WASHINGTON, D.C.—Members of ICMA (the
International City/County Management
Association), the premier local government
leadership and management organization,
elected Thomas H. Muehlenbeck, city manager
of Plano, Texas, as Mountain Plains Regional
Vice President on February 23, 2007. Mr.
Muehlenbeck will serve a three-year term
commencing in October at the 93rd ICMA
Annual Conference in Pittsburgh/Allegheny
County, Pennsylvania.
ICMA creates excellence in local government
by developing and fostering professional
local government management and by
increasing the proficiency of its more than
8,600 members, who include appointed chief
administrative officers and assistant
administrators serving local governments and
regional entities around the world. The
organization’s membership also includes
other local government employees, educators,
and students.
ICMA’s 21-member Executive Board acts in the
capacity of directors, overseeing the
organization’s financial, member-related,
and programmatic affairs and selecting the
board president. The board also enforces
ICMA’s Code of Ethics, which governs the
professional and personal conduct of the
organization’s membership. Members of the
ICMA Executive Board attend four Board
meetings annually. As one of 17 vice
presidents, three of whom are elected from
the organization’s Mountain Plains Region,
Mr. Muehlenbeck will represent ICMA to state
associations of local government management
and maintain relationships among other
affiliated organizations. The Mountain
Plains Region is one of ICMA’s five regions
in the United States; two vice presidents
are also elected from countries outside the
U.S.
Mr. Muehlenbeck’s career in local government
spans more than 40 years and began in 1965,
when he was named assistant city manager in
Parsons, Kansas. In 1967, he became city
manager of Atchison, Kansas, a post he held
until 1969. He subsequently served as city
manager of College Park, Ga. (1969-74);
Valdosta, Ga. (1974-77); and Galveston,
Texas (1977-1980). In 1980, Mr. Muehlenbeck
moved to the capital city of Austin, Texas,
to serve as deputy city manager until 1982,
and he later became city manager of Virginia
Beach, Virginia (1982-87). He was named
city manager of Plano, Texas, in 1987.
Mr. Muehlenbeck’s professional achievements
include several leadership positions on the
board of the Texas City Management
Association (TCMA), including stints as a
board member (1998-2000 and 2003-04), vice
president (2000-01), president elect
(2001-02), and president (2002-03).
Mr. Muehlenbeck’s participation and
leadership roles with ICMA include serving
on the organization’s Public Policy (now
Governmental Affairs & Policy) Committee as
chairman (1986-88) and as a member (1991-95
and 1995-05). He also served on ICMA’s
Nominating Committee (1990-91), Conference
Planning Committee (1994-95 and 1999-2000),
and Task Force on E-Governance (2001-03).
When ICMA’s Annual Conference traveled to
San Antonio, Texas, in 2006, Mr. Muehlenbeck
served as a member of that year’s Conference
Host Committee.
In 2005, he received a service award from
ICMA in recognition of his 40 years of
service to local government.
ICMA’s Voluntary Credentialing Program
defines and recognizes individual members
who are qualified by a combination of
education and experience, adherence to high
standards of integrity, and an assessed
commitment to lifelong learning and
professional development. Mr. Muehlenbeck
has been recognized by ICMA through this
program with the designation of Credentialed
Manager.
Mr. Muehlenbeck earned a Bachelor of Science
degree from the Lamar State College of
Technology in Texas (1964) and a Master of
Public Administration from the University of
Kansas (1966).
