Executives Study Welfare-to-Work Strategy

A team studying how to create jobs for Californians who will be cut off from welfare includes leaders of small companies such as Santa Ana’s Financial Statement Services Inc. as well as giants such as Los Angeles’ Atlantic Richfield Co.

John Dietz, owner of Financial Statement, a data processing company with 100 Orange County employees, was named to the “Job Action Team” recently by Gov. Pete Wilson. Mike R. Bowlin, Arco’s chief executive, co-chairs the team along with Pacific Telesis Co. Chairman Phil Quigley and Maryles Casto, CEO of Casto Travel in Sunnyvale.

Other members of the team include Paul Pressler, president of the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim; Marian Bergeson, the former Orange County supervisor who is now Wilson’s education secretary; Tom McKernan, president of the Auto Club of Southern California; and Patricia Nunn, development manager for Santa Ana’s Community Development Agency.

The team is assessing California’s business climate, how to train welfare recipients and how to use technology to match would-be workers with jobs. Recommendations go to Wilson in May and are to include possible changes in taxes, civil laws and regulations.

An estimated 600,000 people are expected to come off public assistance in California over the next three years.

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E. Scott Reckard covers workplace issues for The Times. He can be reached at (714) 966-7407 and at [email protected].