Jaime Laughter, County Manager of Transylvania County recently received the Credentialed Manager designation from ICMA, the International City/County Management Association. Ms. Laughter is one of over 1,300 local government management professionals currently credentialed through the ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Program.
ICMA’s mission is to create excellence in local governance by promoting professional management worldwide and increasing the proficiency of appointed chief administrative officers, assistant administrators, and other employees who serve local governments and regional entities around the world. The organization’s nearly 10,000 members in 27 countries also include educators, students, and other local government employees.
To receive the prestigious ICMA credential, a member must have significant experience as a senior management executive in local government; have earned a degree, preferably in public administration or a related field; and demonstrated a commitment to high standards of integrity and to lifelong learning and professional development.
“We are proud of our manager receiving her ICMA credentials and the recognition of the contributions she has made in her career thus far. It is particularly important that our local government professionals dedicate themselves to professional development as well as ascribe themselves to the ethical requirements a professional organization like ICMA requires. Our region has had several high profile cases that have caused the public to question the integrity of our public servants across the board and Ms. Laughter’s certification shows that she is willing to uphold the stringent ethical guidelines of ICMA as she continues to serve our community in her leadership role,” Transylvania Board of Commissioners Chairman Larry Chapman said.
Ms. Laughter is qualified by 12 years of professional local government executive experience and a total of 18 years in local and state public service. Prior to her appointment in 2014 as County Manager of Transylvania County, she served as Town Manager for the Town of Mills River.
Highlights of Ms. Laughters’s ICMA membership include: ICMA Young Professional Scholarship Recipient 2007, Featured Author in the 2012 book Democracy at the Doorstep, Too featuring stories and lessons learned from women in local government management and serving as the newly elected 2018-2019 vice chair for the Western North Carolina Manager’s Association.
Ms. Laughter has had her certification from the American Institute of Certified Planners since 2006 has also made significant contributions to a number of other professional organizations, including: North Carolina City County Manager’s Association, North Carolina League of Municipalities, North Carolina Association of County Commissioners, North Carolina Planning Association, American Planning Association, North Carolina Women in Transportation Seminar Member of the Year and the North Carolina Association of Zoning Officials.