About ILGARD / News

OCPM Grads Include Scholarship Recipients

(left to right) Greg Shrader, Ken Wilson and Brett Looney, all OCPM scholarship recipients, graduated after completing the two-year program.

Among the 93 recent graduates of the Ohio Certified Public Manager (OCPM) program are the three recipients of scholarships awarded by Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development (ILGARD) in 2001 as part of its 20th anniversary celebration. The graduates came from across the state for the Nov. 7 ceremony in Columbus, including 12 from the southeastern Ohio program coordinated by ILGARD, a part of Ohio University’s Voinovich Center for Leadership and Public Affairs. The public managers who completed the rigorous two-year training program join a growing number from local, county and state governments who have been certified through the program.

“Having come into this program from a small county government, I truly appreciate the financial support over the two-year period,” said Ken Wilson, Hocking County auditor, one of the scholarship winners. The other scholarship recipients were Brett Looney, director of the Boll Group and Shelter Home in Ironton, and Greg Shrader, director of the Court of Common Pleas in Gallia County. “Had the scholarship not been available, it is unlikely that I would have ever been able to pursue the OCPM program at this time,” Wilson said. “I am certainly a better manager of people and resources using the techniques and resources provided through the OCPM Program.”

Ohio Governor Bob Taft sent his congratulations to the graduates. “Just as good managers bring out the best in people, the OCPM program helps managers maximize the skills they need to administer government programs serving the citizens of our state, its cities, counties and townships. Your graduation from OCPM demonstrates that you are committed to excellence in the field of public management,” Taft said in a statement read by Scott Johnson, director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services.

Johnson also commended the graduates. “This is a significant accomplishment for the program and for each of you,” he said.

Through OCPM, participants develop the leadership, managerial skills and tools specific to the challenges of public sector management in the 21st century. Graduates leave the program with knowledge, work-related projects and a new network of valuable contacts to benefit their communities and the entire region.

Even before graduating, participants begin instituting changes at their work places through OCPM projects. Each student completes an individual project relating to his or her specific agency—from evaluating current procedures to implementing new training measures. A group project also is required.

The Ohio Department of Administrative Services has worked with Ohio’s state universities to bring OCPM to public managers in all regions of the state. The first OCPM class began in 1998 in Columbus and the program was extended in 2000 to include public managers in southeastern, northeastern and southwestern Ohio. In southeastern Ohio, classes are offered in Athens, Chillicothe and Zanesville.

The Nov. 7 graduates included participants from the Chillicothe program, which drew public managers from Ross, Fairfield, Jackson, Gallia, Lawrence, Hocking and Pickaway counties.

The next OCPM class in southeastern Ohio, beginning Sept. 17, 2004, will be based at Ohio University-Chillicothe. Applications are available immediately, and the deadline is Aug. 2, 2004. Applications and more information can be obtained at www.ilgard.ohiou.edu/ocpm or by contacting the Marcia Nation, southeast Ohio CPM program site manager, at 1-877-321-OCPM or nation@ohio.edu