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The Iowa Workforce Development Board

Legislation was passed in May 1996 to create a new state department, Iowa Workforce Development, to streamline employment and training programs. The Iowa Workforce Development Board  was created in the legislation. In 1999 the Board assumed the responsibilities of the State Workforce Investment Board under the federal Workforce Investment Act (WIA) signed into law in August 1998.

Governor Thomas J. Vilsack stated, "With a sense of hope and excitement we enter a new century with the development of a new economy not built solely on the strength of our bodies, but more on the power of our intellect. Iowa is poised to take real advantage of that new economy and to offer businesses and industries that locate here the promise of long-term profitability built on the quality of our workers and our long-term investment in their continued education."

The duties of the Iowa Workforce Development Board include, but are not limited to, the following activities: the development and implementation of a twenty-year comprehensive workforce development plan; the preparation of a five-year strategic plan; the development of evaluation methods; the establishment of guidelines for the awarding of grants; the review of grants awarded by Iowa Workforce Development; the recommendation of departmental usage of federal funding; and the adoption of administrative rules recommended by the director of Iowa Workforce Development.

The Board members consists of nine voting members. The voting members represent employers, employees and a nonprofit workforce development organization. The current board chair is Ken Sagar and the vice-chair is Norma Schmoker.

The list of Iowa Workforce Development Board voting members include:

Employer Representatives:

• Kimberline Ingram, Wells Fargo Bank, Des Moines

• Norma Schmoker, Founder and former owner of Quality Plus/Essar, Inc., Fort Dodge

• Kenneth Anderson, Marshalltown Area Chamber of Commerce

• Dee Vanderhoef, Iowa City

Employee Representatives:

• Ken Sagar, Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, Des Moines (Statewide labor organization representative)

• Roger Grobstich - Hiawatha, Retail, Wholesale & Department Store Union-United Food & Commercial Union RWDSU-UFCW (Statewide labor organization representative)

• Deborah Groene, IUPAT District Council 81 (Worker Training Program Representative)

• Jerome Amos, Jr., United Auto Workers Union (UAW), John Deere Waterloo Works (Labor Management Council Representative)

Non-Profit Workforce Development Organization Representative

• Jean Logan, Community Action Agency of Siouxland, Sioux City

Ex-officio Non-voting Members:

• Nancy Williams, American Institute of Business, Des Moines

• Dr. Jordan Cohen, University of Iowa, Iowa City

• Greg Lewis, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Des Moines

• Steve Ovel, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids

• Senator William Dotzler, Waterloo

• Representative David Jacoby, Coralville

• Representative Lance Horbach, Tama

• Senator Petricia Ward, West Des Moines

• Representative Lance J. Horbach

• Roger Utman – Iowa Department of Education

• Gail Kotval – Iowa Department of Economic Development

• Steve Wooderson – Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services

• Greer Sisson - U. S. Department of Labor/Office of Apprenticeship

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Iowa Workforce Development (IWD) and the State Workforce Development Board co-sponsored a one-day training session on August 17, 2006, on the roles and responsibilities for those who oversee the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services and programs in Iowa. Over 90 participants attended the training session representing Regional Workforce Investment Board (RWIB) members, local elected officials and employment and training staff.

Featured speakers at the training included Stacy O’Keefe, U.S. Department of Labor Regional Office in Chicago, Tony Dietsch and Kelly Taylor, IWD, Gary Dickey Jr., general counsel with the Governor’s Office. Information discussed at the training included federal and Iowa workforce legislation, Iowa laws that govern all boards and commission such as open meetings, conflict of interest, open records requests, attendance, etc. and financial oversight as required by the Regional Workforce Investment Boards (RWIBs) and local elected officials in the administration of the WIA program.

Board Training Videos, Handouts and Resources

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