At the dawn of the Twentieth Century, our profession was borne from an effort to confront and correct the corruption and dysfunction that characterized government during the Gilded Age. As an idea, and a promise, emerging from the Progressive Era, we took our first steps toward improving the effectiveness and efficiency of local government. Through the Great Depression, the era of post–World War II suburban growth, the Great Society reforms, and the economic booms and recessions that followed, local government managers have stood beside our communities.

Our ICMA Code of Ethics has continuously provided guidance and resolve, reinforcing a commitment to integrity, accountability, and leadership grounded in the public good. It has ensured that we never surrender even an inch of ground to anything contrary to good governance.

We are not often praised for our service to the communities we love. Most residents do not know our names or understand the many ways we make their everyday lives better. Yet, in every corner of the country and across the world, the bond we share as professionals is strong. Through the joys, disappointments, and often the pain that accompany this calling, we find strength in one another. This truth has become even more profound to me during the near decade I have served as an ICMA senior advisor in Arizona. The collegiality, mentorship, and unwavering support between professionals is among the greatest attributes of ICMA and reinforces the purpose behind our work.

At the recent ICMA Annual Conference in Tampa, a city manager reminded me how important it is that we share gratitude—not only for what we accomplish in our own careers, but for what we have achieved collectively as a profession. We must remember that we carry the same DNA as those first pioneers who professionalized local government in this country. We inherited their courage, their reform-minded spirit, and their dedication to ensuring government earns the confidence of the people it serves.

Each day—whether we work in the shadow of skyscrapers or overlooking the wheat fields of our heartland—we continue to get up, show up, and make a difference in our communities. We are quiet leaders, but our impact is profound.

And we must remember: God only gives us so many summers and springs. I am grateful for the path that led me to serve as a city manager, and now to guide the next generation as a senior advisor. It remains an honor and privilege to have been entrusted with the stewardship of communities and the mentorship of those who will lead long after us.

As we look toward the future of local government, let us continue to honor and protect our professional DNA; our unwavering commitment to ethical governance, service above self, and the belief that strong communities are the foundation of a strong democracy. We are part of a legacy more than 100 years in the making, and every day we choose to serve, we strengthen it.

MIKE LETCHER, ICMA-CM, is senior vice president of the Mercer Group LLC and an ICMA senior advisor in Arizona.

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