Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves was elected to the Board of Trustees of the United States Conference of Mayors at the group’s 94th annual meeting in Long Beach, Calif., last week.
It is the first time in the Conference’s history that a Pensacola mayor has been named to the Executive Committee of the organization, which was established in 1932.
As one of these 12 national Trustees, Reeves will help set the organization’s national policy agenda, federal advocacy strategies, and legislative priorities. Reeves previously served on the Conference’s Advisory Board and as the chairman of the standing Committee on Jobs, Education, and the Workforce.
“To have Pensacola seated at the decision-making table as one of only 12 Trustees nationwide is an incredible honor and a massive win for our community,” said Reeves. “Being the smallest city among this leadership group proves that our innovative approach to growth, economic development, and infrastructure is breaking through nationally.”
The Conference is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 cities in the country represented by the Conference. The Executive Committee, made up of the top leadership and the 12 Trustees, governs the organization and guides its national advocacy agenda before the President and Congress.
While the appointment carries substantial national prestige, its primary value is the direct, tangible impact it brings home to Pensacola neighborhoods. By securing a leadership role, Pensacola ensures that its needs as a mid-sized coastal community are integrated into federal funding conversations. It also puts Pensacola at the forefront of the issues all cities face today, including housing and affordability.
Pensacola’s relationship with the Conference of Mayors, including direct access to federal leaders, shared municipal blueprints, and competitive federal grant insights already has accelerated key community projects across Pensacola including millions in grant funding, the progress on the Hollice T. Williams Greenway project and emergence of high-quality job opportunities at the Port of Pensacola.
By moving into the highest tier of USCM leadership, Pensacola gains unprecedented, early access to federal agency leadership, immediate insights into upcoming infrastructure grant cycles, and a direct line to shape federal policy to benefit local neighborhoods.
“In a time of national political division, this bipartisan organization proves that local leaders can pull in the same direction to deliver results,” Reeves said. “We aren’t just participating in the national conversation anymore; Pensacola has a permanent seat at the table.”
