When incoming ICMA Executive Director Marc Ott addressed ICMA staff members he made a promise, “I am going to bring my best every day, and I ask all of you to bring your best every day. It’s not sufficient to do what is in your job description but to ask how does that relate to the rest of the work of the organization and how does it relate to our mission.”

Ott shared a bit of his history and his vision at ICMA headquarters in Washington, D.C., on August 30. He will assume the executive director role October 31. In introducing Ott, ICMA President Pat Martel, city manager of Daly City, California, said that Ott “represents the best of our profession. His personal journey led to his unique story of public service.”

Ott said that early on he thought about a career that would allow him to help people and give back to his community.  But it wasn’t until graduate school, when Ott got an internship in a city manager’s office, that he discovered how he might be able to actually accomplish this. As he reflected back to that internship, Ott said he “was impressed by the many things that cities do and how they affected the everyday lives of people. Basic things that people often take for granted, but that affect the present and the future. Life and death things. That’s what cities do.”

Ott’s internship grew into a 30-year career in city management, serving as assistant city manager or city manager in several municipalities in Michigan and Texas. And as he grew within the profession, he said he set out an ambitious goal for himself: to one day lead one of America’s premier cities. For Ott, that happened in 2008 when he was selected to be the city manager of Austin, Texas. “Nine years later I am still on the edge of my seat. I have gotten to do a lot of amazing things. You go full speed with your hair on fire,” he said. 

As ICMA Executive Director Bob O’Neill put it, “Marc is an excellent spokesperson for this profession. He brings a perspective that spans the experiences many of our members share—of small communities, large communities, distressed communities, and a premier city.”

Ott said he wondered where he would go from Austin and then he applied and was selected to be the next ICMA Executive Director. “I’m very excited about my new role with ICMA because I get the opportunity to affect the practice of our profession in every city, county, and town, not just in the United States but all over the world.” Helping local governments confront a rapidly changing landscape is one of his top priorities. He also talked about how to bring both new ideas and young people into the profession by collaborating with cutting-edge educational institutions. He mentioned a relationship the city of Austin has with MIT’s media lab as an example.

Ott set the tone for his tenure by telling the ICMA team: “I am going to ask you to be courageous and fearless in this brave new, multigenerational world.….I am proud to stand with you and serve our members.”