Monday, April 2, 2012

Benton to Lead Commerce Division of Employment Security

Demonstrated Management Experience Will Assist Division in Early Stages of Merger
RALEIGH
Apr 2, 2012

Gov. Bev Perdue and Sec. Keith Crisco today announced that Dempsey Benton will become the Assistant Secretary of Employment Security at the N.C. Department of Commerce.  The Division was formerly known as the Employment Security Commission before being merged into the Department of Commerce on Nov. 1, 2011.  
 
“Dempsey Benton brings the skill and experience to oversee this important division,” said Gov. Perdue.  “His many years of strong fiscal management will be a tremendous asset as we continue to recover from the worst recession in our lifetimes.”  
 
At the Division of Employment Security, Benton will be responsible for overseeing the state’s unemployment insurance system. This includes all aspects of claim determination, employer account management and legal enforcement of employment security law.
 
“Dempsey’s experience with managing programs with high volumes of federal funds and a large number of transactions will be beneficial for the division,” said Crisco.
 
In 2009, Benton was appointed by Gov. Perdue to lead the Office of Economic Recovery & Investment.  The office coordinated and tracked North Carolina’s handling of federal stimulus funds as well as state-level economic recovery initiatives.  Prior to that, Benton served as the Secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services from August 2007 to January 2009 and as Chief Deputy Secretary of the state Environment and Natural Resources Department from 2001 until January 2007.   Prior to joining state government, Benton served as Raleigh city manager from 1983 to 2000 and as the city’s assistant manager from 1974 to 1983.  Before moving to Raleigh, he served as city manager of Elizabeth City and finance director in Rocky Mount.

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