With every change comes great opportunity. I welcome both, and I am very excited and honored to accept this position as your new commissioner. In my first few days in Labor and Workforce Development, I’ve only been able to scratch the surface of everything this department has to accomplish and the challenges ahead. We all have a great deal to learn about each other so I wanted to introduce myself in this newsletter first before having the opportunity to meet you in person.
The greatest initial change for me will be working in Nashville. I’ve been living in Memphis for the past four years, and although both my parents now live in Chicago, my mother is from Chattanooga, and my father, who was born in Arkansas, moved to Memphis and lived there for a time when he was young. I’ve always enjoyed traveling in Tennessee, especially in the summer, as I often did during my childhood . . . so I’m no stranger to our state.
I’ve already learned Labor and Workforce Development is a large umbrella, a multi-faceted department affecting Tennessee’s workforce and economic development from many angles. I know a bit of what you do from my practical experience.
Prior to accepting my Cabinet post, I was director of Urban Strategies Memphis HOPE, charged with providing community support services for the residents of five housing projects. I also served as chairman for the Tennessee Local Workforce Investment Area 13 Youth Council, a position in which I assisted in the selection and oversight of the Youth Program providers.
You probably read that one of the governor’s first actions was to announce the formation of four Cabinet working groups – on Safety and Security, Jobs and Education, Efficient and Effective Good Government, and Services. He said Tennessee must maintain a business-friendly environment to attract and retain high-quality jobs, and state government must create the best possible environment for job growth. Our department is part of the Jobs and Education working group, also consisting of the departments of Economic and Community Development, Agriculture, Commerce and Insurance, Financial Institutions, Revenue, Tourism, and Education – a team that I feel will work together well.
Governor Haslam said in his inaugural speech that Tennesseans have a will to work, but for some, the opportunities are scarce. He referenced the changing workforce and its challenges and said we must aim higher. He said our goal must include – in addition to reforming our education system and embracing a healthy lifestyle – retraining those out of work and underemployed.
Governor Haslam intends to make Tennessee the number one state in the Southeast for high-quality jobs. I see our department as being key to attaining that goal. Adult Education provides critical adult learning. The training grants provided by Workforce Development keep employers competitive and are proven to retain jobs. Employment Security’s Career Center network will continue to be important for re-employment training and services. All of us play a part in making Governor Haslam’s objectives a reality.
In the coming weeks I have a lot to learn from you and value your judgment and experience. As commissioner it will be my task, just as the new governor’s, to take time and evaluate the department from top to bottom. Our success will rely on our continuing what we do well, adapting to new ideas, and inevitably doing more with less. Working hard and smart is something Labor has done well in the past and will continue to do in the future . . . I’m sure of that.
In my first senior staff meeting last Wednesday, I heard presentations from administrators highlighting the scope of each division. I was struck by the “family” ambiance of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and I appreciate that feeling. I left that kind of atmosphere in my most recent job, and I look forward to being a part of this agency’s family.
Many challenges face our state and our workforce, and we’ll be dealing with some hard decisions. I’m honored to accept this appointment, and I know we can work together to affect positive change in Tennessee. I’m confident that working with each other we can continue to make our workplaces safer, return people to work as we recover from the recession, and improve the quality of our workforce to attract jobs to our state. |
|
