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Serving Bay, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland, & Saginaw Counties
About Us
Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! is more than a funding source, a spare pair of hands to post jobs and sort resumes, or an innovative partner at the economic development table.
Because of our direct interaction with our employer customers, we are:
Collaborative
to partner with employers and training providers to create on-demand solutions for high-demand skills
Connected
to a network of resources throughout the region and state
Innovative
to adapt, respond and customize solutions for challenging recruitment projects
Influential
to convene employers within specific industries like health care and manufacturing to tackle long-term hiring issues
Best equipped
with resources, knowledge, experience and manpower
We pilot programs. We partner like none other.
We are the pulse of the job market.
History of the organization
Michigan Works! is the first unified workforce development system in the country and is an instrumental partner for developing Michigan’s economic future.
Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! is one of 16 Michigan Works! agencies across the state. Each is locally responsive and demand driven.
Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works! is a consortium of Bay, Gratiot, Isabella, Midland and Saginaw counties, established to operate workforce development programs to strengthen this region.
Our mission is two-fold:
- Assisting employers in finding and retaining qualified employees and
- Assuring that the labor force meets the needs of employers
Administrative Team
Christopher Rishko, Chief Executive Officer
Kristen Wenzel, Chief Operations Officer, Equal Opportunity Officer
Ray Ogden, Chief Administration Officer
Thomas Luck, Director of IT
Craig Clark, Sr. Policy Director, Employment Services/ WIOA Adult and Dislocated Worker
Esther Sanders, Sr. Policy Director, Special Programs
Lisa Kleekamp, Sr. Policy Director, WIOA Youth
Wonzella Doyal, Director of Facilities
Sheila Little, Contract Manager/ Program Monitor
Amy Pringle, Accountant II
Ashley Fry, Accountant I
Sarah Babcock, Board Coordinator/Office Administrator
Board Leadership
Vaughn Begick, Commissioner (Chairman)
Bay County
Scott Noesen, Commissioner (Vice-Chairman)
Midland County
Tom Herek, Commissioner
Bay County
Marie Fox, Commissioner
Bay County
Jan Bunting, Commissioner
Gratiot County
Jim Horton, Commissioner
Isabella County
Nicole F. Frost, Administrator
Isabella County
James Geisler, Commissioner
Midland County
Carl Ruth, Commissioner
Saginaw County
Sheldon Matthews, Commissioner
Saginaw County
Jack Tany, Commissioner
Saginaw County
Gerald Little, Commissioner
Saginaw County
Michael Webster, Commissioner
Saginaw County
John Kaczynski, Director of Government Affairs (Chairman)
Saginaw Valley State University
Erik Rodriguez, Public Relations Director (Vice-Chairman) Saginaw Indian Chippewa Tribe of Michigan
Denise Berry, Executive Director
Shelterhouse
Trevor Keyes, President
Bay Future, Inc.
Brian Klele, Director of Membership Development
IBEW Local 692
Greg Schmidt, MiOps Site Learning & Labor Contract Implementation Leader
The Dow Chemical Company
Colleen Markel, Manager of Workforce Development
MidMichigan Health
Brian McBride, Career Center Assistant Principal
Bay-Arenac ISD
Dr. Kelley Peatross, Community Affairs Regional Manager
Consumers Energy
Raquel Perez, Diversity & Community Liaison
Hemlock Semiconductor
Carrie Prosowski, District Manager
Michigan Rehabilitation Services
Toby Roth, Jr., Associate Vice President of Governmental & External Affairs
Central Michigan University
Brian Sheets, Executive Manager of Employee Development & Quality Assurance (Chairman)
Avalon & Tahoe Manufacturing, Inc.
Eva Szelesi, Global Engineering HR Director
Nexteer Automotive
Chris Taylor, Marketing Representative
LiUNA
Dan Wortman, Senior Vice President
My Member Insurance Agency
Michigan Works! © 2022. Equal opportunity employer/program. • Auxiliary Aide Services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Michigan Relay Center dial 711. • Supported by the State of Michigan.
