The Innovation Groups brings City Managers from across the country to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex for dialogue on pressing issues facing municipalities

The Innovation Groups will host Leadership Challenge: Overcoming the Marginalization of Citizens on Friday, February 17 from 9:00-4:00 p.m. at the Arlington Hilton located at 2401 East Lamar in Arlington, Texas. Dr. Guy Adams, author of Unmasking Administrative Evil, will serve as the keynote speaker.


There will be five concurrent panels featuring city managers from across the nation and include the following panelists:


Marginalization of illegal immigrants (Abraham Benavides, UNT MPA instructor, moderator)

· Peter Burchard, City Manager, Naperville, IL

· Mark Watson, City Manager, Yuma, AZ

· Glen Hackler, City Manager, Andrews, TX


Marginalization of the urban poor

· Jim Ley, County Administrator, Sarasota County, FL

· Ted Benavides, UTD Associate and former City Manager, Dallas, TX

· David Ellison, Assistant City Manager, Sugar Land, TX



Marginalization of sex offenders

· Larry Stevens, City Manager, Edmond, OK

· Hugh Walker, Assistant City Manager, Bryan, TX

· Michael Brown, City Manager, Savannah, GA



Marginalization/demonizing of special interest groups

· Cheryl Hilvert, City Manager, Montgomery, OH

· Bill Lindley, City Manager, Colleyville, TX

· Bill Keffler, City Manager, Richardson, TX

· Ron Cox, City Manager, Friendswood, TX



Marginalization of arrestees by law enforcement (moderator – Doug Watson, UTD)

· Cary McSwain, County Administrator, Richland County, SC

· Larry Hesser, Chief of Police, White Settlement, TX

· Katy Singlaub, County Manager, Washoe County, NV


The event is $120 for the general public and $35 for students with ID. Registration can be completed by visiting www.ig.org or contacting Froswa’ Booker-Drew, Texas Regional Director, at 214-500-4608. Event sponsors are Master of Public Administration programs at The University of Texas at Arlington, The University of Texas at Dallas, and the University of North Texas, UMANT (Urban Management Assistants of North Texas) and North Texas American Society for Public Administration (ASPA). The Innovation Groups, a national non-profit, offers learning opportunities and a host of services to 400 local governments around the country.