[nfbmi-talk] more on new eo

[Terry D. Eagle]

Update - There must be an important omission in the reorganization of state
departments to support the Michigan job market talent, as the welfare
department was not mentioned.



MEDC CEO Finney to step down; state to create new agency to develop talent

By Crain's staff and wire reports

Michael Finney

 

Michigan Economic Development Corp. CEO Michael Finney is stepping down from
the role and will be succeeded by COO Steve Arwood if the appointment is
approved

by an MEDC executive committee.

 

The announcement is tied to an announcement this morning on a new state
agency focused on talent.

 

Snyder said at a news conference this morning that he is reorganizing the
state's economic growth and job training efforts under one department. He
announced

an executive order creating the Department of Talent and Economic
Development along with the Michigan Talent Investment Agency.

 

Snyder said the move will help achieve a top priority in his second term:
developing a talented workforce trained to do skilled jobs that employers
are

having trouble filling.

 

The Talent and Economic Development Department will fold existing
unemployment, workforce development and housing agencies and the Michigan
Strategic Fund

under one roof. The Talent Investment Agency will coordinate job
preparedness and worker training programs.

 

The new agencies will assume operations in March.

Steve Arwood

 

The executive order authorizes the director of the Talent and Economic
Development Department to become the CEO of the Michigan Economic
Development Corp.

if the MEDC executive committee makes that determination.

 

Finney will join Snyder's executive staff as senior adviser for economic
growth. Arwood, also currently MEDC executive vice president, will lead the
new

Talent and Economic Development Department and be a member of Snyder's
cabinet. Stephanie Comai, deputy director of the Licensing and Regulatory
Affairs

Department, will head the Talent Investment Agency and serve in the cabinet.

 

MEDC staff have been notified of the leadership change.

 

Arwood previously served as the director of the Department of Licensing and
Regulatory affairs and worked at the department overseeing the Unemployment

Insurance Agency. Previous to that, he was the U.S. regional director for
Windlab Developments USA Ltd.

 

Snyder hinted at the new agency in a recent meeting with Crain's.

 

"We told everyone to get a university degree and that was dumb," Snyder told
Crain's. "We never want to discourage anyone from getting a degree. . We
used

to have a good career tech ed(ucation) track in this country (but) we
diminished the perceived value of that. You hear everyday that people are
struggling

to find the right skills.

 

"The way I perceive this is we can put tens of thousands of Michiganders to
work in well-paying jobs; great careers that aren't going away by us solving

this problem. It would give us a competitive advantage."

 

Dustin Walsh of Crain's Detroit Business and Associated Press contributed to
this report.