Seabury Announces Ike Leggett as Award Recipient
Seabury Resources for Aging is pleased to announce Ike Leggett as the recipient of the 2017 Leadership In Aging Award. The award is reserved for individuals who have made a significant contribution to improving the lives of older adults and family caregivers.
In 2014, Mr. Leggett was elected for a third four-year term as County Executive for Montgomery County. He is the first African-American elected to the office. Mr. Leggett served as the President of the Maryland Association of Counties in 2015. He was also President of the County Executives of America in 2013-14. Prior to his election as County Executive, Mr. Leggett served on the Montgomery County Council for four terms as an At-Large Member and as President of the Council for three of those years.
Before engaging in politics, Mr. Leggett served as a Captain in the U. S. Army. His tour of duty in Vietnam earned him the Bronze Star Medal. He holds Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts, Juris Doctorate, and Master of Laws degrees.
As an elected official, he has supported legislation that has increased the minimum wage, created programs for immigrants and individuals with disabilities, expanded affordable housing, and strengthened supports and services for older adults.
It is not surprising that through his efforts Montgomery County was designated by the World Health Organization as an “Age-friendly Community” and that he was named a “Washingtonian of the Year” by Washingtonian Magazine in 2015.
Throughout his tenure, Ike Leggett has worked to address the needs of the county’s growing older population. Montgomery County has modernized and expanded transportation options for older adults by tripling the number of people using the Connect-A-Ride service, modernizing their Call-n-Ride subsidized taxi program, adding an escorted transportation program, and expanding programing for education on transitioning from driving.
The county also has utilized private/public partnerships to address the transportation and mobility needs of older adults by constructing and repairing hundreds of miles of sidewalks, adding traffic signs, and increasing crossing times at lights. In addition to the physical improvements to the community, Montgomery County’s fire and police departments have developed programming and undergone training aimed at increasing the safety of older adults.
Through Mr. Leggett’s management, the county expanded recreation, nutrition, and exercise programming by offering 60% more health and wellness courses, more than doubling the number of older adults served through the Home Delivered meals program, and increasing by 20% the number of clients served through the Senior Nutrition Program.
Housing and aging in place have also been a priority for Mr. Leggett. Through his leadership, the number of villages and local organizations that help older adults age in place has grown from four in 2009 to 20 villages, with nine more in the works. Through public/private partnerships, Montgomery County has acquired and preserved thousands of units of affordable housing and created hundreds of new units of affordable housing for low-income older adults.
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Seabury’s 2017 Leadership in Aging Awards will take place on Wednesday, May 17 at Amp Powered By Strathmore from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Tickets are now on sale; click here to purchase your ticket online. Questions? Email Gregory Wagner at gwagner@seaburyresources.org.
