ICMA's 98th Annual Conference is the one event of the year that brings together the foremost experts and resources in local government management. Local government professionals from across the country and around the globe come together to discuss current trends and leading practices and to learn about what others are doing to stay ahead of the curve.

Top 12 reasons to attend ICMA 2012:

1. Hear real solutions to real issues in local government.
2. Learn leading practices for bottom line local government success.
3. Connect with peers and other experts in the field and focus on increasing your knowledge of the key issues affecting local governments.
4. Choose from nearly 50 educational sessions, a variety of skill-building workshops, special sessions and forums, led by leaders in the field on important topics including shared and regional service delivery approaches and alternative business models, building communities online, managing employee benefits, finding pathways from polarization to civility, and more.
5. Not a member of ICMA? Join now at half off for your first year of membership, and register for the conference at the deeply discounted member price. Visit icma.org/join or contact ICMA Member Services atmembership@icma.org for a membership application. No longer a member of ICMA? If you’re able to join us in Phoenix, we’d like to offer you half off your membership reinstatement so you can register for the conference at the deeply discounted member price! Visit icma.org/join or contact ICMA Member Services atmembership@icma.org for a membership reinstatement application.

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6. Meet and mingle with the people who "speak your language" and face the same challenges day to day that you do. You will come away with the experiences of real lessons learned, dozens of ideas, and innovative solutions that you and your team can use immediately.
7. Maximize your training opportunities with this year’s preconference ICMA University workshops
8. Scout the exhibit hall for innovative products and services to make your job easier and more productive.
9. Celebrate the accomplishments of your peers at the Celebration of Service awards.
10. Planners can earn AICP-CM hours toward certification or re-certification of your designation.
11. Hear from four outstanding keynote speakers  who will focus on leading an organization in unpredictable and fast-moving times (Jim Collins); unleashing your real potential and leading a culture of innovation (Sir Ken Robinson); unraveling the truths, myths and politics of immigration reform (Edward Schumacher-Matos); and revitalizing urban spaces with public art (Janet Echelman).
12. Return to work with renewed fervor and with new ideas to advance your community and your career
13. Best Value Ever: Soak-up a year’s worth of learning in four days.

Don't miss the most important conference for local government managers  -Join us in Phoenix/Maricopa County to interact with leading practitioners, exchange creative ideas and strategies, and build partnerships to respond to the challenges facing today’s cities and counties.

Visit the 2012 ICMA Annual Conference website for more information and to view the preliminary program online.

Get  the latest news by following the ICMA conference at @ICMAConference, (tweet about the conference using #ICMA12), and on Facebook; and connect with fellow attendees through the Knowledge Network Conference Group to see who’s coming, make plans to meet up, ride share, or room share. Check out the conference website for information on upcoming sessions, speakers, and more.