With an impressive 45-year career in local government, Mark Ryan, who spent 41 of those years as a city manager, shares his journey and insights. Mark, a recipient of the FLC Home Rule Award and a proponent of legislation that has recently allowed cities and counties to regulate smoking in municipal parks, discusses his leadership approach. His main goal has been to ensure that elected officials are well-prepared and equally informed, a strategy that has helped him manage expectations and maintain smooth operations within city governance.