Before all of 2021 becomes a memory, I wanted to pause and thank everyone who supported CSMFO during our messy middle of the 2021 pandemic recovery. Thank you to every member, every volunteer, every person in a contract support role, and every CSMFO leader. I wish you all a healthy, joyful, and relaxing holiday season.

To our CSMFO Executive Committee (Past President Steve Heide and President-Elect Scott Catlett) and Board of Directors (Craig Boyer, Ernie Reyna, Grace Castaneda, Karla Romero, Stephen Parker, and Will Fuentes), thank you for your patience and leadership. You helped guide CSMFO through a busier and messier year than we all expected.

But today’s thanks, on behalf of all CSMFO members both past and present, goes to our Executive Director, Melissa Manchester. Melissa will close her CSMFO professional chapter on December 31, 2021.

Melissa has passionately served every member of CSMFO since 2008 with pure devotion to our CSMFO mission and in support of all our members who serve California’s diverse communities.

For my last 2021 President message, I’m sharing the script for awarding CSMFO’s highest honor, our Distinguished Service Award, to Melissa Manchester.

CSMFO 2021 Conference – Together Toward Tomorrow
Distinguished Service Award Presentation – February 17, 2021

In late 2008, CSMFO opted to contract with Smith Moore & Associates for association management services.

At the time, CSMFO was badly in need of professional association support and management. Enter Melissa Dixon (Manchester) and Smith Moore & Associates.

Over these last dozen years, Melissa has dutifully served as CSMFO’s Executive Director, most recently under contract with SMA, and while all of the dedicated staff at SMA have been integral to CSMFO’s continuing success, Melissa has been a constant over the past decade-plus; part and parcel of CSMFO, as if she’s “one of us.”

Melissa has worked with and supported fourteen CSMFO President’s over her tenure. Some notable quotes about Melissa from former Past Presidents include:

• Melissa has been a key to my success as a volunteer leader of this organization, with us working side-by-side for the benefit of our members.
• She was a sounding board, a mentor, an idea generator, and the person who generally saved me from myself.
• She was a trusted advisor who always found solutions to even the most difficult problems.
• Melissa was a true partner during my term as President. Reflecting back, I was amazed at how much she understood CSMFO with its history and was able to guide me.
• She values the people of CSMFO. And for our organization, she takes our vision and makes it happen.
• I love her positivity no matter what the situation. You just know everything will be taken care of in the end.
• Melissa is very passionate about her work and always has a smile on her face.
• I simply could not have done it without her, and I am so grateful for her dedication to CSMFO.
• When options were needed, Melissa could always be counted on to come up with some creative suggestions.
• Over the past decade, she has been invaluable to the Board and leadership of CSMFO.
• She is forward-thinking and a problem solver.
• She has a high degree of professional responsibility and greatly enjoys working with the CSMFO.

As your President for 2021, when I think of CSMFO’s own values, they perfectly describe Melissa’s own guiding values towards her CSMFO service: Integrity… Competency… Commitment to Public Service… Transparency… Creating a Positive Legacy. Melissa has guided so many into leadership positions and selflessly served the needs of so many often well before she was asked.

I want to conclude with Melissa’s own words from a past CSMFO News when she was asked what she liked best about serving CSMFO:

“The culture of the organization. Everyone is helpful, willing to lend a hand to make someone’s job easier or answer a difficult question. Everyone pulls together for the betterment of the association and the profession, and I’m honored to be part of that team – Melissa Manchester”

Our CSMFO Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding service over a consecutive period of time to CSMFO or to local government finance. This is the highest honor CSMFO bestows to someone deserving of this unique honor.

So, it is my absolute honor to recognize Melissa Manchester for her passionate and absolute commitment to every member, Board Director, President, and all future CSMFO members.

Over a decade, Melissa has devoted herself to CSMFO’s mission and inspired its vision. She has furthered the interests of our municipal members and their public agencies, and, by extension, the profession of municipal finance in California.

Arguably, CSMFO would not be the association it is today without Melissa’s steady hand at the helm.