MIAMI-DADE COUNTY - The Florida Association of Counties (FAC) presented St. Lucie County Commissioners Paula Lewis and Joseph Smith with the Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) designation following their completion of a comprehensive study program developed by the association. The commissioners received the designation along with 19 other county commissioners during an awards ceremony held at the FAC Annual Conference in Miami.

"The Advanced County Commissioner's Certification provides me with an enhanced skills set to direct policy and provide strong leadership on behalf of our citizens. I believe it is an invaluable program for elected officials," said Commission Chairman Joe Smith.

"The Advanced Certification training through the Florida Association of Counties has been extremely relevant, providing information and insight to better equip commissioners to deal with the challenges our counties face," added Commissioner Paula Lewis.

Launched by FAC in 2006, the Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) education program, "The Florida Forum for County Leaders," is an advanced leadership program designed for graduates of the Certified County Commissioners (CCC) program. This year, the program has been held in Gainesville and saw 20 commissioners graduate in June with a total of 46 graduating since the inception of the program in 2006.

The ACC program is organized as a series of three seminars, with 27 hours of course work. The course content focuses on leadership with an overarching theme of growth and development in Florida. Participating commissioners must commit to fully participate in all three seminars in order to graduate. Seminars include: Leadership Skills in Florida's Growth Environment; Strategic Visioning and Implementing that Vision, and Understanding and Working with Stakeholders in Florida's Growth Environment. This year, the University of Florida/IFAS Extension sponsored the program in Alachua County.

"This certification allows our citizen electorate to become experts in county government improving their communities," said FAC Executive Director Chris Holley. "Through FAC's education programs we are able to teach commissioners how to advance their policies through the complexities of government bureaucracies."

For more information about the ACC program and courses, visit the FAC web site at www.fl-counties.com. Founded in 1929, the Florida Association of Counties is a non-profit association representing the diverse interests of Florida's 67 counties. Created in 1998, the Florida Association of Counties County Commissioners Voluntary Certification program has trained 196 county commissioners on the complexities of county government and public life.

###