To help civic leaders, students, and elected officials better understand how professional managers contribute to improving quality of life and financial success of our cities, counties, and towns we needed to create success stories, videos, and blogs reflecting stellar examples. We had a great response from communities but one city manager stands out: Sheryl Sculley of San Antonio, Texas.

Sculley allowed us to interview her mayor, community leaders, and staff. The resulting videos were nominated for Lone Star Emmy awards. In addition, she has supported our Community Heroes initiative and two amazing San Antonio employees were featured. She has shared ideas for resources to make Life, Well Run more effective and has donated to both Life, Well Run and the Fund for Professional Management in honor of her 42-year career.

Last month for her contributions to the profession and the Life, Well Run initiative, Sculley was recognized by ICMA Executive Director, Bob O’Neill and Marc Ott, incoming ICMA executive director at a breakfast honoring donors.

She was presented with a letter that states:  “Your passion for and dedication to ICMA’s Life, Well Run campaign has been inspirational. You helped shape the campaign, and it has been enriched by the experience, knowledge, and dedication you brought to it.”

Sculley spoke to the donors, sharing stories and challenges she faced during her positions in Kalamazoo, Mich., Phoenix, Arizona, and San Antonio, Texas, where she has been city manager since November 2005. Despite political challenges to her position, Sculley said she strongly believes in the value of a council/manager form of government.

“It is a partnership. It works and can be more effective than any other form of government,” she said of the council/manager form.  “We do have to instill this belief in those we work with.”

San Antonio was recently named the fastest growing city in the U.S., according to The Department of Commerce, and received the National League of Cities City Cultural Diversity Award at the 2016 Congressional City Conference earlier this year. San Antonio will host for the 103rd ICMA Annual Conference in 2017.