Ivanka Trump to Visit Valley for Opportunity Zone Events Monday
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — Ivanka Trump, adviser to President Donald Trump and daughter of the president, will visit Youngstown Monday, a White House official said Friday.
Trump will be accompanied by Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman and Scott Turner, executive director of the White House Opportunity Zone Revitalization Council, for the event, which is intended to highlight workforce development as a key component to improving the economic circumstances of those living in Opportunity Zone communities, according to the White House official speaking on background.
Trump is the administration’s lead for the National Council on the American Worker and American Workforce Policy Advisory Board. She has traveled to communities across the country to highlight expansion of workforce training opportunities.
Last year, the Department of the Treasury and Internal Revenue Service designated 15 area census tracts as Opportunity Zone communities.
“Our mission is to engage with the private sector to provide workforce opportunities that allow all Americans, regardless of age or background, to acquire the skills needed to retain high-paying jobs that will continue to be created under this Administration’s pro-growth policies, like Opportunity Zones,” Trump said in a prepared statement.
“It’s an opportunity to highlight the support to workforce development work that the administration is focused on,” the White House official said. Trump is working on workforce development and the zones are going to create workforce opportunities. “It’s kind of a hand-in-glove situation,” the official said.
“I look forward to welcoming Ivanka Trump and Secretary Carson back to the Mahoning Valley to discuss the benefits of Opportunity Zones and how they can help spur economic development and job creation in low-income communities,” said Portman, R-Ohio. “In addition, I look forward to discussing my JOBS Act and the White House’s support for this legislation, which would expand Pell eligibility to cover short-term job training programs so that Ohioans can get the skills needed for the jobs available today.”
The delegation’s visit will include visits to City Machine Technologies and the Youngstown Business Incubator and a roundtable event with business and community leaders at Stambaugh Auditorium followed by a “Pledge to American Workers” signing ceremony.
As part of Monday’s events, the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber will unveil its Opportunity Zone prospectus during a lunch program. Earlier in the day, Turner will be in the Valley for events that had been scheduled July 30 to meet with local leaders about Opportunity Zone priorities.
Turner is leading a 10-city tour of Opportunity Zones and hosting roundtable discussions with community leaders and investors focused on leveraging this new economic development tool.
“We are so pleased to host this group to discuss how the Opportunity Zone tool can support the Mahoning Valley’s ongoing efforts in economic and workforce development,” said Lauren Johnson, 422 Corridor and business development manager for the Regional Chamber.
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