FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                   

Contact:   Pete Winton, Lee County Administration
                (941) 335-2777           

STILWELL EARNS “CREDENTIALED MANAGER” CERTIFICATION

FORT MYERS, Fla. (July 30, 2002) – Lee County Manager Don Stilwell has been awarded the “Credentialed Manager” professional certification from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). 

Credentialing recognizes individual ICMA members who are professional local government managers and have qualified for the certification through a combination of education and experience, adherence to high standards of integrity, and an assessed commitment to lifelong learning and professional development. 

Candidates must have at least seven years experience as a local government executive and commit to a professional development plan of at least 40 hours annually of continuing education.  The credential – awarded by ICMA’s Executive Board – is issued for 10 years. 

The International City/County Management Association is the professional and educational organization representing appointed managers and administrators in local governments throughout the world.  It has 3,003 local government members. 

Stilwell has been in city/county management for 25 years.  This July, he celebrated his ninth year as Lee County Manager.  Other city/county management positions he has held include County Administrator positions in Washington County, Oregon (3 years), San Luis Obispo County, California (6 years), Del Norte County, California (4 years), City Manager of Woodburn, Oregon (2 years), and Assistant Director of Finance and Administration for the City of Springfield, Oregon (2 years). 

In 2001, Stilwell was the only county manager appointed to the National Association of Counties’ Homeland Security Task Force.  He also serves on the Florida Local Government Finance Commission and sits as an ex-officio member of the Florida Association of Counties’ (FAC) Board of Directors. 

He is a native of Oregon and has a bachelor’s degree in law from the University of Oregon and a master’s in public administration from Lewis & Clark College in Portland.