Following an extensive search, the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) last week has announced Marc Majors as its new deputy commissioner of workforce development.
Majors was selected to fill the position vacated by Hamse Warfa’s departure for a role with the Biden-Harris administration. Majors officially began his position last week.
“This leadership role at DEED is critical to helping Minnesota make big strides toward expanding economic opportunities for all Minnesotans,” said DEED Commissioner Steve Grove. “Marc’s wide-ranging expertise and experience are huge assets in helping DEED lead the way to a more inclusive economy.”
Before being named deputy commissioner, Majors was DEED’s director of employment and training programs—the group at DEED that runs grantmaking for workforce development.
Additionally, he held responsibility for the agency’s Workforce Innovative and Opportunity Act-Title I programs, Trade Adjustment Assistance programs, State-funded Workforce Development Grants, and a new public-private initiative with Xcel Energy.
Majors has been a key leader in advocating for and securing over $130M in net new workforce dollars for Minnesota’s workforce development system through federal and state sources.
He also collaborated closely with former Deputy Commissioner Warfa to reimagine DEED’s workforce grantmaking process—streamlining the application flow and accelerating the amount of time it takes to get money to grantees by over six months on average.
He also helped pioneer a new community review process that has engaged over 75 outside reviewers of DEED grant applications. These innovations and others have led to $18M more in workforce grants going to equity-centered nonprofits.
Before joining DEED, Majors was a workforce development manager with the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development. He also spent seven years in New York City government managing workforce development programs at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, the largest public health care system in the country.
As Majors begins his new role, he’ll kick off a statewide tour to engage business and workforce leaders across Minnesota on how DEED can better fulfill its mission: to empower the growth of the Minnesota economy for everyone.
“I’m thrilled to be stepping into the deputy commissioner role at DEED at this important moment for the workforce,” said Majors. “I can’t wait to engage with community leaders, businesses, and nonprofits across the state as we continue to make innovative advancements to our system that help both job-seekers and businesses thrive.”
Majors was born in Minneapolis, and his first job was working during the summer as a shop-hand with Glanton Construction, an African American-owned business in Minneapolis. Majors earned his Juris Doctorate from Vermont Law School, a Master of Public Administration from New York University, and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of San Francisco.
In 2021, Majors was named by Twin Cities Business Magazine as one of the notable BIPOC executives of the year.
DEED is the state’s principal economic development agency, promoting business recruitment, expansion and retention, workforce development, international trade and community development.
Source: DEED
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