WIB names five recipients of workforce annual awards at NKY Works Forum

Perfetti Van Melle has been awarded the first annual Talia Frye Workforce Investment Champion award as part of the Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board (WIB) Annual Awards and NKY Works Forum, held this week.

Four other awards were also presented.

The Talia Frye Workforce Investment Champion was named in honor of the late Talia Frye, a 20-year veteran of the Brighton Center, where she led many workforce initiatives aimed at continually improving the workforce ecosystem in Northern Kentucky. Perfetti Van Melle was chosen from among the nominations by a committee comprised of local business leaders and workforce development professionals.

Also nominated were CVG Airport and Gateway Community and Technical College.

BE NKY Growth Partnership was selected as the Workforce Team of the Year, an award recognizing a team that works tirelessly to understand the regional workforce ecosystem, recognize potential impactful collaborations and champion workforce initiatives that will “move the needle.”

The other nominees for the award were the City of Covington Economic Development Department and the Jefferson Community and Technical College Adult Education team.

The Workforce Innovator of the Year award was presented to Bill Weier of Mazak, in recognition of multiple initiatives aimed at attracting and retaining new employees.

Liz Crenshaw of Arlinghaus Plumbing and HVAC was also a nominee for the award, which is earmarked for an individual at a local employer who challenges the “status quo” related to workforce development.

NaviGo’s Lorraine O’Moore won the Workforce Professional of the Year award for her work connecting high-school students to employers for work-based learning experiences. NaviGo is a division of Learning Grove.

Also recognized as nominees for the award were Sarah Rust Crider of the KY Office of Employer and Apprenticeship Services and Jerry Wallace from the Council of Christian Re-entry Ministry.

The fifth award for the Workforce Volunteer of the Year was presented to Michelle Cestaric of Staffmark. Michelle was recognized for the many hours of volunteer time she has dedicated to the workforce ecosystem, including leadership to the WIB and NKY Works.

Other nominees for the award were Dean McKay of Skilcraft, the current NKWIB Chairperson, and Ken Wocher, a retired workforce professional who now volunteers as a career coach at the Kenton County Public Library.

After the awards, the program shifted to an overview of NKY Works, a collective impact initiative focused on continued workforce development. Speakers including Rep. Kim Banta of House District 63, Boone County Judge Executive Gary Moore, and Ft. Thomas Superintendent Brian Robinson highlighted the imperative of working collaboratively to find, keep and train workers for quality jobs across the regional labor shed.

Northern Kentucky Workforce Investment Board

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