Good Government Guru to Step Down

It's the end of an era at the Council for Excellence in Government, with the announcement that president and CEO Patricia McGinnis will step down later this year.

The council has been around for 25 years, working to improve government's performance and engage the public in understanding the value of public service. McGinnis has been at the helm of the organization since 1994. The list of her accomplishments is long and varied, from revitalizing Public Service Recognition Week to creating the SAGE (Strategic Advisers to Government Executives) program. Government Executive has worked closely with McGinnis and her colleagues at the council on special projects and events, such as the Excellence in Government conference.

“I’m proud of our accomplishments, which are a tribute to the passion for public service, entrepreneurial spirit and insistence on results by our trustees, principals, staff and our many colleagues and partners in government and the private sector," said McGinnis in her announcement. "In this year of change and transition, the time seems right for new leadership at the council and for me to explore new ways to continue my work in the public interest.”

The council's board of trustees has formed a presidential search committee to find a successor to McGinnis. She'll stay at the helm until that person is found.

Stay tuned to GovernmentExecutive.com later this week for an interview with McGinnis about her accomplishments and her future.