New Head for Combined Workforce Development Board

Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Topics: Politics, Economy
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There’s a new workforce development director for Cleveland and Cuyahoga County. ideastream’s Dan Bobkoff reports.

City and county leaders introduced Larry Benders Tuesday as the head of the newly-combined Cleveland/Cuyahoga County Workforce Development Board.  In a region with highly-publicized job losses, Benders says he wants the county to be tops when people think about a quality workforce.  He says that will go a long way toward making the area more attractive to entrepreneurs. 

BENDERS: We have tremendous resources here: natural resources, and human resources, and wonderful partners and companies. I think the challenge is to bring them together and have them working in a coordinated fashion. And I think it’s a very doable, doable proposition.

Benders says he’s looking forward to the city and county working together more closely.  Benders has a long history in business with roles at companies as varied as Coors Brewing and Ben & Jerry’s. His most recent job has been heading a local maker of the natural fat-substitute NutriGras.