KU Public Management Center

What KU Public Management Center does

The KU Public Management Center (PMC) is the professional development arm of the University of Kansas School of Public Affairs and Administration, founded in 1974 and operated as an academic unit within a public state university governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The Center delivers leadership and management training to public service professionals primarily in Kansas and Missouri, with select programs reaching a national audience. Its core product portfolio comprises four competency-based programs: the Heartland Certified Public Manager (CPM) program (a nationally accredited management certification), the Supervisory Leadership Training (SLT), the Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA), and the High Performing Organizations — Leading EDGE program (a 7-day intensive for government leaders that relocated to PMC in 2024). Supporting services include confidential Coaching, Custom Workshops, Consulting (on-site team building, strategic planning facilitation), and Assessments built on third-party psychometric tools (CliftonStrengths, Emergenetics, Strengths Deployment Inventory). The Center also hosts four annual conferences: the Kansas City/County Manager Conference (KCCM), Inspiring Women in Public Administration (IWPA), the Heartland CPM Annual Conference, and the AASHTO Leadership Institute for state Departments of Transportation.

The Center operates on a professional-services revenue model drawing from four streams: program registration fees, conference and event fees, custom workshop and consulting fees, and conference sponsorships. Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but a published cancellation policy indicates per-person administrative fees of $50 (early) and $150 (late), implying individual program fees in the low-thousands range. Distribution is delivered through a hybrid model: on-site training at client locations throughout Kansas and Missouri, in-person programs at the KU Lawrence campus, virtual webinars, and self-serve registration via the Enrole platform. Technology infrastructure consists of the KU Canvas LMS for program delivery, the Enrole registration system for event and program enrollment, and the Localist calendar for event management. The Center has approximately 10 to 15 staff, including a Director, Associate Director, multiple Assistant Directors, Project Managers, a Communications Manager, and a Business Manager.

Customer concentration is structurally oriented around government entities, with named engagements including Kansas and Missouri government agencies, the Lake Saint Louis MO Police Department, Kansas City/County Manager Conference participants, and state DOTs nationwide via AASHTO. The stated scale covers "thousands of individuals and hundreds of public service entities" through professional education programs and customized services. Marketing leverages a multi-channel approach combining the KU brand, content marketing via the PMC website and blog, organic social media (LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube), email newsletters, free webinars, and a calendar of annual conferences that serve as both programming and acquisition channels. Strategic partnerships with the Kansas Association of City/County Management, Kansas Women Leading Government, AASHTO, and the International Association for Public Participation support distribution and ecosystem presence.

Name

KU Public Management Center

Legal name

The University of Kansas Public Management Center

Website

https://kupmc.ku.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The KU Public Management Center is a public university extension at the University of Kansas that delivers leadership training, management certification, coaching, and consulting services to government and public service professionals in Kansas, Missouri, and select national audiences via AASHTO.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Sector Leadership Training

NAICS

Executive Offices (92111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDADAKAA

Executive Leadership & Cabinet Administration

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Institutional Governance & Administration (School/College/University Admin)

Keywords

• Public sector training
• Leadership development
• Professional development
• Government management certification
• Organizational consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Program Registration Fees: Revenue from registration fees for Certified Public Manager Program, Emerging Leaders Academy, Supervisory Leadership Training, and Leading EDGE programs. Cancellation policy shows administrative fees ranging from $50 to $150 per person for cancellations.
2. Conference and Event Fees: Revenue from hosting conferences including KCCM, IWPA, CPM Annual Conference, and AASHTO Leadership Institute. Registration fees and sponsorship revenue.
3. Custom Workshops and Consulting: On-site team building, strategic planning facilitation, coaching services, and custom workshop delivery to government agencies and public service organizations.
4. Sponsorship Revenue: Conference sponsorships such as IWPA sponsorships (DeWitt Global Ventures, PorchLight Insights)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The KU Public Management Center is the professional development arm of the KU School of Public Affairs and Administration, delivering leadership training, management certification, coaching, consulting, and custom workshops to government agencies and public service professionals. Its portfolio spans the nationally accredited Heartland Certified Public Manager (CPM) program, Supervisory Leadership Training, Emerging Leaders Academy, the Leading EDGE intensive, and recurring public sector conferences (KCCM, IWPA, AASHTO Leadership Institute). Supporting services include evidence-based assessments (CliftonStrengths, Emergenetics, Strengths Deployment Inventory), executive coaching, strategic planning facilitation, and webinars.

