[nfbmi-talk] FW: arwood again in snyder reshuffle

[Terry D. Eagle]

Just what we as Michigan citizens need to achieve employment--another
ineffective state agency.

The  only likely to be filled is the new job for Steve Arwood.  Surely
another re-election promise made and kept!

Hey Gov, how about the hiring of persons with disabilities pledged during
the re-election season.  We get it Gov, some get new and better jobs, while
we get more lip-service!  Thanks Gov.

--A qualified job-seeking blind citizen.  Oh how I hear the beckoning call
of another state.

Snyder to announce new state agency to develop talent LANSING Gov. Rick
Snyder is expected to announce the creation of a new state department that
will

put emphasis on developing a workforce and talent pool that better fits the
needs of employers. Snyder has scheduled a 10:15 a.m. news conference today

at which he is to detail an executive order creating a new state Department
of Talent and Economic Development, sources told the Free Press on
Wednesday.

The new agency will oversee the Michigan Economic Development Corp., the
Michigan Strategic Fund, the Michigan Unemployment Agency, the Michigan
Workforce

Development Agency, and the Michigan State Housing Development Authority,
according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. It will be headed
by

Steve Arwood, the former director of the Department of Licensing and
Regulatory Affairs, who is now the chief operating officer of the MEDC.
Michael Finney,

the current CEO of the MEDC, will move to new responsibilities in the
governor's office, sources said. The changes are a key plank of Snyder's
election

campaign platform earlier this year. But as far back as two years ago,
Snyder talked about a disconnect between employers' needs and the skills
found in

Michigan's workforce, noting that Michigan has a relatively high
unemployment rate of 6.7%, though it is the lowest for the state since April
2006. Nearly

82,000 vacant jobs many of them well-paying are listed on the state's
Michigan Talent Connect website. The governor says Michigan will have a huge
short-term

competitive advantage over other states if it solves the disconnect quicker
than the rest of the nation. The Unemployment Agency is now part of the
Department

of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. The Michigan State Housing Development
Authority is part of the Treasury Department. Today's announcement is part

of a series of changes in Snyder's administration for his second, four-year
term, including changes in Snyder's inner circle. Education adviser Craig
Ruff

and transportation adviser Dennis Schornack are leaving the governor's
office, officials confirmed this week. Snyder is soon expected to announce a
replacement

for Bill Rustem, his director of strategy, who retired in the fall. And a
new director of the Department of Human Services, to replace outgoing
Director

Maura Corrigan, is a major cabinet change Snyder is expected to announce
soon. It's not unusual to have turnover in a governor's administration
between

the first and second terms. "Generally, it's going to be a pretty strong
consistency in both the executive office and the cabinet," said Snyder
spokeswoman

Sara Wurfel. Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan at freepress.com. Follow
him on Twitter @paulegan4. Staff writer Nathan Bomey contributed to this
report.