The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce said Monday it hired a Tarleton State University director to be senior vice president of talent development, retention and attraction, one of the four pillars of the chamber's new strategic plan.
Dr. Anthony Edwards, assistant professor and director of the Tarleton State University Global Campus, will join the chamber May 14. At Tarleton, Edwards oversaw academic advising, recruiting, and marketing of online programs for six years.
“Anthony has broad experience in areas of education and workforce development,” Brandom Gengelbach, executive vice president of economic development for the chamber, said. “The education and workforce landscape is very complex and Tony is the ideal person to map services offerings in this segment and identify overlaps and gaps within the local system.”
Edwards is a former science teacher in the Fort Worth, Granbury, and Huckabay public schools. He earned a bachelor of science in biomedical science from Texas A&M University, a master of health administration from the Texas A&M Health Science Center, and a doctor of education in educational leadership and policy studies from Tarleton State.
“I became interested in the position after reading Fortify, the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce Strategic Plan,” Edwards said. “I am eager to collaborate with local businesses and school districts, Workforce Solutions of Tarrant County, Tarrant County College, local universities, local governments, Visit Fort Worth, and nonprofits to develop, attract, and retain talent in Fort Worth.”
As head of Talent, Dr. Edwards' four-year goals include a five percent increase in population age 25+ with a bachelor's degree; five percent increase in population with postsecondary degrees, licenses or certifications; and 10 percent increase in targeted industries' talent supply.
“Talent is a top concern of businesses of all sizes, so Anthony will be charged with communicating what is being done currently to help local employers understand existing community services that may address their particular needs, as well as learn what new services should be implemented,” Gengelbach said.