There was a hum of excitement in the room Oct. 12 as the Regional Executive Development Program (REDP) participants gathered for the final step in their program, the graduation ceremony, hosted by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). The ceremonies’ fanfare was appropriately celebratory for all their hard work, with the singing of the National Anthem and Presentation of Colors by the Honor Guard.
The REDP program provides leadership training to public service administrators in the Washington, D.C. metro area. It has been run annually since 2001 under the auspices of COG’s Institute for Regional Excellence (IRE). REDP was created through a partnership between GW's Center for Excellence in Public Leadership (CEPL), Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), chief administrative officers and human resource directors from member jurisdictions and the COG Board of Directors. CEPL and COG staff run the program.
Family and friends were there to honor Cohort 16’s hard work as the 31 graduates, mid- to senior-level managers from 12 county and city governments, as well as agencies, in and around Washington, DC, officially received their designation as Certified Public Managers.
“The success of our growing region depends on managers and leaders who are equipped to handle the challenges that come with a complex metropolitan environment. As the sixteenth group to graduate from the program, you now have a foundation of knowledge and skills that will help you successfully address those challenges. We at COG all look forward to seeing your accomplishments in the coming years,” said Chuck Bean, Executive Director, Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
Luther Miller, a Regional Executive Development program graduate from Loudoun County (center) with Nicholas Majett, Chief Administrative Officer, Prince George's County (far left); Chuck Bean, executive director MWCOG (left); Cyrus Homayounpour, associate dean for marketing and enrollment management, GW/CPS (right); and Jim Robinson, executive director, CEPL (far right). (Photo: Bill Petros, MWCOG)
During the 12-month program, participants work full time, complete graduate coursework consisting of 300 contact hours, travel to DC three days a month, and work in teams on issues that are of strategic importance to the region. During the poster session participants presented key findings and recommendations from these team projects. Their projects help participants gain a greater understanding of regional issues and potential measurements and outcomes.
Examples of this year’s projects include:
- Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, Getting Ahead of the Curve
- One Water
- Changing the Housing Conversation
- Succession Planning in Local Government
- Sharing is Not Only Caring
The following awards were presented during the ceremony:
- Visionary Award Recipient: Tim Hemstreet, County Administrator, Loudoun County
- Inspiring Leader Award Recipient: Mark Schwartz, Arlington County Manager
“We are proud of your accomplishments during your tenure in the program. We are pleased by the very positive reactions to your regional policy projects and we are affirmed by the personal and professional growth you have evidenced throughout your participation in the REDP program. It has been our pleasure to work with you during these past 12 months and to have been a part of your leadership journey. We eagerly anticipate your continued contributions to the Washington Metropolitan region,” said Jim Robinson, Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Public Leadership.