Donald J. Borut Selected
as NLC Executive Director

L-R: Donald Borut, NLC Executive Director and Mayor Bob Bolen, Fort Worth, NLC President.

Donald J. Borut, deputy executive director of the International City Management Association, will be the new executive director of the National League of Cities, it was announced recently at the annual NLC Congressional-City Conference in Washington.

Borut, 48, was nominated by a NLC search committee and affirmed unanimously by the League's officers and board of directors to succeed Alan Beals as the day-to-day chief executive of the nation's oldest and largest organization representing municipal government.

Beals, 56, left NLC in February to become president and chief executive officer of the Savannah Area Chamber of Commerce. He had worked at NLC for 25 years and held the post of executive director since 1975.

NLC President Bob Bolen, mayor of Fort Worth, Texas, announced Borut's appointment to nearly 3,000 local elected officials who were gathered for the organization's annual legislative conference in Washington.

He said Borut will complete the transition to his new post and assume full-time duties at NLC on May 2.

"Don Borut brings a strong background in local government experience, a deep interest in his work and his co-workers, and a level of energy and enthusiasm that will strengthen NLC and the nation's cities," Bolen said.

"He brings continuity to NLC's excellence in leadership, and he brings a new perspective that will broaden NLC's horizons in this important period of global change that we must all be part of," said Bolen.

In accepting the new appointment, Borut described himself as "a believer in the power of cities and local officials to improve the quality of life of all citizens.

"As an association executive who has seen the creativity of local government blossom in the last 10 years, I feel well prepared and very excited about the opportunity to make sure others know this truth," Borut said. "My task is to affirm the innovation, excitement and joy of our cities and towns — first to our members, and through them to our citizens, and also to the state and federal leaders who are our partners in American government."

Borut has worked in city administration since 1964. He has been part of ICMA's staff leadership since 1971 and has served as ICMA deputy executive director since 1984.

He has provided direction and oversight to all aspects of an organization providing information and training services to public management professionals throughout the United States. ICMA's 90-member staff and $8 million budget support a broad range of information services, research, technical assistance and professional development resources.

In his new position, Borut will direct an organization representing the elected policy leaders of the cities and towns served by ICMA's corps of public administration professionals.

April 1990 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 9

Founded in 1924, NLC has a membership of more than 1,400 cities and 49 state municipal associations which, in turn, represent over 14,000 cities and towns throughout the United States. NLC has a staff of 75 and budget of $7.68 million.

Borut earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Oberlin College, Ohio, in 1963 and a masters degree in public administration from the University of Michigan in 1965.

From 1964 to 1971, Borut held several city management posts in Ann Arbor, Mich. He was assistant city administrator when he left Ann Arbor to join the ICMA staff in 1971.

At ICMA, Borut has directed the development of grant and contract programs to support publications and services, led a program to reconstruct the organization's professional development programs, expanded personnel support, outreach and peer exchange programs, managed the introduction of automation processes to provide technical assistance, and developed special programs and funding to promote professional management and community problem solving efforts.

He serves on a number of advisory and editorial boards of national organizations, chairs the screening committee and is a member of the All-America City Award jury of the National Civic League, and was selected to attend the Public Executive Institute at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas in 1985.

Borut is married, with two children, and lives in Washington, D.C. He is active in his local school PTA, is president of the Levine School of Music, a community school and music center in Washington, coaches children's soccer and enjoys turns as an auctioneer for charitable fund-raising events.

The NLC executive search committee, chaired by Mayor Bolen, consisted of eight municipal leaders and one state municipal league director. It received professional support from Paul A. Reaume and his organization, The PAR Group, Public Management Consultants, Lake Bluff, Ill. •

Page 10 / Illinois Municipal Review / April 1990