Yuma, Arizona - City Administrator Greg Wilkinson received a Gabe Zimmerman Public Service Award from the Center for the Future of Arizona today.
Wilkinson was awarded under the category of Community Builders, which recognizes “efforts to advance community pride and connectedness through such areas as job creation and training, healthy communities, environmental and historical preservation, volunteer and philanthropic efforts, and educational advancement,” according to information provided by the Center.
Wilkinson accepted the award, which was presented at a luncheon on Thursday, July 21, at the Arizona County Managers Association Annual Conference.
“It’s an honor to be selected for an award of this type out of all the City managers in Arizona,” Wilkinson said. “Having been stationed around the country and world I can’t think of a better place to live than Yuma. We have a community that pulls and works together to make our community safer and better. Not following a conventional path to the City Administrator position but stepping in over six years ago, my goals have always been to do what is right for the community, keeping it safe and improving our quality of life. Much of the credit for this award goes to the great City staff and community members I am privileged to work with every day.”
The Gabe Zimmerman Awards are a statewide competition created in spring 2011 to recognize the role of non-elected public servants as the critical link between citizens and the people elected to represent them. They are named in honor of Gabe Zimmerman, director of community outreach for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, who lost his life on January 8, 2011, while serving the citizens of Arizona.
Nominees are judged on their qualities and achievements – how they have changed the way government works to serve the public interest; ability to take risks and inspire others; impact on connecting Arizonans to the civic health of their community; new ideas to improve cost, efficiency and delivery of public service; and legacy contribution of lasting significance.
"These exemplary public servants represent the spirit of service to the public by which Gabe Zimmerman lived his life," Dr. Lattie Coor, chairman and CEO of the Center for the Future of Arizona, said. "We are pleased to recognize their achievements and commitment to building the Arizona We Want."
For names of other winners and more information about the Center for the Future of Arizona, visit www.arizonafuture.org.