A familiar face has returned to working toward economic development in Lawrence County.

Roger Haley, who resigned in April after serving as park manager for The Point industrial park for three years, began as the project director for Training Solutions this week.

Though the job is entirely different, a common theme is that he will continue to work closely with local business and industry.

Ohio University Southern's Center for Development was split on July 1 into two separate entities - Training Solutions and The Center for Innovation and Leadership.

Training Solutions is a partnership between Collins Career Center and Ohio University Southern that focuses on providing customized workforce training for area businesses.

Haley said he is excited about the chance to continue working in the area of economic development within the community and to work with co-director Mark Harvey who represents the Collins Center.

"This seems like a good opportunity, something that is good for the community," Haley said. "In any type of economic development, workforce training is an integral part. Hopefully, this will result in job growth and getting people back to work."

Haley said that he hopes Training Solutions will be able to use its joint partnership to provide a one-stop training center for new, as well as existing businesses that may be expanding or changing.

Jim Crawford, director of OUS' Center for Innovation and Leadership, said that Haley's role will be to administrate the dally operations and help business and industry that need training to develop a workable plan.

"Roger, with his experience and knowledge of the community and business and industry, adds a lot to the university being able to serve those markets in workforce development," Crawford said.

There may be another reunion of sorts on the horizon as Training Solutions is scheduled to stay in its current location, 1007 N. Second St., until June 2004 when it moves to a new facility in The Point industrial park that Haley worked extensively toward developing.