1951
- Bob Morris is hired as Village Manager (VM) in Glencoe. First VM in Illinois not trained as an engineer
1952
- Illinois formally adopts statute allowing for council-manager (CM) government; prior to that time 10 communities adopted the plan by ordinance
1953
- Mark Keane, VM Oak Park hosts a meeting of managers. ILCMA is formed with William Wolf, VM Wilmette, elected president
- Another 17 communities adopt CM form, most by referendum. Dr. Gilbert Steiner, from UIUC, provided the impetus for that first meeting
1954
- First statewide conferences are held at Allerton House in Monticello; Meetings are organized under the guidance of Gil Steiner and others from UIUC
1964
- ILCMA hosts ICMA’s 50th Anniversary Conference in Chicago, Bob Morris, chair
- Robert Morris is elected ICMA Regional Vice-President
- Since then nine additional Illinois managers/assistants have served in that position: Stan Kennedy, John Fischbach, John Eckenroad, Valerie Salmons, Juliana Maller, David Limardi, Bob Kiely, Mike Baker, and Wally Bobkiewicz
1972
- IAMMA is founded
1974
- ILCMA Secretariat is established at Northern Illinois University under direction of Jim Banovetz
1979
- ILCMA becomes first state association to employ a full-time, professional staff unaffiliated with a state municipal league
- Tom Flannery appointed ILCMA first full-time executive director
1982
- Stan Kennedy, VM Wilmette, is elected ICMA president
- IAMMA, Metro Managers, and Downstate officially become affiliates of ILCMA
1984
- Carol Zar is appointed executive director
- Jeff Fuller, of Park Ridge, is first assistant manager to be elected president of ILCMA
- ILCMA awarded first (and only) ICMA State Association Award for Creative Initiatives; J. Neil Nielsen, president
- Summer conference is held at Eagle Ridge for the first time
- ML Managers Committee formed; Paul Nicholson, president
- First winter conference held in Champaign; Larry Asaro, president
1988
- Valerie Salmons is elected as first female president of ILCMA. Since then five women have served. They are Katy Rush (1995-96), Robin Weaver (2003-04), Ghida Neukirch (2007-08), Juliana Maller (2011-12), and Kelly Amidei (2015-16).
1991
- Illinois joins the ICMA Range Rider program with Bob Morris and Les Allen as the first two range riders
1992
- Illinois Municipal League officially establishes municipal managers committee
1994
- ILCMA hosts ICMA conference in Chicago; Larry Arft, chair
- ILCMA inaugurates its awards program; Tim Schuenke, president
1997
- ILCMA changes its name to Illinois City / County Management Association
2000
- ILCMA website inaugurated
2001
- IACA becomes an affiliate of ILCMA
- First James M. Banovetz scholarship is awarded
2004
- Carol Zar resigns after 20 years as executive director
- Dawn S. Peters is appointed executive director
- ILCMA establishes new Friends of ILCMA Corporate Partnership Program
2005
- SWICMA becomes an affiliate of ILCMA
2007
- David Limardi becomes President-elect for ICMA
2008
- Patrick Urich becomes the first county administrator to be President of ILCMA
2013
- Women’s Legacy Project becomes an affiliate of ILCMA
2016
- First Asian-American appointed as city manager. Rudy Espiritu was appointed City Manager for the city of Berkeley in August 2016.
2020
- ILCMA holds first ever virtual winter conference and moves all professional development events to virtual due to COVID-19.
