BUSINESS: PIC IS BACK, WITH DUTIES TO HELP WIB PROGRAM

PIC wasn't out of business long.

The Private Industry Council (PIC) of Southeast Missouri, founded in 1983, was disbanded briefly when the new Workforce Investment Board (WIB) came into being July 1 of this year.

Many of PIC's former board members were named to the WIB, which includes 46 members, including two private sector members From each of the 13 counties it serves.

Ron Swift, former chairman of the PIC, heads the WIB.

Missouri was included in the second wave of states to kick off the WIB program created under the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998. WIA was designed to develop a work force that consistently meets employers' needs for workers.

With the passage of the Workforce Investment Act, the Job Training Partnership Act was repealed.

"WIB is limited in things it can do," said Swift. "We can do certain things, but we're prohibited from doing other things."

Basically, WIB's main charges is that of administration, to assure delivery of certain programs.

The program under the new Workforce Investment Act is organized into five titles, according to Cleat Stanfill, WIB public relations spokesman.

It includes job training, adult education, amendments to Wagner-Peyser and related Acts, amendments to the Vocational Rehabilitation Act and general provisions, said Stanfill.

PIC, with a new look and a new board, is one of a number of entities under WIB, and will continue to work with the "Welfare to Work" program and "Missouri Jobs Employment and Training" (MJET) program, noted Swift.

Betty Hearnes, of Charleston, heads the new PIC Board, which was appointed July 11. Joe Anders of Cape Girardeau, recently retired form the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, is secretary; David Braun of Farmington is vice chairman, and Glenn Graham of Perryville, is treasurer.

The PIC board is made up of one appointed member from each of 13 counties. Board members include Hearnes, of Mississippi County; Anders, Cape Girardeau County; Braum, St. Francois County; Graham, Perry County; Marc Massengale, Bollinger County; Bill Sheehy, Iron County; Phil Page, Madison County; Sue Swinger, Pemiscot County; Jim Clark, Ste. Genevieve County;; Marian Bock New Madrid County; Bill Neel, Scott County; Terri Todd, Dunklin County and Buck Collier, Stoddard County.