Legacy 2016 Miami: 25 Most Powerful Women Issue | Page 13

MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 2016

AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLEMENT BY MIA MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO MIAMI HERALD

BB13

A Decade of Progress: CareerSource South Florida
Sets High Standards of Excellence

Empowering people to do their best and
to be their best 24/7 is one of many driving
forces behind the strength and leadership of
CareerSource South Florida. It is one of the
key reasons why the agency has
experienced a tremendous turn around. Just
over 10 years ago, the agency was nearly in
ruins and about to be handed over to the

state, but now it is regarded as one of the
most productive employment and training
agencies in the nation.
Determined to set and maintain the
highest standards of excellence, Rick
Beasley, a dynamic and forward thinker, has
served as the agency’s Executive Director
since 2005. Prior to taking the helm, the
University of Missouri-Columbia graduate
served as the Director of the Missouri
Division of Workforce Development. He left
that agency with glowing recommendations
and came to South Florida, setting his sights
on both enhancing the skills of the
workforce and expanding the job
opportunities for them.
The dedicated governing board of
CareerSource South Florida quickly charged
Rick Beasley and his leadership team of
qualified and committed men and women,
to roll up their sleeves and transform the
agency to its current levels of productivity
and national prominence. “Our underlining
goal is to help communities attract and
retain businesses and make our region a
better place to live, work, and do business,”

states Beasley. Beasley’s effective
leadership efforts have been noticed. Earlier
this year, Mr. Beasley was elected President
of the United States Conference of Mayors
Workforce Development Council (WDC).
Transparency, ethics and equality are the
key qualities that guide Mr. Beasley and his
leadership team - a team of knowledgeable
and experienced executives and senior
officials and who are mostly women. Many
members “get it”, says Marian Smith, the
Assistant Director of Administration at
CareerSource South Florida, who has
reported directly to Mr. Beasley for 10
years. “He has high standards and expects
the same from his staff. From my
perspective, he has demonstrated no
impartiality or bias toward women. He has
treated both male and female employees
equally. Most importantly, the
improvements that have been implemented
have strengthened the workforce delivery
system to the community.”
Some of the key accomplishments of
CareerSource South Florida:
• Generated 1.15 billion of salaries and

wages in the Miami-Dade and Monroe
County economies.
• For every $1 dollar invested in
employment and training services, the
region receives a $34.51 return on
investment.
• Increased the number of jobseekers being
placed into jobs/careers.
• Increased the number of employers
services to businesses.
CareerSource South Florida – High
Standards of Excellence
• Reduced the cost to place job seekers into
jobs/careers from $844 dollars to $586
dollars.
• More than half a million unemployed
Floridians, or seven out of 10 unemployed
individuals, who completed service in fiscal
year 2012-2013 found new jobs.
• Job seekers who went to work in a new
job after being assisted by the network
received more than $9.8 billion in total
annual earnings.
• The network assisted more than 60,000
veterans.