Merry Christmas!

Christmas
December 23, 2025
e-Newsletter Archive

Sue and I would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! May you have a meaningful and blessed holiday season surrounded by family and loved ones.

On Monday, I had the opportunity to recognize Renae Shircliff from Hillsdale as the Veteran of the Month for December. Renae served as an Army Specialist 4th Class 63 Hotel Tank Mechanic and duty driver for her Commanding Officer in Stuttgart, Germany. After returning home, she joined the Hillsdale County Veterans Affairs Office and was named Director in 2018. Since then, she has helped veterans secure millions of dollars in VA benefits, ensuring they receive the care they deserve. Thank you, Renae, for your service and for dedicating your life to advocating on behalf of the veteran community.  

I enjoyed visiting the Bertrand Innovation Center in Niles to see the vital work they are doing to close the skills gap and build the workforce we need for America’s new golden age. Businesses across the country are struggling to find employees to meet the ever-growing demand in the skilled trades or technical fields. Through apprenticeships and other educational opportunities, we can connect workers with the skills and knowledge they need to compete in the modern economy. 

It was great to hear from students and teachers about how Adrian College is ensuring students have the skills to succeed in today's modern workforce. President Jeffrey Docking recently appeared before the Education and Workforce Committee, which I chair, to tell the committee about some of the innovative ways they are using to prepare students for the modern workforce. One method they have implemented is a course-sharing system to better meet demand and lower costs.