The Workforce Investment Board (WIB) of Central Oklahoma recently issued a formal proclamation recognizing the assistance from Southwest Missouri as part of the workforce disaster recovery efforts. Violent tornados struck the Oklahoma City metro and surrounding areas in May. A team from Joplin recently visited workforce system colleagues in Oklahoma to offer suggestions on launching successful recovery efforts and shared lessons learned from the Disaster Recovery Jobs Program. The team included Sherri Rhuems and Frank Neely from the WIB along with Leah Barber from the Joplin workforce center.
The July 9th proclamation reads as follows:
Whereas, the staff of the Southwest Missouri Workforce Investment Board have graciously shared experiences and best practices, preparing staff for the National Emergency Grant awarded to the state of Oklahoma to assist communities impacted by the 2013 tornadoes, and graciously donated supplies.
Therefore be it resolved by the Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board this 9th day of July 2013,
That the Central Oklahoma Workforce Investment Board wholeheartedly thanks and commends the Southwest Missouri Workforce Investment Board staff for a job well done.
“Sherri, Leah, and Frank were all very informative about what worked and what didn’t. They also provided great information on how to streamline the processes. We have implemented most of their suggestions and we would not be nearly as far as long in our efforts if you hadn’t allowed them to share their knowledge,” noted Eddie Foreman, director of the Central Oklahoma WIB in a letter that accompanied the proclamation plaque.
