The Cookingham-Noll Management Fellowship is one of the most established municipal fellowships in the country. Created 70 years ago, the program has produced over 100 local government professionals who have gone on to promising careers in the public and private sector. However, its roots can be traced back to a time of major municipal reform in Kansas City that was spearheaded by one of the most recognized managers in the profession.

​

Background

During the period of 1920-1940, Kansas City operated under the control of a political machine led by a political boss named Tom Pendergast. The City ran wild under his reign; voter fraud and fixed elections rampant, jobs were given to those who were loyal to the machine, and Prohibition laws were greatly ignored. Pendergast’s machine eventually met its downfall; however, the City was left in a tough position. Desperate for a new leader to come in and clean up the “back-country bookkeeping” that was left over from Pendergast’s hand-picked city manager, the City turned to Laurie Perry (L.P.) Cookingham for guidance.

​

L.P. Cookingham​

Although multiple individuals were considered for the job, it was a city manager in Saginaw, Michigan that caught the eye of the selection committee: L.P. Cookingham. Cookingham's approach to local government was revolutionary at the time—he believed in equality of service provision, promoted merit-based job hiring practices, and upheld the public as the ultimate authority in a city's workings. Cookingham was hired as City Manager in 1940 and served until 1959. His tenure is all the more remarkable due to the fact that no other manager had served in a position for such an extended period of time. Cookingham’s innovative approach to public administration set the national standard for effective, progressive, and professional governance that is widely recognized today.

​

During his time in Kansas City, Cookingham recognized the need for a professional training opportunity geared towards the next generation of public managers who are looking to put their graduate education into practice. He created this Fellowship (then internship) in order to give recent graduates first-hand experience of the inner workings of a large city government. Thanks to his mindfulness, Kansas City emerged as a training-ground for public management students. ​

​

Rich Noll

Richard Noll came to the City of Kansas City in 1983 as a Cookingham Fellow. Upon finishing his one-year fellowship, Noll served as a budget analyst for five years. He then served as a budget supervisor for six years, and then was appointed as an assistant city manager in 1995. Coming full circle, Noll served as an advisor for the Cookingham Fellowship and was a mentor to many who came through the program. Rich, like L.P. Cookingham, dedicated his life to training future local government and community leaders and was the embodiment of public service. After his unexpected passing in 2010, the Fellowship adopted his name to honor his contributions to the program.