TALLAHASSEE, Fla., July 28 -- Florida State University issued the following news release:

The Florida Certified Public Manager (CPM) program will honor 456 new graduates this summer, bringing the total number of CPM graduates in Florida to about 9,425 - more than in any other state.

The CPM program is a nationally recognized leadership development program, delivered in 38 states. The purpose is to develop more effective public managers, thereby improving services to all Florida taxpayers.

There will be four CPM graduation ceremonies this summer, each the culmination of a three-day leadership conference:

Florida has one of the most successful CPM programs in the country. The Florida Center for Public Management of the Askew School of Pub...