Myrell re-elected Workforce Development Board chair

The San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board (WDB) has unanimously re-elected its leadership team, including Tony Myrell to a fourth one-year term as chairman.

Myrell, president and owner of Premier Medical Transportation in Colton, has served on the WDB for more than seven years. He joins returning Vice Chairman Phil Cothran and Second Vice Chairman William Sterling in leading the County’s nationally recognized efforts to develop a well-trained labor force that meets the needs of businesses.

“I’m honored by the show of confidence from my fellow board members and look forward to continuing the momentum we’ve created in establishing San Bernardino County as a destination for businesses and high-quality jobs,” said Myrell.

In addition to his WDB role, Myrell holds one of just 22 spots on the Board of Directors for the National Association of Workforce Boards. The national association selects chairs from the top-performing regions around the country to work closely with legislators to influence national policy and support partnerships in education, business, economic development and labor.

Under Myrell’s tenure on the WDB, the board has played a critical role in creating economic and employment opportunity in one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. A recent study conducted on behalf of the WDB projects employment in the county to increase by 73,000 jobs over the next decade, bolstered by a strong mix of businesses poised to expand and a relatively young, increasingly well-trained workforce.

The board has helped forge partnerships between businesses and educational institutions, including a new three-year agreement between the County and the Foundation for California Community Colleges to help place hundreds of youth in work-based learning sites.

“The opportunity we have is unlike any in California, and we’re poised – as a county and as a region – to become a business, economic and job-creation hub for the state,” Myrell said.

Cothran, who was re-elected as vice chairman, has served on the WDB for more than 23 years, including three separate terms as chairman. He owns the Phil Cothran Agency, a State Farm Insurance brokerage in Fontana.

Sterling, re-elected second vice chairman, has served for seven years on the WDB. He is the president and chief operating officer of Sterling Synergy Systems Inc. providing technical and business consulting services throughout the United States.

Several board members praised the direction of the WDB, noting the progress that is being made in the area of sector partnerships, career pathways and establishing the agency as the county’s recognized authority for providing labor market information. In the coming weeks, the board will release a comprehensive Workforce Roadmap that will address the systems being put in place to ensure that the county’s workforce is ready for the changes impacting business growth.

“We’ve established incredible momentum, and we’re seeing the results of that in very positive ways,” said Ken Boshart, president of Boshart Automotive. “I want to thank Tony and this team. This is a very exciting time.”

“Tony Myrell is one of the most recognizable national figures in workforce development, and we’re fortunate to again have him leading our board,” said Robert Lovingood, chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors. “Continuing the leadership of our workforce efforts is critically important, especially now with the economic opportunities San Bernardino County and the Inland Empire have in front of us. All roads lead here, and we have the pieces in place to take full advantage of that – an excellent quality of life, affordability, a great transportation network and a workforce system that supports our business-growth and economic development efforts.”