W.P. Hobby Center & Texas CPM Program
Bill Hobby and the Hobby family brought tremendous progress to Texas in numerous areas: public education, mental health, water conservation, fiscal management, indigent health care, corrections, and public assistance programs, to name a few.
The Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) program’s mission is to train public and nonprofit managers in the ethical values and technical competencies associated with outstanding public service.
Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center For Public Service
Texas State University’s William P. Hobby Center for Public Service was established in 1998. The Center was named for former Texas Lt. Governor William P. Hobby, the longest serving Lt. Governor in the history of the State of Texas. In 1997, The Hobby family foundation made a 1-million-dollar donation to the University. Governor Hobby and his family have a long history of service and support for public and non-profit organizations in the State.
Texas State University’s Hobby Center supports a variety of public service programs and projects, including the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Section for Public Management Practice and the Section journal/website Good Governance Worldwide (GGW).
The Hobby Center also provides financial support to the University’s Visiting International Scholars in Texas (VISIT) Program and the William P Hobby Family Scholarships and Intern Fellowship Program for students in both the Bachelor’s of Public Administration (BPA) and Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) Programs.
For additional information about Governor Hobby and his family’s activities and the Hobby Center please visit the William P. Hobby Website which is https://williamphobby.org/ and the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service Website which is https://www.txst.edu/cpm/.
The Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program
The Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program began in July 1995 after Texas Governors Ann Richards and George Bush prepared letters of support to the National Certified Public Manager (CPM) Consortium authorizing Texas State University to set up a CPM Program for Texas that would operate under the umbrella of Texas State University.
Click here to see the original authorization letter from Governor Ann Richards.
Click here to see the original authorization letter from Governor George Bush.
Click here to see video excerpts of Governor George Bush conducting the first CPM Graduation at the Texas Capitol in December 1996.
In July 1996, Texas State University established the Public Service Academy to deliver the CPM Program in Texas. In 1998 the name of the Texas State University Public Service Academy was changed to the William P. Hobby Center for Public Service. This was done after former Texas Lt. Governor William P. Hobby made a $1 million donation to Texas State University to help fund the Texas CPM Program.
Governor Hobby’s original gift also provided funds to “support the William P. Hobby Professorship which has been held by Dr. Howard Balanoff, and public service activities such as the annual William P. Hobby Distinguished Lecture, Hobby Scholarships/Fellowships, Student Teaching/Research Assistantships, Intern Fellowships and the Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program.
For additional information about the Texas Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program please visit www.txstate.edu/cpm