Marshall Graves Takes The Helm of The 33-Member State Workforce Development Board
(UCBJ) – Marshall Graves, who previously served as vice chair, has been named chair of the Tennessee State Workforce Development Board, which works to strengthen the state’s workforce and ensure employers have access to skilled workers.
The Grundy County businessman will now lead the state’s workforce development strategy. He succeeds Tim Berry, who led the board for eight years, and will oversee the 33-member board, which includes business leaders and workforce development stakeholders.
“I look forward to the opportunities and challenges that come with this role,” Graves said. “When Tennessee’s workforce development system is successful, Tennessee is successful. Our board has an important responsibility to help ensure employers have the skilled workforce they need and Tennesseans have meaningful opportunities to build successful careers.”
The board is attached to the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD).
“I have the utmost confidence that Chairman Graves will continue to lead a board that has become a model for the nation,” TDLWD Commissioner Deniece Thomas said. “Marshall is a strong business leader in our state with a clear vision for success. I know he will use his knowledge and wisdom to elevate workforce and economic development in Tennessee even further.”
“Chairman Graves will help ensure Tennessee continues to develop the skilled workforce businesses need to grow and succeed,” Thomas said. “That is essential to sustaining Tennessee’s economic momentum and keeping our state among the nation’s top destinations for business investment.”
According to the state of Tennessee, the State Workforce Development Board leads efforts involving:
- Tennessee’s workforce development system
- Aligning education
- Training
- Employment programs with employer and job seekers’ needs
“We are the voice for Tennessee’s businesses,” Graves said. “We are the connection point for employers and their employees. It is our job, as board members, to understand what they need to succeed, so our state continues to succeed.”
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