista

    2007 Pam Kavanaugh, Assistant City Manager, City of Glendale

  • Rachel Hut Bremen Associate's Award for Excellence in Leadership

    In 2008 the Arizona City/County Management Association (ACMA) created an award to recognize professional achievement for its associate members. In July 2015 the ACMA Board of Directors changed the name of the Associate’s Award for Excellence in Leadership to the Rachel Hut Bremen Associate’s Award for Excellence in Leadership. The award is in memory of Rachel Hut Bremen who was an active ACMA member, serving on the Board of Directors for two terms and volunteering on several committees. This award is specifically designed to recognize associate members who contribute to the profession through their organization at an associate member level rather than a CEO level. This award will be conveyed annually to the successful recipient at ACMA’s annual Winter Conference.

    Rachel Hut Bremen Associate’s Award for Excellence in Leadership Recipients:

    2024 Stacy Hettmansperger, Solid Waste Administrator, Phoenix

    2023 Cutter Chamberlain – Assistant to the Town Manager, Prescott Valley

    2022 – Not Awarded

    2021 Stephen Erno, Neighborhood Services Manager, Chandler

    2020 Edith Baltierrez, Neighborhood and Family Services Assistant Director, City of Avondale

    2019 Steven Turner, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Casa Grande

    2018 Pamela Weir, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Goodyear

    2017 Mary Vinzant, Assistant to the Town Manager, Town of Gilbert

    2016 Stephanie Smith, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Flagstaff

    2015 Dawn Buckland, Director of Administration and Government Affairs, Town of Paradise Valley

    2014 Gina Montes, Neighborhood and Family Services Director, City of Avondale

    2013 Nicole Dailey, Assistant to the Town Manager, Town of Gilbert

    2012 Kristen Krey, Council Services Administrator, City of Glendale

    2011 Andy Bertelsen, Public Works Director, Coconino County

    2010 Joshua Wright, Assistant to the Manager, Town of Marana

    2009 Dr. Robert Denhardt, Director, ASU School of Public Affairs

    2008 Andrea Costello, Assistant to the City Manager, City of Sedona

     

  • ACMA Life Membership

    ACMA Life Membership is conferred on retired members who have provided distinguished service to local government and who have made lasting and meaningful contributions to ACMA and the profession of local government management. This honor is conferred on retired members at the Winter Conference.

    Cynthia Seelhammer
    Frank Abeyta
    Ed Beasley
    Raymond Bladine
    Richard Bowers
    Ken Buchanan
    Fred Carpenter
    Stephen Cleveland
    Catherine Connolly
    Kent Cooper
    Terry Doolittle
    Terry Ellis
    Frank Fairbanks
    George Flores
    Lloyd Harrell
    George Hoffman
    Mike Hutchinson
    Jimmy Jayne
    Pamela Kavanaugh
    Karolyn Kent
    Michael Letcher
    Gayle Mabery
    Patrick McDermott
    Roy Pederson
    Steven Peru
    George Pettit
    Curtis Shook
    Louis Sorensen
    Niki Tope
    Joel Valdez
    Jerene Watson
    Terry Zerkle
    Ed Zuercher

  • NextGen Mentorship Award

    In 2022 ACMA created an award to recognize an individual who is dedicated to cultivating talent, mentoring, and helping guide NextGen public service leaders to become our future community leaders at the local or county level in Arizona. This award is conveyed at the Next Generation Leadership Conference each year and also recognized at the Winter Conference.

     

     

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