DURHAM, NC, February 17, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present James H. "Jim" Svara, PhD, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Svara celebrates many years' experience in his professional network and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Dr. Svara has established a distinguished career spanning more than four decades of full-time teaching in the fields of political science, urban government, and public administration. Since retiring from full-time positions in 2013, he has served as a senior fellow at the School of Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he is recognized for his expertise in political science, urban politics, government, administration, and management, as well as the relationship among professionals, elected officials, and the public. In this capacity, he was part of a three-person team that advised the International City/County Managers Association regarding the revision of its Code of Ethics to strengthen the commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and community involvement—recommendations accepted by the ICMA membership in 2023.

Dr. Svara's academic career commenced as an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro from 1972 to 1989, where he also initiated and directed the summer internship in government program from 1972 to 1976. During a year on professional leave, he worked in the field as a program analyst in the Office of Evaluation within Community Planning and Development at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in Washington between 1976 and 1977. He directed the new Master of Public Administration program during two periods, 1978 to 1980 and 1986 to 1989. Dr. Svara also held administrative roles, including serving as the Center for Social Research and Human Services director from 1979 to 1981, as a faculty assistant to the chancellor between 1982 and 1983, and subsequently as the acting assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs from 1986 to 1987.

He next served as a professor of political science and public administration at North Carolina State University from 1989 to 2006, during which he also directed the public administration program between 1990 and 1998 and served as the department head from 1998 to 2005. His international experience expanded during this period by serving as a visiting scholar in the Department of Political Science and Public Management at the University of Southern Denmark in the spring semesters of 1998 and 2006.

After his work in North Carolina, Dr. Svara held several key positions at Arizona State University between 2006 and 2012. As a professor in the School of Public Affairs from 2006 to 2012 and the director of the doctoral program between 2010 and 2012, he contributed significantly to academic leadership and research. He also served as the initial director of the Center for Urban Innovation at ASU, a role that marked a meaningful capstone to his career by allowing him to focus on innovative actions taken by local governments. This initiative, launched in partnership with the International City/County Management Association, provided Dr. Svara with an opportunity to advance effective practices in municipal governance. Additionally, he was a fellow at the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics during his tenure on campus.

In preparation for his future, Dr. Svara completed his undergraduate studies by obtaining a Bachelor of Arts in history at the University of Kentucky in Lexington in 1965. He also earned a Master of Arts in International Relations in 1969 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science in 1972 from Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Svara's educational background has been integral to his success as an educator and researcher. He attributes much of his strength as a professor to an enduring curiosity and passion for answering questions, qualities that have driven both his teaching and scholarly pursuits.

Dr. Svara's professional affiliations and recognitions reflect his leadership within the field. He was selected as a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration in 1996. He has been recognized as an honorary member of the International City/County Management Association since 2001. He chaired the Section on Intergovernmental Administration and Management of the American Society for Public Administration from 2002 to 2004, and served on its national council between 1997 and 1999. He was also recognized as a public administration faculty fellow by NASPAA, the Global Standard in Public Service Education Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs and Administration in 1976. He also contributed to the development of the 8th and 9th Model City Charters by the National Civic League and wrote the introduction to the 9th Model Charter in 2021.

In addition to his academic roles, Dr. Svara has made substantial contributions through civic engagement and professional service. He served as co-chair of the committee to revise the Code of Ethics of the American Society for Public Administration and chaired several of its ethics-related committees between 2011 and 2016, including leading efforts to implement its new code of ethics. Currently, as a community activist with the Coalition for Affordable Housing and Transit in Durham County, North Carolina, Dr. Svara continues to apply his expertise to expand affordable housing options.

A prolific author and editor, Dr. Svara's publications included authoring Official Leadership in the City: Patterns of Conflict and Cooperation via Oxford University Press in 1990, Two Decades of Continuity and Change in American City Councils in 2003, The Ethics Primer for Public Administrators in Government and Nonprofit Organizations in 2007 (with two new editions in 2015 and 2021), co-authoring with Danish scholar Poul Erik Mouritzen Leadership at the Apex: Politicians and Administrators in Western Local Governments via University of Pittsburgh Press in 2002, and editing and contributing to The Facilitative Leader in City Hall: Reexamining the Scope and Contributions via CRC Press in 2008, More than Mayor or Manager: Campaigns to Change Form of Government in America's Large Cities via the Georgetown University Press in 2010, and Justice for All: Promoting Social Equity in Public Administration via M.E. Sharpe in 2011.

Throughout his career, Dr. Svara has been recognized for advancing the understanding of council-manager forms of government relative to mayor-council structures. His research challenged prevailing dichotomous views of council-manager governments by emphasizing the collaborative relationships between elected officials and administrators, a model he termed duality, which has become a significant contribution to public administration scholarship.

Dr. Svara's achievements have been recognized through numerous accolades, beginning with a College of Humanities and Social Sciences Research Publication Award at N.C. State University for the 1991-1992 academic year. Among others, he was honored to receive the Stephen B. Sweeney Academic Award from the International City/County Management Association in 2009 for significant contributions to the formal education of students pursuing careers in local government, a Distinguished Service Award from the School of Public Affairs at Arizona State University's School of Public Affairs in 2011, and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Section on Ethics and Integrity in Governance by the American Society for Public Administration in 2019.

In retirement, Dr. Svara remains dedicated to community engagement, particularly addressing affordable housing needs for residents of Durham, North Carolina, and aims for these efforts to serve as models for other cities seeking similar solutions while maintaining strong family ties. He hopes his legacy will advance understanding of local government operations, illuminating how both officials and citizens can contribute meaningfully to more effective democratic processes.

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