The ICMA Executive Board has nominated Dr. Robert Bland to be an Honorary Member of ICMA. The criteria for the election of Honorary Members are:

• Contributions to strengthening the structure of local government
• Leadership in increasing citizen understanding of the governance and management of local government
• Initiatives that brought about improvement and development of local government managers
• Programs, writing, or general career contributions that have enhanced the responsiveness and effectiveness of local government.

The Executive Board has reviewed the professional contributions of the nominee and determined that he meets these criteria, and his name is presented to the membership for election as an Honorary Member, as provided in the Constitution. 

Dr. Bland serves as the Endowed Professor of Local Government in the Department of Public Administration at the University of North Texas.  The endowed professorship, named in his honor, was established by alumni of the MPA program at the conclusion of his 22 years of service as department chair and MPA program director. He continues to advance the study and practice of local government management by continuing to teach full-time in the program. 

Dr. Bland’s relationship to ICMA and to the local government management profession span more than 30 years.  More than 80 of his former students now serve as managers, assistant managers or deputy managers in city and county governments across the United States.  Dozens are serving in pipeline positions preparing for a leadership role as their careers develop.  While numerous others serve as department heads, police chiefs or planners in local governments. 

He directs the Center for Public Management at UNT, which provides continuing education services to local government officials in Texas.  He was instrumental in establishing UNT’s ICMA student chapter.  Dr. Bland has written 5 books, four of which were published by ICMA, the fifth was published by the Texas Municipal League.  He uses his extensive network of contacts among city and county administrators for placing interns and entry level graduates from the UNT program in positions within cities and counties.  During his service as department chair, the UNT program went from being unranked to 8^th in the nation in U.S. News & World Report’s quadrennial rankings of MPA programs with a city management specialization.

Dr. Bland’s achievements have been recognized in the past.  He was the recipient of the first Terrell Blodgett Academician Award presented by the Texas City Management Association and the Stephen B. Sweeney Academic Award from ICMA. In 2012, he was elected a fellow in the National Academy of Public Administration.