At its January meeting, the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) Board of Directors honored Executive Director Chuck Bean, celebrating his 10-year tenure with the organization, which he will conclude in early February.
The board presented Bean with Resolution R3-2023, highlighting the regional organization’s greatest accomplishments under his leadership.
Since joining COG as its executive director in 2012, Bean oversaw the introduction and execution of numerous regional planning initiatives and strategies, including regional housing targets, a regional greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal, and new transit and equity planning concepts to inform future growth and investment decisions. He also worked with the board to bring these priorities together into a single strategic framework, Region United: Metropolitan Washington Planning Framework for 2030, which puts equity at the center of the region’s goals for the future and promotes grants, tools, and other assistance to area jurisdictions and partners as they work to advance this vision.
“Having you at the helm with your steady hand, your understanding of the complexities of the region, and your patience, has been outstanding,” said newly elected 2023 COG Board Chair and Montgomery County Councilmember Kate Stewart.
Positioning COG as the “hub for regional partnership,” Bean demonstrated skillful consensus-building among COG’s 24 member governments, ensuring all voices were heard and reflected in COG’s work and building a deeper level of participation and collaboration throughout the region on issues from Metro funding and safety to the successful effort to attract Amazon HQ2 to metropolitan Washington.
In remarks following the presentation of the resolution, board members expressed their appreciation of Bean.
“You’ve made equity emphasis areas a part of my regular conversation. Your leadership has taken this organization to another level. We’re looking with very strong eyes at equity--that benefits the entire region,” said COG Board Member and Charles County Commissioner Reuben B. Collins II.
“I’ve said so many times, I think COG is the most august body in the region, and I think a lot of that has been you,” said COG Board Member and Loudoun County Board Chair Phyllis Randall, commending Bean for his work to engage and welcome in elected officials from across the region.
The COG Board resolution joins several other commendations of Bean to date, including ones by the District of Columbia, Montgomery County, Fairfax County, Arlington County, and the County and City of Frederick.
“You set a standard for this organization and the collaboration of the region. You’ve done an outstanding job on bringing us together on some really important issues. Not only did you do that, but you did it through some of the most difficult times any of us have faced,” said COG Board Member and Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay.
Bean will conclude his role as executive director later this month, “passing the baton” to Clark Mercer, selected by the COG Board as Bean’s predecessor in late 2022.