Friday, July 06, 2007
Governor Names Elisabeth Buck As Director Of Iowa Workforce Development
(Des Moines) – Today, Governor Chet Culver has named Elisabeth Buck as the new Director of Iowa Workforce Development (IWD). Elisabeth, Governor Culver’s current Deputy Chief of Staff, will replace Interim IWD Director David Neil in early August.
“Elisabeth Buck is supremely qualified to serve
in this critically important position,” said Governor Culver. “She has demonstrated outstanding leadership in two
gubernatorial administrations as a top administrator. Her honesty, integrity and knowledge of state government make her
the right person at the right time to help move IWD forward. She is a skilled consensus builder who will develop the
public-private partnerships necessary to strengthen our workforce and address Iowa’s potential workforce shortage. It is
critical we have someone with her skills handling the day-to-day operations at IWD given the challenges they have had
over the past year.”
Elisabeth Buck has served as deputy chief of staff under Governor Chet Culver since his inauguration in January 2007. From 1999-2006, she served in the same capacity under Governor Tom Vilsack. As Deputy Chief of Staff, Buck supervised a staff of 35 in the Governor’s office and at Terrace Hill, and oversaw an annual budget of $3 million dollars. She also managed and collaborated with 40 departments in Iowa state government. Prior to working in the office of the Governor, Buck was director of administration for the Iowa Attorney General, where she managed administrative staff and oversaw an annual budget of $4 million. In that position, she created an innovative campaign to recover child support payments from delinquent parents and organized a statewide domestic abuse awareness campaign. She earned a BA in political science from Iowa State, where she was student body president. Buck was named 2002 Leader of the Year in Iowa State Government and the 2004 Volunteer of the Year. She has volunteered for numerous organizations and was presented with the 2006 AFSCME Leadership award. Elisabeth is married and has two children.
“It is an exciting time in Iowa and I am up to the challenge of leading a department that touches the lives of so many Iowans,” said Buck. “I will work tirelessly to help match qualified Iowans with jobs that allow them to earn a good wage. I also look forward to working with the Governor to find new and innovative ways to address workforce issues facing the state and keep skilled and talented workers here in Iowa, where they belong. I’m honored that Governor Culver has appointed me to this position.”
Governor Culver thanked Dave Neil, interim director of IWD for his leadership. “Dave Neil navigated IWD through some turbulent times. I thank him for his steady guidance and commend him on a job well done.”
In addition to Elisabeth Buck being named IWD Director, Joseph Walsh has been named Deputy IWD Director. Walsh has 10 years of experience as a labor lawyer for the law firm of Hedberg, Owens, Hedberg & Walsh, a well-established central Iowa labor law firm. He has vast experience in workers’ compensation, labor law and unemployment law, with significant experience in civil rights, Family and Medical Leave Act, employment at will, worker safety, wage claims, drug testing, labor contracts (public and private), and public employment law.
Iowa Workforce Development links job placement and skill development into a system of lifelong learning and opportunity. IWD, which helps Iowans find jobs and helps employers find employees through its Workforce Center Services, has 783 employees and 57 field offices serving 99 counties. Other IWD responsibilities include assisting Iowans with unemployment insurance, compliance assistance and enforcement for businesses, and compiling and analyzing Iowa workforce data.