Communications, information management functions will expand 

Ann Arbor, Mich. — The Great Lakes Commission announces the creation of two new program areas that will greatly enhance its capacity to manage and distribute information critical to informed public policy decisionmaking.

The new program areas are Communications and Internet Technology, and Data and Information Management. Building upon the former Communications and Information Management Program, they will enhance the Commission’s ability to manage mutiple existing projects while providing the resources for significant program expansion.

“These new program areas will oversee a growing suite of projects that will enable the Commission to access, organize and manage data and information to support informed policy development and decisionmaking,” said Dr. Michael J. Donahue, Commission president/CEO. “These are areas where the Great Lakes Commission has long demonstrated leadership and special expertise.”

The Communications and Internet Technology program will house all of the Commission’s communications activities, including the Advisornewsletter, press releases, the Great Lakes Information Network (GLIN), web site maintenance and other outreach activities. Christine Manninen, a project manager and seven-year employee, has been promoted to program manager.

The other new program will handle the Commission’s data collection, analysis and management activities, including geographic information systems (GIS), the development of data management tools and a range of other activities. A new program manager will be announced soon.

“This is similar to our successful reorganization of Resource Management and Environmental Quality into separate programs a couple years ago,” Donahue said. “As the Commission continues to grow and gain new responsibilities, it makes sense to restructure our program areas so they can remain focused on clearly defined core missions.”

Donahue added that the staff has expanded in size and will continue to do so to better serve its state and provincial members, and the entire Great Lakes-St. Lawrence community.

In other personnel matters, two staff members have been honored with the Commission’s Outstanding Service Award upon reaching personal milestones with the organization. Steve Thorp, program manager inTransportation and Sustainable Development, recently completed his 20th year with the Commission, while Katherine Glassner-Shwayder, project manager in Resource Management, marked the 10th anniversary of her work here. Congratulations to them both!

For immediate release: June 11, 2002
Contact: Mike Donahue, [email protected], office: 734-971-9135

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The Great Lakes Commission, chaired by Nathaniel E. Robinson (Wisconsin), is a nonpartisan, binational compact agency created by state and U.S. federal law and dedicated to promoting a strong economy, healthy environment and high quality of life for the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence region and its residents. The Commission consists of state legislators, agency officials, and governors’ appointees from its eight member states. Associate membership for Ontario and Québec was established through the signing of a “Declaration of Partnership.” The Commission maintains a formal Observer program involving U.S. and Canadian federal agencies, tribal authorities, binational agencies and other regional interests. The Commission offices are located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.