California Workforce Association Announces New Executive Director

SACRAMENTO, Calif., March 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The California Workforce Association (CWA) announced the appointment of Bob Lanter as its new executive director, at its annual Spring Conference in San Diego this week. CWA represents California Workforce Investment Boards (WIBs) who are responsible for tackling broad-based workforce issues within their local communities through strategies that leverage funding and resources, and delivering solutions and services through a network of One-Stop Career Centers and other workforce partners; currently there are 49 WIBs and 209 One-Stop Career Centers that comprise California's workforce system.

"I'm honored to be working with the CWA membership to continue to build the capacity of the workforce development system in California. A primary focus will be to advance our stakeholder relationships especially with labor, education and economic development to collaborate and address skills gaps in California's high growth industries, while building a pipeline of workforce talent starting at K-12."

CWA is a nonprofit membership organization that develops public policy strategies and builds capacity of its members to address workforce issues across California—a mission that Lanter has embraced for many years. "It's interesting how things come full circle," said CWA Board Chair, Sandy Harmsen. "Bob actually served as a deputy director of CWA approximately ten years ago before accepting an executive director position at the Contra Costa WIB, and then later as a federal project officer for the U.S. Department of Labor in San Francisco."

Lanter wants to advance the work that has been accomplished by CWA to date to help the public better understand the ways in which WIBs can be tapped throughout California to collaborate with stakeholders in building and retaining great talent in the state. Lanter said, "The majority of WIB members are from the private sector, so if you take the approximately 350 business volunteers that contribute to local WIBs and couple that with our workforce stakeholders including educational institutions, economic development professionals, chambers and business associations, you really start to understand the power of collaboration that CWA brings in solving challenges with jobs and the economy."

Lanter takes the helm of CWA officially on April 15, 2013.  For more information about CWA, go to www.CalWorkforce.org, or contact CWA's Interim Director, John Baker at [email protected]. To find a local Workforce Investment Board or One-Stop Career Center in your area, go to www.WorkforceInvestmentWorks.com/California.

SOURCE California Workforce Association