Lopez’ background includes the administration and management of programs serving farmworkers, dislocated workers, older workers, high-risk youth and welfare recipients and other hard-to-serve target groups, which has made him sensitive to the needs of diverse populations. Lopez 10 years of experience of working with the California Employment Development Department (EDD), as Deputy Director of workforce programs and CET jobs programs for 35 years has given him the knowledge and expertise to help government implement workforce policies to help businesses become more productive while helping low-income individuals obtain middle-level skill jobs and higher wages. Lopez is a Veteran of U.S. Army, 82nd Airborne Division, received an Honorable Discharge in 1972 and obtained a B.A. Degree in Management from St. Mary’s College in 1983.
In 1973 Lopez was first hired to be a basic education instructor with the Center for Employment Training (CET). He remained with the CET for nearly 20 years, moving up the corporate ladder. He gained valuable experience in the functions of workforce development, fund development, policy, contract administration and managing vocational training programs that successfully trained hard-to-serve individuals for higher level jobs with California employers.
In 1993, Governor Pete Wilson appointed Lopez to help administer California’s employment and training programs. He served as an Assistant Director for the Employment Training Panel (ETP), overseeing $100 million annually in funding for retraining and new hire training projects. In 1994, Lopez was appointed by Governor Wilson to the Employment Development Department as a Deputy Director of Workforce Program to implement (JTPA) federal programs and to oversee and administer over $550 million in job training funding and economic development programs leading to jobs for disadvantaged adults and youth, older workers and persons with disabilities and the initial implementation of the (WIOA) One-Stop Career System.
In 2000, he was rehired by CET as Director of Government Relations assisting Corporate Headquarters developing governmental and foundation proposals, policy papers and present at the highest level of state and federal government including the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services and Department of Commerce-Economic Development Administration.
Lopez is married to Juanita S. Lopez for 42 years and has 4 children.
