KUCIMAT Lifetime Achievement Award

Joe Hoefgen (MPA 1989) completed a nearly 35-year career in local government before retiring in November of 2021 as the City Manager of Redondo Beach, CA. Joe brought a strong background in policy and program development, labor relations, human resources, and budget oversight to the Manager's office. He simultaneously served as the Human Resources Director and the City Manager for a period after the HR Director position was vacant. He leaves a strong legacy of a high performing team serving the City of Redondo Beach.

In October of 2021, Ed Zuercher (MPA 1994) retired from 28 years of service to the City of Phoenix, AZ. He was nominated by 3 of his classmates, all who are active on our alumni board. As part of their nomination they wrote, "through his leadership, the Phoenix team has focused on the key principles of exceptional customer service, integrity and transparency, respect for diversity, personal empowerment, engaged teamwork, consistent professionalism, and creativity and innovation for excellent results. Ed and the Phoenix team has delivered positive results for the community as the City of Phoenix has been recognized by Governing Magazine and Living Cities as a top city for innovation and high-performance governance."