Honoring the Past,Welcoming the Future

That"s how Bob Stowe, former Chair of the Centralina Workforce Development Board described his last Board meeting experience on June 9,2015 and all of the meetings in his last 13 years of service. This statement is in fact very true. With nearly 100 individuals in the room and a lot of things to cover on the meeting"s agenda,it did not get out of hand. In fact,one could probably feel the alacrity and jubilance in the room.

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Since the new Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) starts on July 1,2015,there were a lot of things to discuss in a short period of time. One of the major task at the Board meeting was to announce the approved PY 2015 WIOA service providers."" After careful consideration,the Centralina WDB"s RFP committee recommended and the full Board approved contracting with ResCare Workforce Services. ResCare will serve as the One-Stop Operator for the Board"s eight (8) local NCWorks Career Centers and they will provide workforce services to adults,dislocated workers,and employer services at all of the Board"s centers.""

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The Centralina Youth Council reviewed and recommended and the full Board approved with the following WIOA Youth and Young Adult service providers for Program Year 2015:

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Union County Community Action Agency,Inc. (UCCA)-Anson and Union counties

Salisbury-Rowan Community Action Agency,Inc. (SRCAA) - Cabarrus and Rowan counties

Iredell Community Action Research and Evaluation,Inc.(I-CARE)-Iredell and Lincoln counties

The Resource Development Center (RDC)-Stanly County

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Prior to the announcement of all of the service providers for the new program year 2015-2016,a significant ceremony took place. The Centralina WDB honored four outgoing Board members who contributed over 50 years of service on the Board.

"When you"ve been on the Board for 13 years it"s like watching a child grow up. It"s a process and you see changes but they"re so gradual," said Bob Stowe,one of the meeting"s honorees.

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Stowe has served on the Board since 2002 and was the Board"s Chair for the past two years. While serving on the Board,he was also a human resource manager for over 20 years at Columbus McKinnon in Anson County. Prior to his two years as Board Chair,he was Vice-Chair for the Centralina Workforce Development Board as well."

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"The Board gave me a chance to grow. When you"ve been on a job a long time you get stale but being on the Board has given me new opportunities to get involved in the community," Stowe said.

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Joining Stowe as a representative for Anson County is Dr. Don Altieri,who served on the Centralina WDB for 15 years. Altieri served as president of Anson Community College which was later renamed to South Piedmont Community College where he served as the first president of the institution. Over the years,he volunteered in the community by serving on the Anson County Chamber of Commerce,United Way of Anson County,Anson County Economic Development Council,and volunteer work for Uptown Wadesboro. Dr. Altieri was the first Board member from Anson County when the county joining the WDB region in 2000. Altieri has served on a number of committees involving community input. One of the committees he participated in was the Centralina WDB"s Marketing Focus team where he played a vital role as the Marketing Chair.""""

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"I thought it would be a great fit for me to join the Board and provide my input about the kinds of things community colleges can provide,but also let the Board know these are the skills needed to develop a great talent pool for today"s workforce," Altieri said.

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Centralina WDB also honored Jan Comer and Janet Hudson for outstanding years of serving on the Board.

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"It has been a good experience being able to see the growth that we"ve had over the years," Comer said.

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Jan Comer is the Human Resource Manager for Engineered Sintered Components in Iredell County. Comer retired from the Board after 14 years of service.

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"Serving on the Board and working as an employer in one of the counties served by the Centralina WDB has been a wonderful partnership," Comer added.""

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Janet Hudson,the owner of A Dog for All Seasons,served on the Board for nine years. Hudson was the previous Board Chair for the Centralina WDB and made a major impact representing Union County.""

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The Centralina Workforce Development Board approved the Nominations Committee"s slate of officers for 2015-2016. Current WDB vice-chair Gisella Aparicio-Busse,HR Director with Husky Rack & Wire (Denver - Lincoln County) was approved as the Chair of the Centralina WDB for the upcoming year and Joey Chambers,President of ProEdge Precision,LLC (Statesville - Iredell County) was approved as Vice-Chair for the Centralina WDB. Gisella and Joey thanked everyone for their

support and stated that they both look forward to even better things for the Board in the upcoming years to come.

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As the final Board meeting for the program year 2014-2015,excitement filled the entire room. As Stowe gave his final words and hit the gavel for the last time,many smiled realizing the outgoing Board members will leave a lasting impact in their hearts as they anticipate the future.""

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For more information on how you or your business can work with the Centralina Workforce Development Board and be part of developing and implementing workforce solutions for career seekers and employers in our region,please contact David Hollars,Centralina WDB Executive Director at dhollars@centralina.org. And,visit our website at www.centralinaworkforce.com."