Holcomb taps La Porte mayor as new state recruiting official

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb on Thursday tapped La Porte Mayor Blair Milo to fill a newly created cabinet position and serve as the state’s “chief talent and recruiting official.”

Milo, who will resign next month from the mayoral post she was elected to at age 28 in 2011, will technically be the secretary of career connections and talent and CEO of the State Personnel Department. That agency recently lost its director, Brandye Hendrickson, who just took a job in the Trump administration.

Milo joins an administration that is beginning to see the challenges of the state's near-record-low unemployment rate. A growing group of business leaders say they're coming up short as they seek out more skilled workers to fill available jobs.

“This new position will provide the urgent and focused attention required to position Indiana well long-term and ensure our state’s workforce is keeping pace with our economy as it grows and becomes more diverse,” Holcomb said in a written statement. “I can think of no one better suited than Blair Milo to lead this charge.”

Holcomb said under Milo’s tenure in La Porte, she ushered in $260 million in economic development investment. The Republican also served five years in active duty with the U.S. Navy and interned with former U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar.

“We want to connect Hoosiers with a job they’re passionate about, and we want our employers to know they can draw from a deep pool of talented, dedicated workers in every corner of the state,” Milo said in written comments. She said would collaborate with businesses, elected officials and colleges throughout the state to “assess, fill and preempt our workforce needs.”