Passing the Torch

About

Public-service executives, both elected and appointed within the public and nonprofit sectors, are retiring at record levels, and the number of Americans reaching age sixty-five annually will continue to rise over the next decade and is expected to surpass four million in 2020. Finding qualified, motivated leaders to fill vital public-service positions will challenge the public and nonprofit sectors.

Unfortunately, recent studies show that few proactive steps are being taken by public-service organizations to plan for the next generation. Passing the Torch: Planning for the Next Generation of Leaders in Public Service provides an outline for those who will be facing and managing these looming changes.

In this valuable guide, the factors that influence selection of a career in public service are explored through the authors’ years of experience as leaders in public-service organizations and through interviews with other public-service professionals. Passing the Torch will be essential for leaders of nonprofit organizations, university faculty, researchers in the field of nonprofit management, and students in nonprofit management courses.

Authors

Karl Besel is dean and professor of public administration and health management at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University Northwest.

Charlotte Lewellen Williams is associate professor and director of the Center on Community Philanthropy at the Clinton School of Public Service.

Praise

“There is a serious lack of research-based literature in the area of succession planning for nonprofit executive leaders. Passing the Torch is a welcome addition, providing an innovative and valuable approach to the topic that will be of use for academics, students, and practitioners.”
—Muthusami Kumaran, University of Florida<