Workforce Development Board

The Workforce Development Board consists of representatives from local businesses, the workforce, and educational institutions.

A. Nomination & Selection Process:

The New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Area Consortium Board, as the Chief Local Elected Officials of the Cities of Bristol, Galax and Radford, and the Counties of Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski, Smyth, Washington and Wythe from time to time may contact the appropriate entities in the region for nominations to appoint members and/or to fill vacancies on the New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Board, based on the process below. Vacancies will be filled in the same manner as original appointments.

Private sector business representatives will be selected from among individuals nominated by local business organizations (i.e. Chambers of Commerce, Trade Associations or Economic Development organizations). Individual businesses may also nominate themselves or provide nominations of other businesses to the Chief Local Elected Officials. Private sector representatives can include owners of businesses, chief executives or operating officers of businesses, and other business executives with optimum policy making or hiring authority. Every locality must have one business representative and no more than two business representatives.
Workforce, Education and Economic entity representatives will be selected from among individuals nominated by entities from that sector.
Labor representatives will be selected from among individuals nominated by local labor federations or other employee organizations and/or the state AFL‐CIO.
Apprenticeship representatives will be nominated from businesses that currently operate an apprenticeship program (and verified by the State Apprenticeship Division).

For more information or to submit nominations, contact Marty Holliday marty.holliday@vcwnrmr.com or 540-633-6764.

B. Public Participation

New River/Mount Rogers Workforce Development Area Consortium Board will provide public notice on their website https://vcwnewrivermtrogers.com/of the intent to solicit nominations for board membership, on FaceBook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100081090622753, on LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/company/virginia-career-works-newriver-mountrogers and through direct email solicitation to various groups and organizations.

Membership, Responsibilities and Certification of Local Workforce Development Boards (Virginia Policy)

NR/MR WDB Nomination Form

Individuals who plan to attend may join the meeting by Zoom within 10 minutes of the beginning of the meeting. Participants who would like to speak during the public comment period of the meeting may register in advance at https://vcwnewrivermtrogers.com/contact/. Registration is optional, but does provide the moderator a list of people who want to speak. Other participants who have not registered will still be given an opportunity to speak during the public comment period.

Please see the following event details:

Event Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87046409904?pwd=eEhHdUJ2dWpZM09LSDVtdEJMNHJsZz09
Meeting ID: 870 4640 9904
Meeting Passcode: 011772
All guests entering the meeting will have their camera and microphone muted.
The designated public comment period occurs at the beginning of each meeting.
Those who have not registered in advance and would like to provide public comment can identify their intention to speak in the chat window.
When it is your turn to speak, a moderator will unmute you; each speaker will be given 3 minutes before being muted again.
Participants who register in advance will be allowed to speak first.
Participants will be allowed an additional opportunity to speak at this meeting prior to adjournment.

Meeting Minutes

Business Representatives

Michael Miller, Chair
CEO of Avolant LLC
475 Harkrader Street
Christiansburg, VA 24073
Phone: (540) 449-6603
mbmiller2@gmail.com

John T. Overton
Director, Physician Relations & Economic Development
Pulaski Community Hospital
2400 Lee Highway
P.O. Box 759
Pulaski, VA 24301
Phone: (540) 994-8309
Fax: (540) 994-8333
john.overton@hcahealthcare.com

Kelly DeBusk, Compliance Manger
Appalachian Plastics
34001 Glove Drive
Glade Springs, VA 24340
Phone:
kdebusk@appalachianplastics.com

Jake Leonard, HR& Training Coordinator
Real Performance Machinery
709 Powerhouse Road
Independence, VA 24348
jleonard@rpmmachinery.com

Jackie Fox, Owner
Senior Home Share
311 Country Club Lane
Galax, VA 24333
Phone: (276) 238-1448
jackiefox@seniorhomeshare.org

Jay Williams, Owner
LJ Williams Excavating
244 Smith Hollow Road
Pembroke, VA 24136
Phone: (540) 235-6086

Jeff Dunnack
GM-Supply Chain Management
343 E. Lee Trinkie Drive
Wytheville, VA
Phone: (276) 228-4307 ext.282
jeff.dunnack@somicamerica.com

Aaron Vaughan
Owner
158 Pioneer Way #4
Floyd, VA 24091
Phone: (540) 745-7947
aaron@annevaughandesigns.com

Thad Austin, Managing Director
Austin Consulting Services, LLC
8206 Pipers Gap Road
Galax, VA 24333
Phone: (276) 235-3432
austinthad82@gmail.com

Larry Wyatt, Plant Manager
Innovation Millwork Technologies, LLC
370 Deer Valley Road
Chilhowie, VA 24354
Phone: (276) 646-8336 ext.303

Martha Smith, HR Manager
Shears
24430 Ashley Cir
Bristol, VA 24201
Phone: (276) 591-5623
martha.rasnake@gmail.com

Kim Hernandez, Community Engagment Manager
Hitachi Energy
171 Industry Drive
Bland, VA 24315
Phone: (276) 245-8319
kim.hernandez@hitachienergy.com

Workforce Representatives

Labor

Jimmy Smith
NRV Central Labor Council
2937 Birdie Lane
Draper, VA 24324
Phone: (540) 674-5130
jssmith2nd@gmail.com

Jeff Carter
President USW Local 2-0002
610 Craghead Street Apt. 213
Danville, VA 24541
Phone: (540) 563-5022
jcarter@usw.org

Community Based

Bryan Phipps, President & CEO
People Incorporated of Virginia
1173 West Main Street
Abingdon, VA 24210
Phone: (276) 623-9000
Fax: (276) 628-2931
bphipps@peopleinc.net

Mary Anne Holbrook,
Vice President of Development at EO
1096 Ole Berry Drive
Abingdon, VA 24210
Phone: (276) 525-4075
Fax: (276) 628-8484
mholbrook@eoco.org

Apprenticeship

Cindy Robertson
Volvo
4881 Cougar Trail Road
Dublin, VA 24084
Phone: (540) 577-2903

cynthia.robertson@volvo.com

Job Corps

Jordan Loupe
Blue Ridge Job Corps
245 West Main Street
Marion, VA 24354
Phone: (276) 780-1283
loupe.jordan@jobcorps.org

Other Required Representatives

Institute of Higher Education

Perry Hughes
Wytheville Community College
1000 East Main Street
Wytheville, VA 24382
Phone: (276) 223-4757
phughes@wcc.vccs.edu

Adult Education

Barry Yost
Mt. Rogers Regional Adult Education Program
1 Partnership Circle
Abingdon, VA 24210
Phone: (276) 274-6044
yost@wcs.k12.va.us

Economic and Community Development

Kathleen Boswell, Executive Director
Onward New River Valley
2020 Kraft Drive, Suite 2000
Blacksburg, VA 24060
Phone: (540) 267-0007
katie@onwardnrv.org

Career and Technical Education

Summer Stone, Principal/Career & Tech Education Director
Wythe County Tech Center/Wythe Public Schools
620 S Main Street
Rural Retreat, VA 24365
Phone: (276) 620-3430
summer.stone@wythek12.org

Title I Rehabilitation Act

Christi Altizer, Human Services Manager
Department of Aging and Rehabilitation Services
207 Abingdon Place
Abingdon, VA 24211
Phone: (276) 525-6273
Fax: (276) 676-5515
christi.altizer@dars.virginia.gov