Newtown Square Resident Appointed to Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board

PHILADELPHIA–Joseph Frick, a Newtown Square resident, was recently appointed to the the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board (PWIB), which sets the strategic direction for the city’s public workforce training system. Frick was among the 10 new members who joined the board this year. The new members were appointed between September and December by Mayor Michael A. Nutter.

PWIB is currently merging with the Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation (PWDC) to form Philadelphia Works, Inc., a new, workforce organization that will serve both employers and employees. The merger is expected to be complete in June 2012. 

“The Philadelphia WIB has an important role to play in the months and years ahead, and I am excited that our newcomers will add energy and a fresh perspective as we shape our city’s workforce policies and strategies,” said WIB Chairman David Donald, CEO of PeopleShare, in a recent press release. “The merger of the WIB and the PWDC into Philadelphia Works, Inc. is a seminal moment in our city’s workforce development history.” 

“It is an ongoing goal and priority of our administration to improve opportunities for Philadelphia’s workers,” Mayor Nutter said in the press release. “A growing, educated workforce is the engine of our city; the more we invest in our talent pool, the more likely it is that businesses will grow, thrive and expand in the city. I would like to thank the new board members for accepting this call to public service.”

The PWIB provides the city with strategic and policy guidance to guarantee that opportunities exist for all Philadelphians to become productive members of the workforce. This board also helps ensure that Philadelphia’s businesses will have the human resources necessary to flourish in an evolving economy.  The board is business-led, with a majority of the 32 board members representing the private sector.

The new members listed below represent a wide range of professional and civic experiences to help the WIB meet its goals in the coming years.

• Anthony S. Bartolomeo, President and CEO, Pennoni Associates, Inc., resident of Washington Township, N.J.
• Ryan Boyer, Business Manager, Laborers District Council Philadelphia & Vicinity, resident of Philadelphia.
• Joseph Frick, Vice Chairman and Managing Partner, Diversified Search, resident of Newtown Square, Pa.
• Reverend Terrence Griffith. 1st Vice President, Black Clergy of Philadelphia, resident of Philadelphia.
• Dan Kuba, Special Assistant to the Secretary, PA Department of Labor & Industry Workforce Development Partnership, resident of Harrisburg, Pa.
• Debra Malinics, President/Owner, DMA Advertising, resident of Chestnut Hill.
• Joseph M. Parente, Principal, KPMG LLP, resident of Bryn Mawr.
• Ajay Raju, Partner, Reed Smith LLP, resident of Philadelphia.
• Dr. Judith Renyi, Executive Director, Mayor’s Commission on Literacy, resident of Philadelphia.
• Myrna Toro, President, Synterra, Ltd., resident of Clementon, N.J.

Founded in 1999, the PWIB is a volunteer commission appointed by the Mayor of Philadelphia with the legislated responsibility to govern the public workforce system in the city, including the CareerLink Centers. The organization that supports the commission – Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board, Inc. – provides expertise in all facets of workforce development, and works to align the skills of the region’s labor force to meet the needs of industry, ultimately supporting the region’s growth and prosperity. The organization’s vision is a thriving and inclusive regional economy and its mission is to advocate and advance a demand-driven opportunity agenda that effectively prepares Philadelphians to compete in the economic mainstream. 

This press release was provided by the PWIB.