Members' 25-Year Reminiscences

David Laverny-Rafter, AICP

Founding Editor and Editorial Advisory Board, Planners' Casebook
Founding Coordinator of APA International Division Planner's Exchange
Professional Development Officer, Minnesota Chapter of APA
Secretary-Treasurer of Iowa Chapter of APA
Professor of Urban Planning, Minnesota State University, Mankato

I have always enjoyed my association with APA and AICP because it offered me a chance to get to know many outstanding planners, pursue professional development, and be involved in critical policy issues that impact cities and our profession.

My fondest memory as a APA member is a warm spring afternoon at the national APA conference in Portland, Oregon. APA Executive Director Is Stollman and I sat outside and discussed how we could initiate a case study program whereby planners would have an opportunity to tell their "story" about how they implemented planning. To Is and me, planning implementation had been a black box that needed to be opened just as the legal and medical professions had done.

The outcome of this long chat was the creation of Planners' Casebook by AICP and its long run as a publication service to AICP members. I was proud to serve as the founding editor and later on the Editorial Advisory Board. I think this little example speaks volumes about APA and its openness to new ideas from its members. I wish APA/AICP many more years of success.