Workforce Investment Board
Overview
The Lincoln Trail Workforce Investment Board (WIB) is a 45-member advisory board that includes representatives from all eight counties in the Lincoln Trail Area Development District. The WIB aims to enhance development and solve problems for all residents.
The WIB conducts oversight of the Centers, youth services as well as employment and training activities funded by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998. The board also selects and approves providers for employee training, develops relationships with economic development groups and the employer community, promotes private sector involvement in the workforce investment system, and serves as an advisory body to local education and training providers.
Accomplishments
Most recently the WIB has been providing oversight to the WIRED initiative and funded the development of the new marketing initiative and Web site for the Lincoln Trail Career Centers.
Additionally, the WIB and the Fort Knox Civilian Personnel Assistance Center sponsored Federal Hiring Symposiums across the Lincoln Trail Region that provided instruction and information on the civil service application process to over 1,500 individuals interested in employment at the Human Resource Center of Excellence at Fort Knox. Approximately 1,500 jobs will need to be filled at the Center as a result of the federal Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) activities approved by Congress in 2005.
The WIB also funded a contract with the Western Kentucky University (WKU) Research Foundation to establish an Entrepreneurial Academy of Excellence (EAE). WKU will partner with the Lincoln Trail Innovation and Commercialization Center to provide eligible adults and dislocated workers seeking assistance in achieving academic, entrepreneurial and employment success. The Academy will focus its efforts on creating and nurturing an entrepreneurial culture, supporting a pipeline of entrepreneurs guiding them into successful business ventures and creating jobs within the region that will support the tax base increasing regional economic growth.
Another important project funded by the WIB is the Yes, I Can Program. The Yes, I Can Program focuses on out-of-school students between the ages of 16-21 years of age within the Lincoln Trail Region. The program is directed at providing students an opportunity to conduct career exploration in many different fields. There are four tracts that will be available to students in the 2008-2009 contract period. These tracts consist of Information Technology, two STEM Manufacturing Career Exploration tracts, and a CNA certification tract. In order to qualify for the program, the student must be at a minimum of an 8th grade reading, math, and language level, meet eligibility determination, and some form of barrier to employment. The ultimate goal of the program is to place students in employment or continue on into post-secondary education after completion of the program. The students will have the opportunity to earn incentive benchmarks of up to $1,000.00 while enrolled in the program, if they meet the specified requirements while enrolled in the program.
WIB Members
WIB Members include:
- Rik Hawkins, President, Etown - Hardin County Chamber of Commerce
- Michael Autry, Assistant Business Manager, International Brotherhood of Boilermakers
- Nancy Bacchus, VR Counselor, Office for the Blind
- Kent M. Bailey, Broker/Auctioneer, KMB Brokerage
- Ronnie Bobblett, Mayor, City of Bloomfield
- Marion E. Brooks, Asst. SRA, CHFS - DCBS
- Mary M. Cambron, H R Manager, Joy Mining Machinery
- Stan Carton, Executive Director, NELCO Training Inc.
- Gary P. Chapman, Vice President/District Manager, First Federal Savings Bank
- Richard DeWitt, HR Manager, Clayton Homes
- Daniel G. Drane, Owner - CPA, Daniel G. Drane, CPA
- Jo Emary, Executive Director, Radcliff - Hardin County Chamber of Commerce
- Sheila Enyart, Mayor, City of Radcliff
- Hal B. Goode, Executive Director, Springfield - Washington Co EDA
- Brian Hagman, HR Manager,Akebono Brake
- Renae Harrison, Adult Education Coordinator,Hardin County BOE
- Steve Hornback, HR/LR Manager, Dow Corning Corporation
- Traci Houchins, Field Operations Coordinator, Experience Works
- Kim Huston, President & COO, Nelson County EDA & Chamber
- William D. Huston, President, St. Catharine College
- Patrick Hutchens, Co-Owner, Promotional Wood Products, LLC
- Karen King, Comm. HR Specialist, Lebanon/Marion County Industrial Foundation
- Kurt H. Krug, HR & Safety Director, Haydon Brothers Contracting
- Laura LaRue, Executive Officer, Lincoln Trail Home Builders
- Caryn Lewis, Executive Director, Grayson County Chamber
- Charles McGary, Small business owner/farmer
- Morris "Mo" Miller, Investor/Operating Mgmt., Stone Works, Inc.
- Tom Moorman, Executive Director, CKCAC
- Joseph W. (Bill) Osborne, President & CEO, Communicare, Inc.
- Junnie Pennington, Site Manager, Operating Engineers Local 5
- Charles W. Puckett, Regional Administrator, Office of Vocational Rehab
- Tammy Rademacher, Manager Recruitment/Retention, Hardin Memorial Hospital
- Vickie Hutcheson, Executive Director, KY Farmworker Program
- Tom Renfrow, Broker/Owner, Central KY Realtors
- Paul Rogers, Vice President, Cardinal Health
- Ron Sanders, President & CEO, Magnolia Bank
- Bob Sims, Comm. & Econ. Director, LaRue County Industrial Found.
- Sue Sims, Owner-Broker, Agency One Real Estate
- Sandra Sladics, Human Resources Generalist, Angell-Demmel
- Richard L. Taylor, Owner, Taylor Used Cars
- Tommy Wheatley, Workforce Dev. Manager, Office of Employment & Trng
- Dr. Thelma J. White, President, ECTC
- Lisa Williams, Director, The Innovation Center
