TPMA Announces the addition of Jessia A. Borza to the TPMA team as VP of Workforce Strategies

Jessica A. Borza has joined Thomas P. Miller and Associates (TPMA) as a vice president of workforce strategies. Borza was the chief operating officer of the One StopWorkforce System in Mahoning & Columbiana Counties, Ohio, where she oversaw strategic planning, operations/service delivery, continuous improvement, fund development, budgeting/fiscal oversight, and personnel supervision of the workforce centers in the Youngstown area.

"Jessica Borza is a top-notch and highly regarded workforce development professional, one who has consistently been recognized for developing best practices work on behalf of the Ohio workforce development system," said Tom Miller, President and CEO of Thomas P. Miller and Associates. "Her results-oriented efforts have gained recognition not only in Ohio but throughout the Midwest and the nation. We are excited to offer Jessica's expertise and insights to our clients."

During her tenure, the Workforce System in Youngstownreceived accolades for building high-performing collaborations among workforce development, economic development and education. Awards included Ohio Workforce Area of the Year for three consecutive years, Ohio Business Services Team of the Year for two years and a number of best practice awards. Most recently, the One-Stop Workforce System of Mahoning and Columbiana Counties was rated as the number one One-Stop in the state of Ohio in the Gold Standard Continuous Improvement Program.

Borza will begin her responsibilities on August 1, 2011.

"I am looking forward to joining the team at Thomas P. Miller & Associates. To me, their capabilities and vision to address all components of the workforce development equation are unique and extremely critical in today's landscape," said Borza. Borza has also served as a manager and planning and training development coordinator for the Youngstown workforce system.

She has also served a grant writer and project manager for the Portage Private Industry Council in Ravenna, Ohio and as a development writer for D.T Watson Rehabilitation Services in Sewickley, Pennsylvania.

She holds a Masters of Business Administration from Kent State University, and a Bachelor of Science degreefrom Ohio University.

• Posted: 7/18/11

Matthew P. Waldo joins Thomas P. Miller and Associates as VP of Research

Tom Miller, President and CEO of Thomas P. Miller and Associates (TPMA) has named Matthew P. Waldo Vice President of Research and Analysis at the firm. Waldo joins TPMA from Indy Partnership, where he was Director of Research and Information. Prior to that he worked at Ivy Tech Community College's Workforce and Economic Development Division and at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

"As we expand our firm's research and analytical capabilities and offer new services for our clients, Matt Waldo brings a wealth of relevant experience," said Miller. "Matt is recognized as an emerging national leader in the latest tools and technologies in economic development, talent analysis,and educational program analysis, and will bring to our firm unique capabilities in these areas."

At Indy Partnership, Waldo helped design and implement the organization's new web site, which was cited as the "Best Economic Development Web Site" by the International Economic Development Council, and "Best Research Project Supporting Business Development" from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). Waldo also led the production of Indy Partnership's 2011 Regional Labor Study, garnering an unprecedented, second consecutive "Best Research Project" award from C2ER. He also founded and chairs the Research Sector Study Group of the Indiana Economic Development Association, helped develop a statewide business retention and expansion modeling project with Duke Energy Indiana and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and was recently named to the board of C2ER.

Tom Miller has also announced that Nicole Knisley from Indy Partnership has joined TPMA as a project consultant.

For Matt's full bio, click here.

For Knisley's full bio, click here.

• Posted: 7/18/11

TPMA Expands Research and Analysis Function

The recent addition of Matt Waldo and Nicole Knisley greatly expands the research and analysis function of Thomas P. Miller and Associates.

"By offering an increasing array of research services and tools to our clients, we will bring a new efficiency and effectiveness to our overall delivery of services," said Tom Miller. "We have traditionally had a strong research component over the years, but recently, we have outsourced much of this work to sub-contractors. We have now made a strategic decision to bring the research and analysis function back in house."

To learn more how TPMA can help you with your research, data, and analysis needs, click here or please contact Matt Waldo at 317 489-3428 or mwaldo@tpma-inc.com

• Posted: 7/18/11

Colleges in Crisis

In an article in the July/August issue of Harvard Magazine, Clayton M. Christensen and Michael B. Horn examine the "disruptive innovation" taking place on American college campuses -- one that will likely change the way colleges operate forever.

"Today, changing circumstances mandate that we shift that focus to making a quality postsecondary education affordable. Inherent in that shift is a new definition of quality from the perspective of students--ensuring that the education is valuable to them as they seek to improve their lives and thus improve the country's fortunes, too. If a postsecondary education is fundamentally affordable--meaning lower in cost to provide, not just the price to pay--this will also address the question of how to extend access to higher education of some sort."

For the full article, click here.