Tacoma Mayor picked for urban leadership fellowship

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) Daniel Rose Center for Public Leadership has named Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland along with three other mayors of major U.S. cities to serve in fellowships for the center through 2013. Mayor Strickland’s local team will join those led by the mayors of Austin, Texas; Hartford, Connecticut; and Louisville, Kentucky.

The purpose of the fellowship program is to provide city leaders with the insights, peer-to-peer learning, and analysis needed to successfully build and sustain their cities.

“We are excited to tap into ULI’s diverse team of experts and learn from our peers in other cities to help develop strategies that address our local land use challenges,” said Mayor Strickland. “I am confident our city will benefit from participation as we continue to improve the business climate and built environment of Tacoma.”

Over the fellowship year, Mayor Strickland and her team will work with leading experts in the real estate development, finance, urban design and land use fields. Tacoma’s 2012-13 ULI Daniel Rose Fellowship team members include Ricardo Noguera, City of Tacoma, Director of the Community and Economic Development Department; Mike Slevin, City of Tacoma, Assistant Director of the Public Works Department; Peter Huffman, City of Tacoma, Assistant Director of the Community and Economic Development Department; and Ric Ilgenfritz, Sound Transit, Executive Director of Planning, Environmental and Project Development.

The Daniel Rose Fellowship is the flagship program of the ULI Daniel Rose Center, established in 2008 by the ULI Foundation Governor Daniel Rose. The center aims to empower leaders in the public sector to envision, build and sustain successful 21st century communities by providing access to information, best practices, peer networks and other resources to foster creative, efficient and sustainable land use practices.

The Urban Land Institute is a nonprofit education and research institute supported by its members. Its mission is to provide leadership in the responsible use of land and in creating and sustaining thriving communities worldwide. Established in 1936, the institute has nearly 30,000 members worldwide representing all aspects of land use and development disciplines.

Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland. (FILE PHOTO BY TODD MATTHEWS)