Hoeven Names Citizens to Workforce Dev. Council
Posted on November 1, 2001

BISMARCK, N.D. - Gov. Hoeven recently appointed several citizens to serve on the Workforce Development Council.

Jeff Rinehart of Jamestown, Justin Schardin of Fargo, Paul Steffes of Dickinson, David Gipp of Bismarck, and Leo Cummings of New Town have been appointed to three-year terms on the council. Rinehart is the president of Aviko; Schardin is the chief operating officer of Sundog Interactive; Steffes is the president of the Steffes Corporation; Gipp is the president of the United Tribes Technical College; and Cummings is the Administrator of the Tribal One Stop Career Center for the Three Affiliated Tribes.

Additionally, Jim Dahlen of Devils Lake, Sue Boyd and Dr. Donna Thigpen of Bismarck, and Dr. Joanne Quick of Grand Forks were re-appointed to three-year terms on the board. Dahlen is the director of the Forward Devils Lake Corporation; Boyd is a credit consultant with Quest Communications; Thigpen is the president of Bismarck State College; and Quick is the Career and Technical Education Director for Grand Forks Public Schools. Commissioner of Indian Affairs Cheryl Kulas has also been added to the board as the ex-officio representative of the Indian Affairs Commission.

This Council advises the governor and the public concerning the nature and extent of workforce development and economic development needs in North Dakota, and how to meet these needs effectively while maximizing the efficient use of available resources and avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort. The mission of the council is to establish an effective and responsive workforce development system and support policies that will provide every North Dakotan the opportunity for self-sufficiency and a superior workforce that can compete in the global marketplace.

Contact: Kathy Ibach or Don Canton
(701) 328-2200