During the State of the State Address on Jan. 16, and in a press conference the day after, Governor Parson announced a major restructuring of four state agencies in an effort to improve economic and workforce development in Missouri.
The new DED will be laser focused, regionally targeted, customer centric, and data driven.
Download the handout.
Advantages
New Divisions
Building a laser focused economic development agency
To achieve the results that we see in top states, we need to take a hard look at the organization’s mission and find ways to better align some of our functions with other areas of state government.
Advantages
Shifting Divisions
The new DED will be laser focused, regionally targeted, customer centric, and data driven.
Download the handout.
Advantages
- Built using input from more than 3,000 Missourians
- Uses existing resources more efficiently
- Allows DED to tailor our approach to the unique needs of each region
- Expands our presence and responsiveness, allowing us to build stronger relationships locally
- Structures DED around the customer rather than around programs and processes
- Prioritizes the most important factor in economic development—the need for skilled workers
- Ensures that planning and performance are baked into the organization, making DED agile and more responsive to emerging trends
New Divisions
- Regional Engagement Division - Provide businesses and communities with one primary point of contact for the state
- Business and Community Solutions Division - Solves customer challenges with a combination of subject matter expertise, program administration, and innovative problem solving
- One Start Division - During expansions and relocations, when businesses need to ramp up quickly and handle large numbers of job applicants, the new division will help market job openings, recruit, screen and train workers
- Strategy and Performance Division - Provides data and analysis, strategic planning and performance management support to the other divisions and programs within DED
Building a laser focused economic development agency
To achieve the results that we see in top states, we need to take a hard look at the organization’s mission and find ways to better align some of our functions with other areas of state government.
Advantages
- Uses best practices from top performing states with laser focused business development agencies
- Better aligns related policy areas of state government that are currently separate, especially within workforce development
- Consolidates certain functions within agencies better equipped to handle them
Shifting Divisions
- The Division of Workforce Development will transfer to the Department of Higher Education.
- The Division of Energy will return to the Department of Natural Resources.
- The Public Service Commission and Office of Public Counsel will transfer to the Department of Commerce and Insurance, formerly the Department of Insurance and Professional Registration.
- The Missouri Arts Council will transfer to the Lt. Governor’s Office.