FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Wednesday, June 28, 2017

CONTACT:  Tony Venhuizen or Kelsey Pritchard at 605-773-3212

Gov. Daugaard Named WGA Chair

Western Governors’ Workforce Initiative Announced

PIERRE, S.D. – This morning at a governors’ meeting in Whitefish, Mont., Gov. Dennis Daugaard was elected to serve as chair of the Western Governors’ Association. Gov. Daugaard will serve as chairman for one year.

“I gladly accept the position of chair of the Western Governors and look forward to leading this effective bipartisan coalition of states,” Gov. Daugaard said.

In accepting the role as chair, Gov. Daugaard announced the launch of a new WGA initiative on workforce.

“Economic growth in the West depends upon states having a workforce that is properly aligned with future economic needs,” said Gov. Daugaard. “As laboratories of democracy, our states have been employing different strategies to meet this challenge and through this initiative, western states will have opportunity to learn from one another’s successes.”

The Western Governors this week passed a policy resolution affirming Gov. Daugaard’s workforce initiative. Through the initiative, the governors aim to identify the skills that are in high demand, create more career training opportunities for students, connect regional employers with prospective workers and develop strategies for rural communities.

In the coming months, WGA will hold forums, webinars and outreach events to engage regional stakeholders. An event is scheduled for Aug. 3 – 4 at the Holiday Inn City Center in Sioux Falls.

The Western Governors Association is a bipartisan group made up of 19 states and 3 U.S.-flag islands. Eleven western governors attended this week’s meeting which was hosted by outgoing chair Gov. Steve Bullock.

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