The State of Utah became involved with the Certified Public Managers Program in 1987. The University of Utah and the Utah Department of Human Resources discussed the possibility of starting a program together.

In August of 1987, Governor Norman H. Bangerter signed an executive proclamation of support for the CPM concept. It began the process to seek acceptance into the National Certified Public Manager Consortium.

The Center for Public Policy and Administration at the University of Utah and the Department of Human Resources put together a program of instruction for CPM, with a curriculum based upon guidance from the national consortium.

The curriculum has been in a continual state of evolution. The curriculum has been externally evaluated with extremely favorable results. The changes in 1992 included more emphasis on team building based upon Total Quality Management (TQM) principals.

Utah began teaching their newly developed curriculum to the first pilot class in 1988.

Utah was accredited by the American Consortium in 1989. The program was reaccredited in April 1994.

Students originally came from fourteen different departments within the State government. The normal process included multiple class sessions taught one day each week. The Department of Transportation set-up one special program where classes were taught in two week blocks so that the total time to complete the course was shortened.

There were fourteen graduates of the pilot class in 1990. There were thirty-four graduates in 1991.

Currently there are multiple CPM classes being taught.

Evaluation of CPM graduates in 1992 has shown positive results. Graduates tend to use CPM principals in the normal activities of their jobs, leading to more efficient use of public resources.

Following the January 11, 1991 CPM graduation ceremonies, a number of graduates along with their instructors, decided that an organization of CPM graduates was necessary. We needed an organization for maintaining the newly established friendships, networking, and continuing our professional development.

On February 22, 1991, a meeting was held for all CPM and Supervisor graduates. From this meeting a coordinating committee was established. Members were Colleen Evridge (chair), Laurel Morris, Larry Casutt, Jerry Sherman and Blaine Smith. The purpose of the committee was to coordinate the establishment of a Utah Chapter of the American Academy of Certified Public Managers (AACPM).

Colleen and CPM instructor,Jill Carter, attended the national meeting in North Carolina during April. The committee began working on the requirements for admission to the AACPM, including a budget, bylaws and election of officers.

Officers were elected in May: Craig Odekirk (President), Larry Casutt (President-Elect), Brian Gough (Secretary), Richard Hill (Treasurer). The officers held their first meeting May 28, 1991.

On June 27, 1991, the first general meeting for Utah Certified Public Managers and Supervisors was held. The officers were sworn in by Lieutenant Governor Val Oveson. The Utah Society of Certified Public Managers was established.

The officers organized a Bylaws Committee that produced two more revisions of the bylaws. Work on the national requirements continued.

In July of 1991, Conroy Whipple of Human Resources Management approached the Society with a proposal to become a major sponsor of the Eighth Annual Governor's Productivity Conference. The theme for the conference was "Managing For Excellence in State Government" through TQM.

The Society accepted Con's proposal and began to work. This was the kind of project we needed to help give the Society positive recognition and an immediate purpose.

Kathleen Smith was appointed chair of the 1991 Governor's Conference Committee. This was an excellent choice for us, since Kathleen had worked on a number of past conferences.

From then until the conference (October 1, 1991) our efforts were focused. The conference was well attended with more than 470 managers. The Governor's address, keynote speaker and presenters were well received. Many positive comments were received on the high quality of the total conference.

A formal membership enrollment was started in October 1991. The process of electing a board-of-directors was also begun. Ballots were counted December 9, 1991. Board members elected for a two-year term were Laurel Morris, Blaine Smith and Kathleen Smith. Wade Betenson and Colleen Evridge were elected to one-year terms. After the first election all future terms will be for two years.

Richard Hill, our treasurer, was also the manager of the State Printing Office. We had saved money on printing costs for the 1991Governor's Productivity Conference by having his office do all of our printing. His people produced a high quality product at a very competitive price.

The word came in December, that the State Printing Office was closing that month. By legislative mandate, the office was scheduled to close by July 1, 1992. The early closing came just before Christmas, which was bad timing for Richard, his employees and their families.

Richard tried to find comparable state employment for several months. When he figured that he would not remain a State Employee, he resigned his office as treasurer of the Utah Society of CPM. Richard went to works for a printing company in the private sector. Following this turn of events, Blaine Smith was appointed by the officers and board-of-directors to complete Richard's term of office.

On January 10, 1992, The Utah Society of Certified Public Managers became a Utah nonprofit corporation. On January 15, 1992 the Utah Society petitioned the American Academy for national acceptance.

In February of 1992, the Utah Society was notified of its acceptance into the full membership of the American Academy of Certified Public Managers.

In February, the president and President-elect also became the first voting delegates to the annual meeting of the American Academy in Savannah, Georgia.

Wade Betenson was appointed chairman of the 1992 Governor's Conference Committee. He was the assistant chairman for the 1991 conference.

The Ninth Annual Governor's Productivity Conference was held October 7, 1992 at the Hilton Hotel in Salt Lake City. Governor Norman H. Bangerter spoke on the theme of the conference: "Changing Organizational Culture; Values and Ethics." Dr. David Kirk Hart, Professor at BYU's Institute of Public Management was the keynote speaker. He discussed concepts of ethics and Total Quality Management in our changing organizational culture.

The first annual business meeting of the Utah Society of Certified Public Managers was conducted on October 7, 1992, the same day as the Governor's Conference at the Hilton Hotel. Part of the business meeting was the election of new officers and board members.