headshot of marc ott, icma executive director and ceo
Marc A. Ott

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Michele Frisby, Director of Public Information, mfrisby@icma.org; 202-962-3658

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Marc A. Ott, executive director of ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, has been elected as a 2017 Fellow by the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA). Mr. Ott’s orientation and induction into the Academy will take place during the organization’s fall meeting, November 16-17, 2017, in Arlington, Virginia.

"On behalf of the board and members of ICMA, we are delighted that the Academy chose Marc as a “Class of 2017” Fellow," said Lee Feldman, president of the ICMA Executive Board President and city manager of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  "Marc’s induction as a NAPA Fellow is validation of his nearly four decades in public service and success as a local government management professional.

The qualifications required to become a NAPA Fellow include:

  • Significant administrative experience or a substantial scholarly contribution to public administration,
  • Other significant experience in public affairs with a special interest in public administration,
  • Demonstrated concern for the advancement of public administration (usually demonstrated by selection as a leader in professional societies related to public administration or by authoring published material),
  • Adherence to the highest ethical standards, and
  • Willingness and ability to contribute to the work of the Academy.

NAPA Fellows possess an unmatched wealth of expertise and serve as the cornerstone of the organization. They contribute valuable insight and experience to the oversight of Academy projects and provide general guidance to the organization. Fellows are the Academy's primary resource for addressing emerging issues and contributing to the intellectual and popular discourse on government through Standing Panels, which can initiate projects and serve as collegial forums for Fellows to share ideas and exchange information. The Standing Panels often serve as sounding boards for ideas and proposals and occasionally propose position statements for the Academy.

“It is an honor to be selected to serve along with the many other distinguished NAPA Fellows,” said Ott, “and I thank the National Academy of Public Administration Board of Directors and the individuals who nominated me. When I changed directions many years ago from law to public management, I did so because I wanted the opportunity to serve and improve the lives of others. I have tremendous optimism for local government and for our communities, and I truly believe that the future is as bright as we choose to make it. I look forward to attending the 2017 Academy Fall Meeting in November.”

Before joining ICMA as executive director in late October 2016, Ott served as city manager of Austin, Texas, a full-service city with 40+ departments, a workforce of 14,000 employees, an all-funds budget of $3.7 billion, and a Triple-A bond rating that was maintained throughout his tenure.  During his nearly nine years as chief executive and chief administrative officer, Ott championed employee empowerment, civic dialogue, innovation, and fiscal sustainability with the goal of having Austin recognized as the "Best Managed City in America."

During his tenure with Austin, Ott received a number of awards and honors.  In 2011, he was one of only six senior public sector administrators worldwide—including in Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Vienna (Austria), and Melbourne (Australia)—who were highlighted for their exceptional local management practices in the CAO Chronicles of Public Sector Digest

In 2013, Ott was recognized with ICMA’s highest professional honor, the Award for Career Excellence in Memory of Mark E. Keane, for his creative approach to such challenging issues as budget deficits, homelessness, infrastructure management, and education.  Ott’s insistence that “a good idea is a good idea, regardless of where it comes from,” was put in to practice early in his tenure with Austin, as the city faced a $30 million budget gap which, if left uncorrected, most likely would have persisted over time. Through a creative combination of employee-generated cost savings, thoughtful service reductions, strategic infrastructure investing, and unprecedented public involvement, Ott and his team navigated the fiscal challenge without laying off a single employee.

Also in 2013, Ott and the City of Austin received ICMA’s Community Sustainability Award, which recognizes innovative local government programs that creatively balance a community’s social, economic, environmental, and cultural needs. The city was cited for the Austin Energy Green Building program, a rating system initially designed for single-family homes that expanded to include multifamily and commercial buildings.

During Ott’s tenure as city manager, Austin was consistently recognized by the ETC Institute as one of the best cities in America for municipal service delivery, exceeding the national average in almost every public service category.  In 2013, Austin was ranked number one among 13 cities with populations over 500,000, and continues to garner top marks in community satisfaction rates when compared to other large cities in the country. In February of this year, U.S. News & World Report unveiled the 2017 Best Places to Live in the United States, among which Austin was ranked number 1.

Ott has had a long and distinguished career in municipal management.  Before joining Austin, he served as assistant city manager for infrastructure services for the City of Fort Worth, Texas (2002-08), where he was responsible for the infrastructure operations carried out by the Water, Transportation and Public Works, Engineering, and Aviation departments. He was also responsible for implementing one of the city council's top strategic priorities: promoting orderly growth.

Prior to moving to Texas, Ott served as city administrator of Rochester Hills, Michigan (1998-2002), where he had administrative and managerial oversight over all municipal operations. He also served as city manager (1993-97), deputy city manager (1991-93), and as an assistant city manager (1990-91) in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ott served in leadership and support roles for the cities of Grand Rapids and Jackson, Michigan (1982-90), and as a staff assistant to the Michigan Municipal League (1981-82).

Ott earned his bachelor's degree in management with a concentration in economics from Michigan's Oakland University and a master's in public administration from the same university. He is also a graduate of the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University and serves on the Board of Directors for the Alliance for Innovation. Ott received an ICMA Service Award in 2012 in honor of his 30 years of service to local government.


About ICMA
ICMA, the International City/County Management Association, advances professional local government worldwide through leadership, management, innovation, and ethics. ICMA provides member support, publications, data and information, peer and results-oriented assistance, and training and professional development to more than 11,000 appointed city, town, and county leaders and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA's members affect millions of individuals living in thousands of communities throughout the world, from small villages and towns to large metropolitan areas.


About the National Academy of Public Administration
NAPA is an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan organization established to assist government leaders in building more effective, efficient, accountable, and transparent organizations. The Academy’s unique feature is its 800+ Fellows—including former cabinet officers, members of Congress, and governors, as well as prominent scholars, business executives, and public administrators. NAPA Fellows have a deep understanding of financial management, human resources, technology, and administrative functions at all levels of government, and direct most of the Academy's studies.

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