Milwaukee, WI October 28, 2011. On Tuesday of this week, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker appointed former African American Chamber of Commerce Board Member, Reggie Newson, Secretary of the agency charged with perhaps the most important current job in Wisconsin – the Department of Workforce Development.
Prior to the resignation of Scott Baumbach, Walker had recently appointed Newson, formerly the third highest ranking official in the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, to the Deputy Secretary position, under Baumbach. He now ascends to the top of this massive and extremely important State agency.
The Department of Workforce Development is responsible for assisting unemployed citizens, administrating and supporting training agencies, job centers and construction and manufacturing apprenticeship programs across the State and more. Milwaukee is the epicenter of high unemployment in Wisconsin and seemingly the poster child for the vast chasm existing across the State between a sea of unemployed residents and would be employers who claim to have available jobs in the hospitality industry, manufacturing, construction and cutting edge technologies. Employers’ complaints are making news and headlines regularly, as they decry a general lack of hard and soft skills of the available workforce, making them ineligible for what is being cited as long unfulfilled job openings.
Jim Milner, Second Vice Chair of the African American Chamber of Commerce, said, “Opportunity is present when the individual is ready. Reggie Newson has worked long and hard for this moment. He is a committed leader with a strong work ethic who cares about the local community. Moreover, he will take that passion across the State. There is no doubt Secretary Newson has a big job in front of him – but he also has a real opportunity to make a big difference in a lot of lives. As a member of the AACC leadership, I commend Mr. Newson for stepping up to the call and I can say, with the confidence of my colleagues at the AACC, we support his achievements.”
The Governor pledged there would be 250,000 private sector jobs added under his watch by 2015. “The African American Chamber of Commerce can think of no more important task than the creation of jobs, especially in the Black community where far too many former productive and law abiding wage earners are simply giving up hope. We are extremely pleased with this appointment and offer our unquailed assistance in creating jobs throughout the State, but especially in Southeastern Wisconsin. We desperately need people in positions of power who understand the dynamics and issues uniquely impacting Milwaukee – our state’s only Global City,” offered Randy Crump, the Chairman of the African American Chamber of Commerce.
