Rick Jordan knows something about workforce development.

As vice president of LSI Graphic Solutions in Erlanger, Jordan was one of the leaders in the effort to develop a quality workforce in the advanced manufacturing industry. He recognized years ago that expansion of Northern Kentucky operations by companies in the industry, coupled with looming retirement of baby boomers, would create a gap in the pipeline of qualified workers.

In 2011, a coalition of Northern Kentucky advanced manufacturing leaders that included Jordan, armed with just a $65,000 grant, began working with Gateway Community and Technical College to help build that workforce.

The Northern Kentucky Industrial Park Industry Partnership was instrumental in developing the spirit of cooperation that has fueled apprenticeship programs and collaborative efforts, such as Kentucky FAME, throughout the state.

Jordan, who retired from LSI Graphic Solutions after 20 years, now looks forward to a new challenge. He has been named Director of Special Projects for the Kentucky Education and Workforce Cabinet.

“I am excited about this new position in the Education and Workforce Cabinet,” Jordan said. “One of the major areas of focus will be increasing the required technical skills of Kentuckians to meet the ever changing job requirements of Kentucky companies so that the pipeline shortages will be filled.”

Jordan, who lives in Walton with his wife Vicki, will manage the successful Kentucky Work Ready Communities Program and will be involved in a number of other special projects that are in the works.

Jordan attended Franklin and Ohio State Universities after serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

His career has spanned more than 43 years, involving a number of management duties which also included manufacturing operations. He has held management positions with the Tappan Appliance Company, the Chef Company, and as Vice-President with the Maytag Corporation.

He moved to Northern Kentucky in 1989 as President of American Sign & Marketing.

Five years later, he presented to LSI Industries Inc. in Blue Ash, a business plan to start a new division for them in Northern Kentucky focusing on developing marketing and then manufacturing identification graphics for national retailers. LSI Graphic Solutions continues as a thriving division today.

In 2014, Jordan was invited to Washington D.C, to participate in a business summit with President Barack Obama and several advisers in the East Room of the White House. The goal of the summit was to develop a strategy to integrate the long-term unemployed back into the workforce.

He had traveled to the nation’s capital a few months prior to that to meet with the national group Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships. The group met with U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and others to discuss the issue of long-term unemployment, which led to the summit with the president.

Jordan has been involved in a number of community activities including Treasurer of the Northern Kentucky Baptist Church and twelve years on the Gateway Community & Technical College Board of Directors, including ten years as the Founding Chair.

He also has served as a past board member of the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce including the Executive Committee, the Kentucky Association of Manufacturers, the Kentucky State Parks Foundation, and former Gov. Steve Beshear’s Blue Ribbon Tax Reform Commission.

In his role as president of the NKIP Advisory Committee for Continuing Education, he oversaw the 2012 completion of the NKIP Strategic Manufacturing Skill Pipeline Business Plan.

Jordan will make his first appearance in his new role today at Gateway Community and Technical College, with Gov. Matt Bevin, to highlight a new Enhanced Operator program.

The program represents the collaborative efforts of the Northern Kentucky Advanced Manufacturing Workforce Development Coalition (AMWDC), Gateway and several leading manufacturers to address the industry need for more qualified candidates.