Product overview

KU Public Management Center is the professional development arm of the KU School of Public Affairs and Administration, offering a portfolio of leadership training programs and professional development services. The core offerings include the Heartland Certified Public Manager® (CPM) program (a nationally accredited certification), Supervisory Leadership Training (SLT), Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA), and the High Performing Organizations - Leading EDGE intensive. These programs connect faculty research with adult-learning techniques. Supporting services include coaching, consulting, custom workshops, and assessments using tools like CliftonStrengths, Emergenetics, and Strengths Deployment Inventory. The Center also hosts annual conferences: the Kansas City/County Manager Conference (KCCM), Inspiring Women in Public Administration Conference (IWPA), Heartland CPM Annual Conference, and AASHTO Leadership Institute.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Heartland Certified Public Manager (CPM) Nationally accredited management program and certification in which participants develop and strengthen their management skills through a competency-based curriculum; designed for mid-to-senior public managers.
• Supervisory Leadership Training (SLT) Course designed to help new and experienced supervisors gain enhanced skills and new strategies to manage staff effectively.
• Emerging Leaders Academy (ELA) Talent management program targeted to promising non-supervisory/non-managerial staff to prepare them for leadership roles in their departments and organizations.
• High Performing Organizations - Leading EDGE 7-day intensive training program for government leaders, equipping them with strategies to drive innovation, collaboration, and high performance in public service.
• Coaching Services Confidential coaching services exclusively for organizations that invest in and support employees in reaching their fullest potential.
• Custom Workshops In-house retreats, team building, and trainings that go deep on specific challenges, available as half, full, or multiple day sessions for entire staffs or specific departments.
• Consulting Services On-site team building, facilitation of difficult conversations, strategic planning processes, and organizational development consulting for government and public service organizations.
• Assessments and Tools Evidence-based assessment tools including CliftonStrengths, Emergenetics, and Strengths Deployment Inventory to deepen awareness and spark meaningful growth for teams and leaders.
• Kansas City/County Manager Conference (KCCM) Annual spring conference bringing together public service professionals from Kansas and the Kansas City region for programming, networking, and partner events.
• Inspiring Women in Public Administration Conference (IWPA) Annual one-day conference focusing on issues facing women in public service organizations, open to men and women, with speakers bringing unique perspectives on today's leadership challenges.
• Heartland Certified Public Manager Annual Conference Conference featuring keynote presentations, interactive sessions, and practitioner-led discussions for CPM participants and alumni to apply actionable strategies in their daily work.
• AASHTO Leadership Institute Annual leadership development series for professionals serving in state departments of transportation around the country, offering perspectives on leading organizations and self-development.
• Webinars Educational content covering public service challenges with topics such as civic engagement, communication models, and disability services, with some sessions offering AICP CM credits.
• Law Enforcement Leadership Academy Leadership development program for law enforcement professionals, including team performance, communication, and leadership effectiveness (e.g., for Lake Saint Louis, MO Police Department Lieutenants and Sergeants).

Quantifiable outcome

• Worked with thousands of individuals and hundreds of public service entities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DeWitt Global VenturesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Recharge Sponsor for the 2026 Inspiring Women in Public Administration Conference.
• PorchLight InsightsminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Ally Sponsor for the 2026 Inspiring Women in Public Administration Conference.
• American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe PMC provides the annual AASHTO Leadership Institute - a leadership development series for professionals serving in state departments of transportation around the country. The series offers new perspectives on leading organizations and self-development.
• Kansas Association of City/County Management (KACM)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerKACM partners with PMC for the annual Kansas City/County Manager Conference, including membership meetings, lunch events, and KACM Foundation fundraiser during the conference.
• Kansas Women Leading Government (WLG)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerWLG holds events during the KCCM conference for women in local government leadership.
• School of Public Affairs and Administration (KU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe PMC is the professional development arm of the KU School of Public Affairs and Administration, connecting faculty research with adult-learning techniques for premier leadership training.
• International Association for Public Participation (IAP2)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSara L. Taliaferro, instructor at PMC, is an active member and trained through IAP2 for public engagement work.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• League of Kansas Municipalities: Direct peer - Kansas municipal association providing training, consulting, and advocacy for city officials. Comparable because it offers overlapping training, consulting, and custom workshops to the same Kansas government customer base.
• National Certified Public Manager Consortium: Direct peer - the national consortium that accredits and governs CPM programs (including KU's Heartland CPM). Comparable because it shares the CPM credentialing framework and competes for the same government-manager customer base across multiple state programs.
• Kansas Association of City/County Management (KACM): Direct peer - the state professional association that partners with PMC on the KCCM conference. Comparable because it serves the same Kansas public manager membership with networking, training, and professional development programming.
• University of Missouri Extension - Community Development & Public Affairs: Direct peer - a neighboring public university extension providing professional development, training, and consulting for government and public service professionals in Missouri. Operates a similar model of conferences, workshops, and certificate programs targeting the same regional public-sector audience.
• KU Edwards Campus Professional & Workforce Development: Direct peer - KU's own professional and workforce development unit, sharing infrastructure (staff like Ann Ermey came from there) and competing for similar executive education and custom training engagements within the same university system.
• Baker Tilly - Management Partners (formerly Management Partners): Direct peer - a consulting firm that delivers public-sector management consulting, organizational development, and leadership training to cities and counties. Comparable because it competes directly for PMC's consulting and coaching engagements and previously employed a PMC communications manager.

Broad incumbents

• American Society for Public Administration (ASPA): Broad incumbent - the largest national professional association for public administration, providing training, certification, and conferences to a similar government-manager audience. Comparable as a national-scale membership and training organization serving PMC's target customers.
• Center for Public Leadership, Harvard Kennedy School: Broad incumbent - a much larger elite university-based public leadership center offering executive education and fellowships for senior government leaders. Comparable as a university-affiliated leadership training provider, but at a different price point and audience tier.
• International City/County Management Association (ICMA): Broad incumbent - the dominant national association for professional city/county managers, offering leadership training, credentialing, and conferences that compete with and complement PMC's regional programs at national scale.

Regional players

• Wichita State University Public Policy and Management Center: Regional peer - another Kansas public university with applied research and training programs supporting Kansas government and nonprofit professionals. Comparable as an in-state academic extension providing public-sector professional development.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/KU
• Facebookfacebook.com/KU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ku-public-management-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KU Public Management Center