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From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, December 29,1963
By Stub Nelson,
Post-Intelligencer Political Editor
Gov. Albert D. Rosellinl yesterday announced formation of a "Job Corps" designed to create more jobs and protect the state's economy in the event of additional cutbacks in defense spending.
Simultaneously, Rosellini disclosed the appointment of Jack Gordon, long-time publicist for Greater Seattle, Inc., as commissioner of the State Department of Employment Security to direct the new program.
THE GOVERNOR said that Donald W. Johnson, president of the Association of Washington Industries, and Joe Davis, president of the Washington State Labor Council, have accepted his invitation to serve as co-chairmen of a statewide committee to coordinate the activities of the new corps.
The group will seek to enlist business men, labor and government officials from every part of the state.
Primary purpose of the corps will be to immediately seek more jobs in the state by accelerating planned public works and private expansion or modernization work.
THE CORPS will augment long-range efforts now under way by various local industry promotion groups and the State Department of Commerce and Economic Development.
The presidents of the University of Washington and Washington State University will be asked to aid the corps by providing statistical and other information and the services of staffs with relevent skills.
Gordon, 42, is now on leave from his position with Greater Seattle. As commissioner of Employment Security, he will take over the post left vacant by the death of Peter Giovine in 1959. The governor said Otto
Johnson, who has been acting commissioner since then, will stay on as deputy commissioner.
"Mr. Gordon has compiled an impressive record of successes in a career devoted to the direction of group programs of the kind seriously needed in this effort," Rosellini said.
"As a representative of civic agencies and as a member of organized labor, his close working relationship with both labor and management over past years make him ideally suited to the post of commissioner of Employment Security as well."
At the present time Gordon is president of the Civic Unity Committee of Seattle and is vice president of the Washington State International Trade Fair. He is active in other public groups and has a long record of community work. He is married and has four children.
COMMENTING on the newly created corps, Rosellini said:
"In many ways this group will be patterned after the 'Boost the Economy' project of the U.S. Department of Commerce. But we intend to make this a crash program now in view of the cutbacks at Boeing and the job needs elsewhere in the state.
"Job Corps headquarters in each community are envisioned in the offices of existing local job development enterprises. King and Spokane Counties will be pilot areas for the program.
"By mobilizing every community into statewide corps units, we can give ourselves a fighting chance to expand our employment potential to take up any slack created by sudden changes as was the case at the Boeing plant in King County. We also are going to seek more help in areas of retraining and relocating workers.
"I would emphasize that this task is one which must be above politics and must involve us all — business, labor and government officials. We have made some tremendous gains in these past years in attracting new industries and payrolls to our state, but the Boeing cutback and the possibility of further reductions in defense spending illustrates the need to put forth an even greater effort in this area."
The co-chairmen of the new coordinating committee are well known in the business world.
Donald Johnson, 46, has been manager of the Reynolds Metal Co. Longview operations since April, 1958. He lives in Longview.
Joe Davis has held numerous federal and state positions and was elected president of the Washington State Labor [Council. He] makes his home in Seattle.
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