b'From the Editors DeskGovernment has many diverse and unique missions, but a single constant remains regardless of the mission set: serving the public above all else. From improving government management to building a weather-ready nation, compensating the sick and injured from the 9/11 terrorist attacks, providing development and humanitarian assistance, to envisioning transportation and supply chain infrastructure for the future, this edition of The Business of Government magazine offers insights from leaders who are advancing many of these initiatives, while also overcoming seemingly intractable public management issues facing us today. Between the thought and the deed, notes Aaron Wildavsky, there is a vast chasm. That gulf can be bridged only by taking seriously the task of organizing work. The 10 leaders profiled in this issue underscore the critical importance of doing just that. I present the Michael J. Keegan is Editor, leadership stories of these public servants and complement their frontline experience The Business of Governmentwith practical insights from a cadre of thought leadersmerging real world experience magazine and Leadershipwith practical scholarship. The purpose is not to offer definitive solutions to the many Fellow at the IBM Center for Themanagement challenges facing government executives, but to provide a resource from Business of Government. Email:which to draw practical, actionable recommendations on how best to confront such issues. michael.j.keegan@us.ibm.com.Conversations with LeadersThroughout the year, I had the pleasure to speak with key government executives and public sector leaders about their agencies, accomplishments, and vision of government in the 21st century. The four profiled manifest the leadership and strategic foresight needed to meet their varied missions. Rupa Bhattacharyya, Special Master, September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, leads the VCF, which is charged with providing compensation to any individual (or a personal representative of a deceased individual) who suffered physical harm or was killed as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She outlines the VCF priorities, how the program works, efforts to expand outreach to the 9/11 community, and what the future holds for the VCF. Bonnie Glick, Deputy Administrator, United States Agency for International Development, is the chief operating officer of USAID, which provides development and humanitarian assistance to those countries most in need. Deputy Administrator Glick details her agencies key priorities, its digital strategy, efforts to foster self-reliance, and how USAID engages the private sector to enhance development solutions.Dr. Louis W. Uccellini, Director, National Weather Service, manages an agency tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the purposes of protection, safety, and enhancement of the national economy. Dr. Uccellini spearheads efforts to build a weather-ready nation. He describes the key strategic priorities of the National Weather Service, how it is using technology to meet its mission, and what the future holds for his agency. 4 www.businessofgovernment.org The Business of Government'