Special Message from the Chairman

CWE’s Board of Directors, staff, partner organizations and the many thousands of workers who have attended CWE classes are privileged to have been the beneficiaries of CWE’s founding President Joseph McDermott’s vision over the past forty years. We recognize that it was through Joe McDermott’s leadership and in partnership with CWE’s labor, workforce development and community based not-for-profit partners, that CWE has been able to provide services to over 40,000 workers annually. CWE’s programs are funded largely by the State of New York through an allocation of Employment Preparation Education funds from the State Education Department and awards from the City of New York through New York City Council Discretionary Funding.

As CWE enters the next generation of service following Mr. McDermott’s retirement, it is with a sense of renewal that we are continuing to provide an ever more effective series of workforce training programs in collaboration with our partners.

CWE Chairman Edgar Romney and the Board of Directors have been working with our workforce development team that includes Craig Walker, CWE’s former CFO/COO currently serving as CWE’s Interim President and our current CFO/COO Florence Wong, along with our well-respected long-term cadre of Program Directors, and our dedicated staff who work tirelessly to ensure the essential services and programs are delivered to workers and constituents in our city.

The CWE Board is actively engaged in a broad search for a new President who can continue and extend the work begun by Joe McDermott in 1985. We are proud that the State of New York, the City of New York, our labor, work force development and community organization partners continue to rely upon CWE for our leadership and we look forward to continuing to serve New York City’s workers for many years to come.