Labor Department Announces New Members of State Workforce Development Board

15 NEW MEMBERS JOIN THE BOARD

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development announced today the appointments of 15 new members and 1 reappointment to the State Workforce Development Board. The purpose of the board is to advise the Governor on all matters of workforce development strategy for the state.

“A primary objective of the board is to help Governor Haslam accomplish his goal of making Tennessee the number one state in the Southeast for high quality jobs,” said Commissioner Burns Phillips. “We are fortunate to have this group of leaders who will give oversight to the development of job training programs that will meet the ever changing technical and advanced skill requirements of today’s workforce.”

The State Workforce Development Board identifies employment and training as well as career and technical education needs throughout the state. They provide oversight and guidance for the programs operating within the American Jobs Centers across Tennessee, which include job search assistance, soft skills development, occupational training, and resources for businesses to identify qualified job applicants.  The 36-member board includes representatives from business, state and local government, education, health services, organized labor, community-based organizations, and the general public.

Governor Haslam has appointed Bob Ravener, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer for Dollar General, as chairman of the State Workforce Development Board. Ravener is a former U.S. Navy submarine officer and has more than 25 years of business leadership experience, complemented with several previous appointments to national government committees and other volunteer activities. He has been married to his wife Lisa for more than 30 years, has three children, and resides in Brentwood.

For more information about the State Workforce Development Board visit http://www.tn.gov/labor-wfd/wfboard.html.

State Workforce Development Board Appointees:

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