ICMA’s international professional development initiatives will benefit from a $200,000 gift, thanks to the dedication and persistence of two long-time local government professionals.

The generous donation came from ICMA Life Member Revan A. F. Tranter and Eugene Y. Leong, both former executive directors of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) in California. The funds had accrued in the Tranter-Leong Management Internship Fund at ABAG (see “A Little History” below).

Under ICMA’s stewardship, the two donors and the leadership of the ICMA International Committee will use the funds to advance ICMA’s commitment to international professional development, which is embedded throughout the ICMA Strategic Plan.

Thanks in part to Tranter’s past leadership as ICMA president and as the first chair of the International Committee, ICMA’s global footprint has grown steadily over the years. The Strategic Plan, for example, commits ICMA to “think globally, act globally” in recruiting and serving members, fostering a worldwide learning community, sustaining and strengthening affiliate relationships, and providing professional development and support at all career stages. ICMA has added an international regional summit to the lineup of regional meetings for state officers and members and an international regional director position to provide liaison with ICMA’s international affiliates.

“Through this gift, Mr. Tranter and Mr. Leong have shown us how much our profession can make a difference—not only in our local communities but around the world,” said ICMA Executive Director Marc A. Ott. “Their generosity and determination to elevate the ‘I’ in ICMA will pay dividends far into the future.”

A Little History

Following 23 years as executive director, Tranter retired in 1995. Leong, who had served as associate director for 15 years, succeeded him, serving as executive director for the next ten years. Leong retired in 2005. Together, they had served as ABAG’s executive directors for more than 30 years and had served the organization for more than 50 years.

Upon his retirement, Leong initiated the idea of an internship fund, in part to thank Tranter for his mentoring, and to give back to the profession by encouraging young professionals to pursue city, county, or regional management. The Tranter-Leong fund was formalized in 2005. The two men provided seed money, and with additional contributions and earned income, it was sufficient to fund an annual 10-week internship at ABAG for a graduate student.

As time went on, it occurred to Leong--who on several occasions had visited China to lecture on both public administration and the environment--that perhaps the funds could be put to good use on an international scale at ICMA. With Tranter's support, Leong (who in retirement had moved to Houston) worked to refine the idea with Clay Pearson, city manager in nearby Pearland, Texas, and chair of the ICMA International Committee, and Tranter embarked on securing the necessary approvals.

The internship funds were under ABAG's supervision, yet they were legally held by a subsidiary nonprofit foundation, so freeing them for possible transfer involved unexpected institutional, financial, and legal challenges. Early in 2017 another major complication arose, with the agreement by ABAG to merge its administration and staff into that of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission on July 1. But eventually the necessary authorization was secured--on June 30, the last practically possible date. And ICMA members will benefit for years to come.

About Tranter and Leong

Eugene Y. Leong succeeded Tranter as executive director of ABAG and served in that position from 1995 to 2005. He was educated at the University of Michigan and UCLA, where he received his doctorate in environmental sciences and engineering in 1974. Before assuming the top position at ABAG he served the organization for 20 years, including 15 as associate executive director.  His career also includes work as an environmental scientist and engineer and a university teacher. He is the author of many reports and publications and has consulted internationally in Canada, Mexico, Turkey, Japan, Taiwan, and China. Since retiring, he has taught part time in China at Peking University (School of Government and College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering) and has lectured at about a dozen other universities, including the China University of Political Science and Law, ICMA’s partner in the ICMA China Center.

If you don't already, please consider giving to ICMA's Fund for the Future of Professional Management. You can learn more about it here or contact Erin Carr for additional information.