Award Background
The Idaho Association of Counties is proud to have presented the inaugural Daniel G. Chadwick Civility Award to William “Bill” Thompson during the IAC Annual Conference in September 2025.
The award was created in memory of Daniel G. Chadwick, or “Dan,” as most knew him during his 27 years of leading the Idaho Association of Counties as the Executive Director. “Whether you were brand new to county government, whether you were a vendor, or whether you were the president of the United States, Dan treated everyone with respect,” said Mark O’Connell, Executive Director of the Wisconsin Counties Association.
Through Idaho Association of Counties, Chadwick worked to implement the Idaho indigent program; created the justice fund and levy; restructured the juvenile corrections system; oversaw substantial public defense reform; protected counties from significant revenue losses to the personal property tax system; implemented election consolidation; promoted the formation and operation of the Local Highway Technical Assistance Council and defeated term limits on local officials.
The 2025 Inaugural Recipient
The Daniel G. Chadwick Civility Award recognizes individuals who exemplify civility and professionalism in their elected positions. As the first-ever recipient, Bill Thompson, Latah County’s Prosecuting Attorney and a past IAC president, perfectly embodies these values.
Thompson, who once said of Dan, “He was always looking to bring people into IAC and get them to understand and invest themselves in what IAC stood for,” now stands as the benchmark for this honor. By recognizing leaders like Bill Thompson, we hope to highlight role models for the future elected officials who will lead our great state of Idaho.
Questions?
For any questions on the application process, please contact Kristin Cundiff, IAC Director of Operations, at kcundiff@idcounties.org or 208.345.9126.
2025: Bill Thompson, Latah County Prosecuting Attorney