The Florida Counties Foundation (FCF) presented Palm Beach County Vice Mayor Mack Bernard with the Certified County Commissioner (CCC) designation following completion of a comprehensive study program. Vice Mayor Bernard received the recognition along with 38 other county commissioners from throughout the state at an awards ceremony held during the recent Florida Association of Counties (FAC) annual conference in Orange County.

Launched in 1996, the Certified County Commissioner program is a voluntary program of study designed for county commissioners to learn information and enhance skills relevant to their duties and responsibilities through a series of courses totaling 45 hours. Since its inception, nearly 500 county commissioners in Florida have earned the CCC designation.

"By participating in this program, commissioners gain valuable tools to assist them in their public service every day," said Florida Counties Foundation Director Eric Poole. The FCF Board of Directors is composed of county commissioners, county administrators and county attorneys who help guide the content and direction of FCF's cornerstones programs.

The CCC program coursework covers a variety of topics, such as ethics and the sunshine law, county government roles and responsibilities, county government structure and authority, financial management, growth management, negotiation skills, economic development, and effective communication.